Okay. I am officially preread and highlighted. A friend questioned the tone of orange in which I used, so I will share that it is a more muted-almost peachy orange. It's not construction zone orange...but my script, now highlighted, could easily pass for a S.E.C. football game. It is a sea of orange. Nearly every letter is coated with color. I was paging through it after highlighting and realized that it's a good thing I already have the script. This will be a beast to memorize.
The facts....the facts. My third step in this process is to become Character Actress, P.I. (cue the Magnum, Inspector Gadget, or Sherlock Holmes theme). It is now my job to fish through the entire script to find out the facts about Blanche as well as the opinions that are held toward her and she toward herself at any given moment. Having a Tennessee Williams character makes this part of the process relatively easy if not overwhelmingly so. Nearly all his characters wear their hearts on their sleeves and they generally get around to letting each other know what they think of each other if not within the first moments of a scene.
I am also developing a time-line for her as well. It helps to know what happened in her life and when prior to the moments in this play...and it is fun to imagine (well, not in Blanche's case) what happens afterward. She makes it clear how she would like for it to end. It is helpful to and fun to fill in the blanks between events prior to the moments in the play as well. It is a very helpful and creative process! I am finding what is called her 'given circumstances.'
There are a number of things actors do at this point. I have had the privilege to be directed by, work with, and study under some pretty wonderful folks. So, what I am doing for Blanche is based on years of experience and shared knowledge. There is no really tried and true method we use...the more you do it, the more you figure out what is right for you. I will be honest and tell you that I don't do this for every character I play, but Blanche requires it, demands it, and deserves it.
Any suggestions are warmly welcomed!
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