TWO WORLDS AT THE SAME TIME:
Full Spectrum Improvisation For The Theatre and Life
230 pages, 130 exercises, 44 photos, theory, ideas, vignettes…
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS …………………………………………………xv
INTRODUCTION ………………………………………………………….xvii
CHAPTER ONE:
WHAT FSI IS AND WHAT IT ISN’T…………………………………..3
TWO WORLDS………………………………………………………………3
Personal Transformation 4
WHY IS IT CALLED “FULL SPECTRUM?”………………………….6
A Therapeutic Alliance 7
ORIGINS OF FSI, PHILOSOPHY AND AESTHETIC……………..8
Early Dance 9
WHY THIS BOOK?………………………………………………………….13
PLAY…………………………………………………………………………….15
CHAPTER TWO:
AUTHENTICITY AND COLLABORATION…………………………….19
DEFINITION OF TERMS……………………………………………………19
OFFERING AND ACCEPTING: THE HEART OF THE MATTER…19
Let The Offer Land 21
Blocking, Constructively And Not 21
Gender and Issues of Meaning and Power In Theatre 23
Breaking The Frame 25
CHAPTER THREE:
TEACHING PHILOSOPHY AND APPROACH
PLUS FEEDBACK, COACHING, & CRITIQUE………………………….31
SKILL……………………………………………………………………………….31
RULES vs. PRINCIPLES………………………………………………………36
Language and Psycho-Physical Responses 38
Attitudes and Principles 39
Commitment 40
Flow 40
STUCK? …………………………………………………………………………….41
What to Do When Stuck (In Performance) 41
Coaching A Stuck Player 41
DE-BRIEFING……………………………………………………………………..42
For Witnesses (Fellow Students) In Class 43
FEEDBACK FOR BEGINNERS………………………………………………..43
FEEDBACK FOR INTERMEDIATE / ADVANCED PLAYERS…………44
The Critic, Skill and Inspiration 45
“The Reaction” 46
HABITS AND INTERVENING………………………………………………….46
Art and Reality 47
HANDLING “DIFFICULT” STUDENTS ……………………………………..49
CHAPTER FOUR:
STAGE FRIGHT / PERFORMANCE ANXIETY……………………………..53
A Phobia 53
Perfectionism 54
A Loop Of Light 56
Courage 57
THE INNER CRITIC: WHERE DOES IT COME FROM?……………………58
SOME SUGGESTIONS TO COUNTER STAGE FRIGHT…………………….59
Talent 62
CHAPTER FIVE:
TUNING THE INSTRUMENT: TRAINING THE BODY,
THE VOICE AND THE IMAGINATION……………………………………………65
CHECKING IN…………………………………………………………………………….65
WARM-UPS ……………………………………………………………………………….66
On the Mat 68
Meditative Movement 68
Moving for the Pleasure of It 69
Up and Down Three Ways 69
Baby Roll 70
Stream-of-Consciousness Warm-Up 71
Lion’s Roar 72
Sensory Awareness 72
Help Each Other Up 73
Singing Yawn 73
Horse’s Lips 74
Linked Movement 74
Kicks and Hoots 75
Image Walks 75
More Movement Ideas / Images for Warm-Up 75
Marionettes 76
PAIR AND ENSEMBLE EXERCISES……………………………………………..76
SENDING AND RECEIVING………………………………………………………..77
Leader / Follower 77
Tell Me About Yourself 80
Self–Intro Three Different Ways, In the Circle 81
Moving In A Circle 81
Sound Ball 83
Word Ball 83
Image Ball 83
Gesture Circle 83
Rolphing 84
Movement Sound Reflecting Circle 84
Movement Sound Stimulus Response Circle 85
Handshakes and Greetings 85
Hand Dance / Feet Dance 86
Group Machine, Group Animal 86
Group Go, A Concentration and Connection Game 87
Trust Falls 88
Group Yes 89
Keeping Going 90
Instant Dreams 92
Mirror and Variations 92
Basic Mirror Exercise 93
Changing Mirrors 94
All Follow One or Who Started The Motion? 94
Eye Contact / No Eye Contact Journey 95
Vocal Mirror 96
Two As One Speeches or Stories 96
Yes, And 97
Gibberish Translator 98
Reflect, Extend, Respond 99
The Swamp 100
Comedia Dell’arte Physical Theatre Riffs 100
Cutting Loose 101
I Feel 102
Connections 102
Directors and Nouns 104
Directors and Change 104
Over-Accepting 105
Develop That 106
Let Your Partner Change You 106
Silent Tension 108
West Side Story 109
Blind Leading Blind 109
Stupid Dance 110
Emotion Dance 110
Bad Acting 110
Empty Vessel 110
One Moves—One Talks 111
Move On Every New Beat 112
Space / Shape 113
Repetition 113
Physical Life and Emotional Life First 114
Techniques of “Fighting,” “Killing,” “Dying” or Being “Drunk” or “Stoned” On Stage 115
Mantras for Scenes 116
Rhythm and Repetition In Dialogue 116
THE VOICE…………………………………………………………………………….117
Breathing for Theatrical Speech or Singing 118
Vocal Slide 118
Sound Massage 118
Vocal Variety and Flexibility, Isolating Elements of the Voice 119
Back-To-Back Soundscape 120
Voice Ladder 120
Song Circle / Rhythm Jam 122
CHAPTER SIX:
CONTENT/STORYTELLING……………………………………………………….125
Underlining 125
STORYTELLING/NARRATIVE ARC …………………………………………….126
Textbook Definition Of Narrative Arc 127
STORYTELLING EXERCISES AND STRUCTURES FOR ENSEMBLE …128
Two-or-Three-Words-Per-Person Stories 128
Pass The Story or Give-and-Take Storytelling, Three Versions 128
Version 1: Pass The Story 128
Version 2: Ensemble Monologue In Circle 129
Version 3: Inner Life, Color, Advance (Add To Pass The Story) 130
Reincorporation 131
Two-Minute Life Story With Partner 131
Intercut Stories 131
Intercut Stories Into Scenes 134
Spoken Word Music 134
Mirror Stories, A Beat Behind 135
WHAT KIND OF CONTENT CAN IMPROVISATIONAL THEATRE SUPPORT?….135
CHAPTER SEVEN:
SOLO IMPROVISATION ………………………………………………………………………..139
PRESENCE…………………………………………………………………………………………..140
Presence / Disappearing / Radiating 140
INNER PROCESS………………………………………………………………………………….141
What Should I Do with My Eyes 144
Stories with Given Phrases: Mix Memory and Fiction 145
Brief Report of the Week Solo 145
Spewing and Moving Continuously 146
Two-Minute Solo: Rant / Celebrate 146
Given Movement Qualities / Known Text 146
Expert Speeches 147
Three Claps 147
Stories from a Visual Prompt 148
Round Robin Two- or Three-Minute Solos 148
Living Sculpture Solo 148
No-Touch Sculpting 149
Character from Worst Traits Solo 149
Character from Best Traits Solo 150
Tell Your Partner’s Story 150
Sit and Write 151
CHAPTER EIGHT:
CONCEPTS, PRINCIPLES, IDEAS, SUGGESTIONS…………………………….155
How Do You Know A Performance Has Worked, Watching It or Performing? 155
SUGGESTIONS FOR PERFORMERS…………………………………………………155
Develop Each Beat 157
IDEA AND IMPULSE………………………………………………………………………159
The Inner Director vs. The Inner Critic 161
BEGINNINGS AND ENDINGS …………………………………………………………..162
CHAPTER NINE:
ACTING AND CHARACTER……………………………………………………………….169
ACTING EXERCISES: OBJECTIVES……………………………………………………169
A Simple Exercise on Objectives 171
EMOTIONAL RECALL AND SENSE MEMORY………………………………………174
Greetings with Given Relationships 174
Face-to-Face Feelings 175
Memory-In-The Body Exercise / Psychic Tuning 175
Gladiators: Pushing / Resisting 175
Face Memory 176
CHARACTER…………………………………………………………………………………..177
CREATING THE PHYSICAL LIFE OF A CHARACTER ……………………………179
Ensemble Character Exercise 179
Playing Cross-Gender Characters and Characters of a Different Age 181
Status Exercises 184
The Real Thing 188
CHAPTER TEN:
PERFORMING ENSEMBLES………………………………………………………………191
TAKING CARE OF THE GROUP …………………………………………………………192
Cleansing the Atmosphere 194
Touch 194
PERFORMING WITH LIVE MUSIC……………………………………………………….194
AUDIENCE INVOLVEMENT…………………………………………………………………..195
SPACE OBJECTS / MIME……………………………………………………………………….196
Space Object Exercise 197
PLAYING WITH REAL PROPS AND COSTUMES ……………………………………….197
30-Second Chair Rule 200
Costume /Character Exploration 200
STRUCTURES FOR SCENES ………………………………………………………………….200
WHAT ABOUT SCENES WITH FOUR, FIVE, OR MORE PLAYERS?…………….204
Spotlight 205
CHAPTER ELEVEN:
SAMPLE CLASSES……………………………………………………………………………….207
BEGINNER LEVEL………………………………………………………………………………..208
Four-Minute Meditation 208
Check In 209
INTERMEDIATE LEVEL …………………………………………………………………………..212
ADVANCED LEVEL………………………………………………………………………………….214
Debriefing in Advanced Workshops 216
RITUAL………………………………………………………………………………………………….216
NO FINAL PRODUCT………………………………………………………………………………..219
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