On November 18, 2012 was the 4th HPAG Workshop and once again it proved to be full of wonderful surprises and unexpected brilliant moments of great talent!
INTRODUCTIONS
I always do my Mission Statement at the beginning of the workshop introducing myself and what I've done in my acting career and why I created the HPAG workshop for actors, writers and directors!
Afterwards, everyone gets up and talks a bit about themselves. I do this so that we can get to know each other. It's always awkward acting with a complete stranger, so this cuts through that uncomfortableness. I strive to create a friendly, supportive, unpretentious environment so that actors will feel safe to be themselves and take chances with their improvisations and characters when they cold read. Plus, you never know what actors will bring to the table when they talk about what they are doing and how they are trying to make contacts or get an agent.
Ashley McGee told us that he read something somewhere that if you have a director that you admire his or her work, that it's always a good idea to send them a personalized letter stating what exactly you liked about their work and what movie you're referring to. However, careful not to mention that you're an actor or that you're trying to get work from them! But just a complimentary, personalized note along with your headshot and resume. It can't hurt and sometimes it will get you called in for an audition for their next project! Who doesn't like Kudos on their work! So remember that kids! I thought it was a great idea! Thanks Ashley!
WARM UP EXERCISES
We started with everyone on stage in a wide circle and I had the actors run in slow motion, then after a few moments, we sped it up, then we really went faster and faster running in place. Then we all swam in slow motion, stretching, reaching, then we went faster and faster till we were swimming really fast away from invisible sharks in the waters!
Next we did another "30 SECOND DANCE PARTY"!!!! A real crowd favorite.
AFFIRMATIONS
I had the group repeat positive affirmations after me. They repeated them all full of conviction and a warm feeling came over the room! ;)
VOCAL WARM UPS
I had the actors who were still in a circle start off their vocal warm ups by taking a big deep breath and then blowing a SHHHHH sound out until they were out of breath. We did this 3 times. Some people can really sshhhhhh for a long time. Impressive!
Then we did a big Yawn Sound for as long as we could! Three times with that one as well.
Lastly, we did SOFTBALL THROW winding back with a Yee and then releasing with a YAAHHHH! It was really fabulous!
IMPROVISATION TIME
While everyone was still in the circle, I started the improvisation after explaining that everyone would have to go into the middle of the circle and sing a song that they knew, but when they started to forget the words or run out of breath, someone had to replace them. I started with "You're the One That I Want" from Grease. Some people just aren't singers and they stuck with easy songs like "Happy Birthday" and "O' MacDonald Had a Farm". LOL! It was funny.
The next improv game we did was called the "DATING GAME". This was hilarious!
First we chose our lady and our three gentlemen who would be the bachelors. I sent the lady, which was Gloria Gruber, outside so that she wouldn't hear the 'endowments' or 'personality traits' that the audience gave to the three bachelors.
The personality traits were that James McLeod was an alcoholic, Ashley Mc Gee was a male chauvinist, and Jim McCaffree was 'the perfect man'.
Gloria was allowed back into the theatre and we started the improv. She asked several questions of each man and they played their characters perfectly! It was really funny. Gloria ended up choosing 'the perfect man' although she said it would never work because he was 'too nice'. LOL! Isn't that always the case. Great improvisation guys!
Then it was the ladies turn. Ashley McGee was our single guy looking for love!
We sent him out and chose some great personality traits for our girls. Gloria was a nymphomaniac,
Kimbra Westervelt was a needy and insecure woman, Kellie was our resident Bitch on Wheels.
Ashley asked great questions. Of course Gloria's answers were very suggestive! So funny. Kimbra was great as the insecure woman and Kellie was just mean as a snake!
Ashley chose Gloria, naturally! He figured out what each of the girls traits were. It was great!
COLD READING SCENES
The actors were given their scenes and then all paired off to go read them in the hall for a few minutes. I usually give people 2 to 3 scenes to perform. Sometimes we have scenes with 3 character or sometimes 4. I like working like that, because if feels more like how it would on a set. It's great to watch those big, multi-character scenes as well.
HAWAII FIVE 0
Kellie and Ashley are sharing a drink in a bar talking about work and a candidate they are working for. Then Kellie is in the office and McGarrett and Danny come to ask her some questions about a missing person. Kellie gave the guys attitude at first. McGarrett was played by Jim McCaffree and Danny was played by James McLeod. They were very good with good cop, bad cop. However, just to mix it up a bit I had them do the last two scenes with some new direction. I told Kellie to make her character more nervous and scared because she is in trouble. I told the guys to both be really mean to her! It was really good. They all adjusted well.
A BROKEN BOND
Starring Kimbra Westervelt and James McLeod. James plays her brother in law who is consoling her about her young son who has been killed. She is a fragile woman and we soon learn that she's in major denial about her son's death, in fact she is calling him down to help her with dinner. James's character is sympathetic and concerned. Kimbra's character gets more and more imbalanced until she is literally yelling at her brother in law. The transition was wonderful on both their parts. We come to find out that she actually killed her own son. Crazy twist at the end. Very impressive performance by both actors.SEIZED
Starring Kelly Mullis, me, and Kellie Nicholson. Kellie has drugged my character and she is holding a gun on me. I wake up asking where I am and where's my husband. She starts telling me that she and her cohorts have my husband. She tells me she slept with my husband. I try to go after her, but the drugs don't allow me to move, I fall off the couch. She's cruel and mean. She tells me that my husband has the 'secret files' and that he's a FBI guy. That he might be killed if he doesn't cooperate. She's just a terrible woman! Fun scene. Although I didn't have many lines and its really difficult to act drugged out like that. Hard scene.
ADAPTATION
PREPARING DEFENSE
Starring Kelly Mullis and Ashley McGee. Kelly plays a lawyer who is questioning Ashley who not only stutters, but is also mentally challenged. He's been accused of murder, found holding the gun and covered in blood. Ashley's character, Mark, proclaims that he's innocent, but it is apparent that he knows who did the crime. After some prodding, explaining that she must just get enough evidence to create a reasonable doubt, that he could be put in prison for life or get the death penalty. Mark is worried about telling on the guilty party. Kelly's character lies and says that this other person will not get into trouble. Kelly's character gets the truth from Mark and he finally, reluctantly gives up a name. The name of the killer is his brother, Mike. Kelly's character calls it in and Mark goes ballistic. Ashley did a great job as the mentally challenged young man with a stutter. He really committed to the part and I felt really good about the scene. I'd love to film that.
GREY'S ANATOMY
Starring Gloria Gruber, Ashley McGee, & James McLeod. Gloria plays Ashley's sister. Ashley's character has cancer. James plays a doctor who explains the procedure to Gloria and Ashley's characters. You can tell by their dialogue how much they love each other. They played it wonderfully. Teasing each other. Then things take a serious turn when the doctor arrives with bad news. Gloria and the doctor leave the room so her brother won't see her cry. She tells the doctor to do the surgery. They go back into the room and the tension is thick. The doctor does the surgery. Next time we see them, Ashley's character is cancer free and he's in recovery. Gloria hugs the doctor grateful for saving her brothers life. Beautiful work by all!
CONSPIRATOR
Starring Jim McCaffree and Carl Rolle. Jim and Carl play old friends in the world of politics. Jim is setting up his old friend Carl to bust him for some wrong doing that he's been accused of and is guilty of. He claims his innocence. "You know me! I've worked my figures to the bone for this country." Jim doesn't like what he has to do to his friend. They are drinking shots in celebration of something, but it's only to get Carl's fingerprints and DNA off the glass. Jim tells Carl not to worry, that it will all be over soon. Carl leaves and Jim gets on the phone and tells the person on the other line that he's got the DNA and when this is over with, he's through. Jim is clearly upset that he's framing his friend.The guys did a great job. I did some minor adjustment with Carl's character, as I felt that he should jump to his feet sooner than he did when he got accused of this crime that Jim thinks he did.
It was very good both times!
ARE YOU LAUGHING AT ME
Starring Gloria Gruber and Kimbra Westervelt. Kimbra plays a New Yorker actress, Tina, and Gloria plays a Boston actress, Catherine. The scene starts with Catherine in the casting directors waiting room area studying her sides when Tina comes in and sits down. She starts complaining about the parking and that she hopes this won't take too long. They soon learn that they are ready for the same role.The casting director, played by me, comes out and says "Hello Catherine! So great to see you! We're really looking forward to your read. We'll come get you as soon as we can." Catherine says hi back like they're old friends. Tina turns to Catherine and says, "Oh, you know her?" Catherine smiles and nods.
Nervous Tina starts saying how great it is that at part they are reading for is a girl from New York, because she's from New York. Then she start reciting her lines off to the side with great vigor and conviction, full of New York accent and attitude. Catherine starts laughing her head off. Tina is offended, but Catherine says that she found some irony in the script and that's what she's laughing at. Then Tina starts doing her lines some more, out loud! Catherine continues to laugh harder and harder.
"Are you laughing at me?!" asks Tina.
"Nooooo....." replies Catherine...."Yes!" and bursts out laughing some more.
It was really funny. Gloria and Kimbra worked so great together. It was such a perfect, funny scene!
10 MINUTES to SPARE! LET'S DO MORE IMPROV!!
Jim and Ashley did an improv from audience suggestions which was out of this world hilarious!
Jim played a UPS delivery man who delivers a very important package to Ashley who is very busy with work in his house. Jim is an overly friendly, talkative man who clearly wants to make Ashley his new friend. He invites himself inside and starts talking about how lovely Ashley home is and how Feng Shui it is. Ashley is trying to be polite, but really needs Jim to leave the package with him and let him get back to his urgent work. Jim asks for some water. Ashley gives him a bottle of water. Jim needs a glass. Ashley gets a glass, Jim fills the glass with water, and slowly drinks every last drop as Ashley impatiently waits for Jim to finish. He gives the glass back and still wants to chat. Ashley finally, politely tells Jim that he REALLY must get back to work! Jim reluctantly leaves with a friendly, "Thanks, have a nice day!" and Ashley is relieved! It was so adorable and funny. What talent those two have!
Final Improv of the Workshop.
Kellie comes to the home of 'the other woman', Kimbra, and confronts her about an affair that she's having with Kellie's husband. At first Kimbra denies the affair, and then says she didn't know he was married. The two ladies eventually bond and then they set out to plan a plot to get even. It was really cute and I liked the ironic twist and the end.
IT'S A WRAP
So there you go! Another Fabulous Workshop with the Hollywood Players Actor's Group!
I look forward to see what new surprises will occur at the next one!
If you'd like to get on the list for next week, please contact me via Facebook or call
323.428.3739 or text! Thanks.
SEE YOU ON THE STAGE!!
Kelly Mullis, Artistic Director of HPAG
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