INTRO
The Workshop started out like all the other ones with a Group Circle and everyone introducing themselves and saying 3 things about themselves.
STRETCH/Physical & Vocal Warm UP
Then we did our stretching out, followed by a 30 second Dance Party!
We did some face stretching and scrunching, and deep breaths. Some deep belly laughs took place!
We did some vocal warm ups followed by some Affirmations!
AFFIRMATIONS
EACH & EVERY DAY I GROW AS AN ACTOR
WHEN I ACT, I TAKE MY AUDIENCE ON A JOURNEY WITH ME.
I AM BRILLIANT AND BELIEVABLE IN EVERY ROLE I ACCEPT.
EVERY TIME I STEP ON STAGE, MAGIC HAPPENS.
EXERCISES
Yes, And.....the subject was Sir Anthony Hopkins and it was an intriguing one. ;)
Then we did "Foreign Movie" where two actors speak jibberish to each other and two other actors translate. It was too funny! I hurt my knee during my time on stage. Just got carried away!
Then we did the "Firing Squad" Exercise. Actors line up and fire words at one lone actor across from them. He returns the word to the next actor. It's a work association game. You can't think, you just have to say the word that comes to your mind.
IMPROVISATIONS
"SUNDANCE INTERVIEW": We did a fake "Sundance" Interview with a Producer played by Jim McCaffree, a Director, played by James MacLeod, and the Star was played by Angela Devon. The interviewer was Shana Carr and, boy, did the secrets and scandals fly from this group! It was quite enlightening. The attitudes were palpable from everyone. Everyone was sleeping with each other. Tempers flaired during the shoot. They almost didn't get the movie done. Angela was a diva! She was cold in Poland! It was so hilarious!
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| Sundance Interview Improv |
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| "Talk to the hand!" |
"EXECUTIVE MEETING GONE BAD": Andy Wasif, our Star from the smash sitcom "Life With Andy" is having a meeting with his Producer, Kerry Liu, of a new sitcom he's up for. His first mistake in the meeting is order that double whiskey. The waitress is cute and innocent, Kareema. While taking his order, she recognizes him and is completely enamored by him. Andy is 'ever the star' signing his autograph for the waitress/actress who is desperate to be discovered by 'anyone' who will discover her! Kareema was hilarious! Kerry Liu continues on a diatribe of viciousness about how the network doesn't want to work with an alcoholic and how he's got a terrible reputation. Andy was calm and collected, never rattled during this negative attack on his reputation. Kerry says they can get Ashton Kutcher for a good price and they don't have to worry about drinking or scandal. Kerry asks Kareem to get Ashton on the phone and Andy is forced to walk away from the meeting. I guess he's back to the 'stand up' circuit! It was so funny!
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| "I'll have a double whiskey, no ice." |
ORIGINAL CHARACTERS
I gave a few of the actors an assignment to come up with an 'original character'. To give them a certain walk, a certain way they talk, and a back story and they were to talk as this character for 2-3 minutes.
I overbooked the activities of this particular workshop because I also had "mock auditions" planned, therefore we were only able to do two of the characters. We'll do more next Sunday!
The first one was Carl Rolle playing a very angry African American who had been accused of a crime he didn't commit and now that we was out of prison, he is always being profiled and he was just so angry! I loved Carl's character! He commanded the stage and his speech was incredible. Carl is so fabulous!
The next character was played by Dennis Hodapp. He was teaching us a class on the velocity of drool. He set up some cups on a table and had a pointing stick and he was quite funny with his Texas accent talking about life on the farm where they had goats and cows and used to make their own Goat's Cheese. I don't know what that had to do with drool, but it was darned funny! Good job Dennis, you had everyone laughing!
MOCK AUDITIONS
These were great. I think everyone liked these. I gave the group the quicky version of how to approach an audition, how to enter the room and what to do and say. To not shake the Casting Director's hand unless they offer it, to have your headshot ready to give them and if they ask you if you have any questions about the role....it's best not to have any and just show them what you've got! To be a sweet and polite as you can because they don't want any attitude on the set and you won't get the gig. Don't move around too much during your audition. Keep it simple and precise. I think they got it!
I had the actors wait outside, just like a real audition and I'd come and get them from the hall. I had a fake director and producer there as well. The Director would give feedback and sometimes have them do the scene again with his direction. It was great!
I chose scenes for the younger actresses in the group and a different for the older actresses.
Same with the men in the group, older and younger.
"GOLDEN BOY" Audition: For the younger actresses....they auditioned for an escort/prostitute who's friend has turned up missing. The girl is being interviewed by the police.
The actresses who auditioned were Kristen Korsnes, Kareema, and Angela Devon.
Kristin did great because she got emotional during the scene and teared up. Kareema did the scene very straight and did her lines strong. Angela was vulnerable and did her lines really well, but I would have liked to have seen a bit more emotion from her. The callbacks would have gone to Kristin and Angela. Good work ladies!
"LAST RESORT" Audition: for the younger male actors. They played a Secret Service man who was giving instructions for when the President is on site.
The actors doing this audition were James MacLeod, Andy Wasif, and Robert Fabiani.
Andy Wasif did a great job. He was very clear and concise and said his words with great deliberation. James MacLeod was nearly off book which made his performance very strong and he really looked the part. Robert Fabiani didn't have too much time with the materials, he was a bit stuck on the page, but he did the role very well. The majority of the group felt that James MacLeod would have gotten the role. I agreed. Great work.
"RIZZOLI & ISLES" Auditions for the older actress in the group were played by Kerry Liu, Shana Carr and Kelly Mullis. We played a waitress who is talking to detectives about some poison that is making children sick. Shana was really good opting for a Southern Accent and getting pretty emotional. Kerry Liu was very good, a bit stuck on the page, and when scenes are serious, she tends to smile at the wrong times! LOL! I meant to tell her she did that. Then I had my shot at the part....I have been a waitress in real life for a long time, so I pulled that part off great. I did my lines and at the end of my audition I asked the director who got the part and not to give it to me just because I run the workshop. But Jim and Andy, my two directors said that I got the part because I was really believable as the waitress and I seemed connected to the photos on the wall that I was talking about. I was so happy that I got the role. It helped to be off book. You can't really act well if you aren't off book. Remember that!! :)
"BILL PARKER" Audition for Carl Rolle, Dennis Hodapp and Jim McCaffree. Bill is a Detective who works for the city. There is some talk of the Mafia and blackmail. There were quite a lot of chunky speeches. Carl has a very commanding voice and was wonderful in the role. I would definitely called him back for a call back. Jim McCaffree really nailed the character. Dennis was solid and believable with his Texas Accent. I think the role would have gone to Jim. :) Good job guys!
COLD READINGS
"MAX" starring Kareem and Andy Wasif. Kareema plays a detective who interviews Andy's character, who is a serial killer locked up in jail, to help her find another killer. Andy is very creepy in this scene as he says very suggestive and harrassing things to Kareema. Kareema holds her own and doesn't get rattle by his gross behavior. Great work you two.
"Unforgettable" starring Robert Fabiani and Kerry Liu. Kerry and Robert play detectives who discuss a case. Robert doesn't think the perp did the crime. Kerry and Robert's characters clearly have a past. There is too much resentment between these two characters. They go back and forth fighting passionately about the case at hand. The actors did fine delivering the dialogue, but the stayed in their seats the entire time and they were both upstaging themselves, so we didn't get the full effect of their battle with each other. I wish one or both would have walked around the stage and showed some passion. 
"Silence of the Lambs" starring Jim McCaffree as Hannibal Lector and Shana Carr as Clarice. Jim plays the very scary, smart, conniving Hannibal Lector. Jim kept his body very stiff with his arms at his sides during most of the scene which made him look mythodical and caculating, except for at the end when he releases a loud moan and dismisses Clarice. Shana was clearly afraid and rattled by Jim's character. Especially after he gets into her head about her father and her childhood. Shana was very interesting to watch as she struggled with her emotions as Jim toyed with her mind. I thought the scene went great.
"Bounce" starring James MacLeod, Shana Carr and Angela Devon. Angela plays a friend of James's character. Angela meets James and asks that he testify on her behalf, he refuses. She make him feel guilty because they are supposedly good friends. The second scene, Angela goes to see a therapist, Shana, and she talks about how naive she's been and how her husband abused her and how that abuse has changed her from her previous self and the life she had known. But now she is determined to never be blind to the dangers of men again. Shana played a great therapist. Angela did great as the victim in these scenes. Shana said that she could see Angela getting emotional during the scene, but we only saw profile. Upstaging made us miss the emotions, but we could hear it in her voice. Great work everyone! 
"Baby Daddy" starring Andy Wasif, Jim McCaffree, and Kristin Korsnes. Comedy Dream Team is what these three actors are! Andy Wasif plays the boyfriend of Kristin who meets Kristin's dad for the first time. Jim, the dad, decides he doesn't like Andy because he's not good enough for his little girl. Jim is insulting as Andy tries his hardest to impress Jim with big words. It's not going to work. Kristin returns after some time and the men pretend that all is okay...but clearly its not! This scene was hilarious and I just loved the timing, they hit all the jokes and the characters they all played to Perfection!!
"CSI: NY" starring Kerry Liu, Andy Wasif, Dennis Hodapp and Angela Devon. Kerry and Dennis play detectives who question Andy about a murder. Andy plays a very scared, gentle and kind suspect. Andy explains how he was a bar and met the most beautiful woman he's ever seen and they'd arranged to go up the her room. Apparently there was someone else involved with the woman and some bad stuff went down. Angela plays a clerk in the police station who explains what will happen to the 'beautiful woman' that is now a suspect of murder. Everyone did great! Dennis and Kerry were really good as the detectives. Andy played the scared man perfectly innocent and naive. I believed him. Angela delivered her dialogue with ease. Great work!
"Monday Morning" starring Carl Rolle and Robert Fabiani. I loved this scene. Carl played Dr. Hooten who is questioning Robert, playing Dr. Markham, about a little boy who dies after a typical medical procedure due to Robert's medical error. Carl really let him have it. Robert's character had a lot of really difficult dialogue, but he held his own as a Doctor who doesn't apologize for his mistakes. Carl was relentless and mean. I loved the dynamic between these two actors. 
"Devious Maids" starring Kerry Liu, Kristin Korsnes and James MacLeod. This scene was really funny. Kerry plays a new chef who is working next door and who is also seducing James character who Kristin is in love with! Kristin is so cute as the jealous, warning friend who doesn't want James to get mixed up with the likes of Kerry, who is clearly trouble! Great job all of you! Great timing! Great attitudes!
"Vegas" starring Dennis Hodapp, Angela Devon and Andy Wasif. Dennis plays Jack and Andy plays Lamb, the two men question Angela, who is playing a woman from Budapest about her husband who as disappeared. Jack and Lamb want information about her husband. Clearly she married him for his money and she doesn't really care what he does anymore, but she seems to be faking her emotions in this scene to throw them off the trail. Angela was very convincing as the wife of the missing man and I loved Dennis playing Jack with his Texas accent. Andy was a great Lamb. 
Awesome work everyone!
Next Sunday, we'll see some more Original Characters and I'm sure some more Original material being performed!! And a lot more Acting FUN!!
If you'd like to get on the LIST for this coming Sunday, January 27, 2013 Workshop 3-6 PM
Please send me a message on facebook or email me at: kellyart@pacbell.net
Thanks for reading!
See you on the Stage.
Kelly Mullis, Artistic Director
Hollywood Players Actor's Group.
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| Looking above for our Dreams to Come True! |
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| Come join the fun!!! |
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