Armagh Project 2015

The rehearsal process has been a healthy experience for me as the writer. Being able to hear the words said aloud with inflections and voices different from my own, allows me to gain a more objective perspective, other than when I hear it in my head. I’ve made major changes to my script after the rehearsal process. For example, I rewrote a monologue because I felt like the character was one-dimensional. I discovered this through rehearsal by being able to hear the actor read. I have also added additional elements that I would have not thought to add, such as repetition of a particular line. It was because of being in rehearsal and seeing the choices of the director, I probably would not have been inspire to make those changes to the script.

As a playwright, seeing the rehearsing process was nice. I got to see how some parts of my work needed touch-up, because it did not sound right spoken but was perfectly fine when read. Then I also noticed the opposite happening. I have a moment in my script where the actors pretty much said, Father, father, Father, Father, father, which looks bad read but it’s great when it’s performed.

From what I have observed of the playwrights, rehearsing really helps the writing process for them because they can see their words acted out and that points out flaws and things that need to be added. So rehearsing is very important to writing as well as being crucial to the final performance. Actors need to rehearse lines so that they can get comfortable enough with the parts to give it their all when they are on stage. And, rehearsing gives playwrights the chance to see how the actors portrayed their plays and whether it was what they expected.

As a participant, I’ve learned that I need to slow down my speech because I naturally talk very quickly but that doesn’t work on stage.

It’s pretty weird to return to doing rehearsals; the last time I had to do them was for when I was in my elementary school’s production of Annie (I was in 1st grade). It was a pretty shite production, not going to lie. The other actors and actresses really weren’t feeling it as much as I was at the time, so I ended up having a fit and storming offstage so my agent could hand me my juicebox and reassure me that the gig was worth it.

That’s partially untrue. I didn’t drink juiceboxes in those days.

Nowadays, I think the rehearsal process is pretty valuable because, not gonna lie, I do get pretty nervous when performing in front of other people, especially when reading my own work (and especially when reading stuff that is somewhat sensitive). I’m more used to acting in film, which isn’t a challenge whatsoever; being on stage is a whole different ball game.

Acting? I’m fine with acting. Reading something aloud? Gladly. Reading my own writing? No, that act would bring calamity. I’m far too humble to read aloud my work when it’s unprepared for such a thing. As I read my work to someone else, I constantly find myself second-guessing a lot of the things I’ve written. “This line is stupid, let me change it,” “these people don’t like this kind of story,” “I’m gonna come across as a creep if I actually say that out loud, let me use a substitute.” I didn’t have the time to think full sentences mid-reading, but these are things I had thought in the few sessions I read my work aloud in. The moment you shine the spotlight on me, the moment my shame becomes clearly visible.

It’s great for getting a good idea of what to edit, though, I can’t lie.

I picked up the Belfast Telegraph from June of this year and found a theme that I’ve been working with through my time here in Ireland. I’ve seen a few articles that are have touched on issues like racial identity and political segregation. This particular article highlights the how political segregation costs Northern Ireland an excess of 1 billion pounds each year.  Understanding that this is a problem, the government is looking toward moving to integrated education. I thought this was really interesting. The motivation here is interesting and gives another leg to discussions I’ve heard centering integrated education. It seems to be a huge topic here in Northern Ireland.

The rehearsal process for me has been both challenging and eye opening. It is extremely hard for me to get up in front of people and recite my work, I am a fairly new writer and I have not yet reached that level of confidence. However, these last few days have been extremely enlightening for me and the wonderful feedback I have been getting is extremely helpful. I have learned a lot about myself as a person and as a writer.

It’s been a long time since I’ve been a part of any rehearsal process. I have vague memories of my memorization and performance process from performing poetry on stage. As a matter of fact, I have had very limited practice with someone else on the stage with me, so this rehearsal today was new. I enjoyed the rehearsal and the opportunity it gave for me to think more critically about my time on stage and as a part of an ensemble.  \

As both writer and participant, I’ve gotten a better idea of how to convey emotion, both in writing and in performance. While writing Under Stone‘s two monologues, I actually had little to no idea of how I wanted/expected them to be read. Rehearsals helped me figure that out.