WEBVTT

1
00:00:06.573 --> 00:00:07.440
Welcome back everyone!

2
00:00:07.440 --> 00:00:11.211 line:0
In this session
we'll be exploring objective.

3
00:00:11.611 --> 00:00:13.179 line:0
In order to perform a role,

4
00:00:13.179 --> 00:00:17.317 line:0
I need to understand my character's
objective, or what my character wants.

5
00:00:17.817 --> 00:00:20.754 line:0
Today we'll look at how actor's choice,
physicality, and

6
00:00:20.754 --> 00:00:24.524 line:0
raising the stakes inform
how actors pursue their objectives.

7
00:00:27.761 --> 00:00:29.896
Each character has a super objective

8
00:00:29.896 --> 00:00:31.865
that drives him or her
throughout the play,

9
00:00:31.865 --> 00:00:34.701
as well as many smaller
objectives in each scene

10
00:00:34.701 --> 00:00:36.836
that work toward the super objective.

11
00:00:36.836 --> 00:00:40.240
You can see the relationship
of these characters' objectives

12
00:00:40.240 --> 00:00:41.408
in this graph.

13
00:00:41.875 --> 00:00:44.577
In The Lion King,
Scar wants to be king.

14
00:00:44.844 --> 00:00:46.980
That's his super objective.

15
00:00:46.980 --> 00:00:49.616
But in each scene, he's doing something

16
00:00:49.616 --> 00:00:52.052
specific to achieve each goal.

17
00:00:52.652 --> 00:00:55.622
Let's look at an example
from the beginning of the play.

18
00:00:56.122 --> 00:01:00.727
Here, Zazu scolds Scar for not attending
the presentation of Simba.

19
00:01:01.194 --> 00:01:03.830
Scar's objective in this scene is to get

20
00:01:03.830 --> 00:01:06.399
the annoying bird to leave his cave.

21
00:01:06.833 --> 00:01:09.969
Actors work with their director
in the early stages of rehearsal

22
00:01:09.969 --> 00:01:13.540
to identify super objectives and scene
objectives.

23
00:01:14.174 --> 00:01:17.944
This helps actors make specific
and strong choices that communicate the

24
00:01:17.944 --> 00:01:19.512
objectives to the audience.

25
00:01:22.248 --> 00:01:25.585
To discover a character's super
objective and scene objectives,

26
00:01:25.618 --> 00:01:28.288
an actor must first read the script.

27
00:01:28.288 --> 00:01:31.691
The playwright provides information,
dialogue, and stage directions

28
00:01:31.691 --> 00:01:34.894
that will help an actor
develop his or her character.

29
00:01:35.562 --> 00:01:39.299
The script of The Lion King Jr. tells us
that Scar and Mufasa are brothers,

30
00:01:39.566 --> 00:01:42.569
that they live in the Pride Lands,
and that Mufasa is the king.

31
00:01:42.902 --> 00:01:45.872 line:0
These facts are called
given circumstances,

32
00:01:46.339 --> 00:01:49.943
but the script is just a starting place,
a blueprint for performance.

33
00:01:50.210 --> 00:01:53.746
To create full characters,
we have to ask and answer

34
00:01:53.847 --> 00:01:56.282 line:0
additional questions about backstory.

35
00:01:56.282 --> 00:01:59.252 line:0
That's what happened
before the play begins to fill in the blanks.

36
00:01:59.619 --> 00:02:01.721 line:0
This is called actor's choice.

37
00:02:01.721 --> 00:02:04.791 line:0
For example, how did Scar get a scar?

38
00:02:05.625 --> 00:02:07.594 line:0
Why does he live alone in his cave?

39
00:02:07.594 --> 00:02:10.196 line:0
Why does he resent Mufasa so much?

40
00:02:10.630 --> 00:02:11.798 line:0
What was their father like?

41
00:02:12.065 --> 00:02:14.400
An actor's answers to these questions
help create

42
00:02:14.400 --> 00:02:17.437
a complete picture
of the character and his objectives.

43
00:02:20.640 --> 00:02:23.576
Once we identify our characters'
given circumstances

44
00:02:23.576 --> 00:02:27.780
and make choices about backstory, actors
have to raise the stakes.

45
00:02:27.847 --> 00:02:31.651
In theater, action is heightened to achieve
the drama on stage that everyone loves.

46
00:02:32.185 --> 00:02:35.555
In other words, a play compresses
the events of everyday life,

47
00:02:35.822 --> 00:02:37.190
taking out the boring parts.

48
00:02:37.190 --> 00:02:40.193
So we're left with the exciting
and meaningful parts.

49
00:02:40.360 --> 00:02:42.328
To help the audience invest in the story,

50
00:02:42.328 --> 00:02:47.000 line:0
theater artists often talk about raising
the stakes, or emphasizing the urgency

51
00:02:47.000 --> 00:02:51.204 line:0
of a situation in a scene by identifying
strong character motivations.

52
00:02:51.304 --> 00:02:54.807 line:0
For example, instead of a character
simply being in a hurry,

53
00:02:55.041 --> 00:02:58.111
maybe he's in a hurry
because his son is in danger.

54
00:02:58.511 --> 00:03:01.514
How would that affect the actor's
voice and movement?

55
00:03:01.814 --> 00:03:04.951
Stronger motivations
increase the audience's engagement

56
00:03:04.951 --> 00:03:06.786
in the action on stage.

57
00:03:06.786 --> 00:03:08.755
Let's go to the studio to practice.

58
00:03:08.888 --> 00:03:09.856
Yes!

59
00:03:13.960 --> 00:03:15.495
Syndee and I will demonstrate

60
00:03:15.495 --> 00:03:18.498
raising the stakes with a scene
from The Lion King on Broadway.

61
00:03:18.898 --> 00:03:20.867
Here's the dialogue between Simba and Nala,

62
00:03:20.867 --> 00:03:22.669
after "Can You Feel the Love Tonight?"

63
00:03:23.236 --> 00:03:26.239
Look, sometimes bad things happen
and there's nothing you can do about it,

64
00:03:26.806 --> 00:03:27.941
so why worry?

65
00:03:27.941 --> 00:03:30.276
What's happened to you?

66
00:03:30.276 --> 00:03:31.878
You're not the Simba I remember.

67
00:03:31.878 --> 00:03:34.013
You're right. I'm not.

68
00:03:34.013 --> 00:03:35.882
Now, are you satisfied?

69
00:03:35.882 --> 00:03:37.750
No. Just disappointed.

70
00:03:37.750 --> 00:03:39.719
You know, you're beginning
to sound like my father.

71
00:03:39.719 --> 00:03:41.187
Good. At least one of us does.

72
00:03:41.187 --> 00:03:44.357
You think you can just show up here
and tell me how to live my life?

73
00:03:45.625 --> 00:03:47.493
You don't even know what really happened.

74
00:03:47.493 --> 00:03:48.761
I would if you'd just tell me.

75
00:03:48.761 --> 00:03:49.529
Forget it.

76
00:03:50.163 --> 00:03:51.097
Fine.

77
00:03:54.901 --> 00:03:56.069
Let's raise the stakes

78
00:03:56.069 --> 00:03:58.504
by thinking about strong motivations.

79
00:03:58.538 --> 00:04:01.741
I'll keep in mind
that Nala knows that the Pride Lands,

80
00:04:01.741 --> 00:04:04.510
her home, will be destroyed
if Simba doesn't return.

81
00:04:04.510 --> 00:04:08.181
And I'll keep in mind that Simba
can't face his mother and everyone else

82
00:04:08.181 --> 00:04:11.584
at home, knowing that he was responsible
for Mufasa's death.

83
00:04:11.718 --> 00:04:14.787
His guilt is just too great. Here we go.

84
00:04:18.091 --> 00:04:18.691
Sometimes

85
00:04:18.691 --> 00:04:21.694
bad things happen
and there's nothing you can do about it.

86
00:04:21.828 --> 00:04:22.895
So why worry?

87
00:04:22.895 --> 00:04:24.931
What's happened to you?

88
00:04:24.931 --> 00:04:26.432
You're not the Simba I remember.

89
00:04:26.432 --> 00:04:28.201
You're right.

90
00:04:28.201 --> 00:04:29.702
I'm not.

91
00:04:29.702 --> 00:04:31.204
Now, are you satisfied?

92
00:04:31.771 --> 00:04:32.672
No.

93
00:04:33.206 --> 00:04:34.374
Just disappointed.

94
00:04:34.374 --> 00:04:36.342
You know, you're beginning
to sound like my father.

95
00:04:36.342 --> 00:04:37.710
Good. At least one of us does.

96
00:04:37.710 --> 00:04:38.511
Look.

97
00:04:39.879 --> 00:04:43.349
You think you can just show up here
and tell me how to live my life?

98
00:04:43.683 --> 00:04:45.385
You don't even know what really happened.

99
00:04:45.385 --> 00:04:46.886
I would if you'd just tell me.

100
00:04:46.886 --> 00:04:47.987
Forget it.

101
00:04:47.987 --> 00:04:49.055
Fine.

102
00:04:52.292 --> 00:04:53.860
Did you notice the difference?

103
00:04:53.860 --> 00:04:56.462
Scenes performed with raised stakes engage

104
00:04:56.462 --> 00:04:59.432
the audience
and the emotional journey of a play.

105
00:05:02.535 --> 00:05:03.803
Once we, as actors,

106
00:05:03.803 --> 00:05:07.106
determine our objectives
and make decisions to raise the stakes,

107
00:05:07.407 --> 00:05:11.577
we have to figure out how our bodies
can communicate our objectives

108
00:05:11.577 --> 00:05:13.413
as well as our voices.

109
00:05:13.413 --> 00:05:17.483
Let's talk to Benita Hamilton,
who plays the hyena Shenzi on Broadway,

110
00:05:17.483 --> 00:05:20.787
about how she uses
physicality in her performance.

111
00:05:21.421 --> 00:05:23.589
I created Shenzi's physicality.

112
00:05:23.589 --> 00:05:26.793
First of all, I looked up
the definition of her name.

113
00:05:27.026 --> 00:05:29.962 line:0
In Swahili, Shenzi’s name means, uh,

114
00:05:30.096 --> 00:05:31.831 line:0
mischievous and menacing.

115
00:05:31.898 --> 00:05:35.501 line:0
So I thought, what would be

116
00:05:35.501 --> 00:05:37.837 line:0
a menacing physicality for her?

117
00:05:38.004 --> 00:05:40.673 line:0
When she is moving slower,

118
00:05:41.140 --> 00:05:42.542 line:0
she's hunting,

119
00:05:42.542 --> 00:05:42.842 line:0
umm,

120
00:05:42.842 --> 00:05:45.345 line:0
and she wants to be a little scarier,

121
00:05:46.746 --> 00:05:49.082 line:0
because she's going in for the kill.

122
00:05:49.082 --> 00:05:51.050 line:0
And when she goes in for the kill,
she's quick.

123
00:05:51.050 --> 00:05:52.118 line:0
She snaps.

124
00:05:52.785 --> 00:05:56.356
But then if she's trying
to backpedal and be funny,

125
00:05:56.656 --> 00:05:57.990
uh, she, she just,

126
00:05:57.990 --> 00:06:00.493
"Oh, I'm cool.
No, no, no, no, no. We're not doing that."

127
00:06:00.493 --> 00:06:03.196
"We're not messing with your son,
King Mufasa."

128
00:06:03.196 --> 00:06:06.199
"No, no, no, no, no. That's Simba.
Ha ha ha ha ha. No."

129
00:06:08.101 --> 00:06:11.170
Often, characters
don't come out and say what they want.

130
00:06:11.471 --> 00:06:13.439
This is what's called subtext,

131
00:06:13.706 --> 00:06:17.410 line:0
objectives that lie beneath the surface
of what we say.

132
00:06:17.977 --> 00:06:20.913 line:0
But an actor can use their body
and vocal choices

133
00:06:20.913 --> 00:06:22.949
to communicate this to an audience.

134
00:06:23.416 --> 00:06:26.786
As we often see with the cunning
and sarcastic Scar,

135
00:06:27.153 --> 00:06:31.157
sometimes what a character is saying
is different from his intention.

136
00:06:31.858 --> 00:06:37.296
So actors need to make physical and vocal
choices that match his or her objectives.

137
00:06:38.431 --> 00:06:41.567
Today, we introduced
objective through the lens of acting.

138
00:06:41.901 --> 00:06:45.738
Now it's your turn to explore
objective further through actor's choice,

139
00:06:45.805 --> 00:06:48.408
raising the stakes, and physicality.