Blog 3

The monologue project was very interesting. Memorizing the words for the monologue was harder than I thought it was but when the final came I was ready. When I was getting help from my peers it was helpful to improve the scene. This monologue itself challenged me to be more mature and express more emotion. I feel like I made the audience understand my anger and hurt from my biological mother and father. The frustration when my foster mom didn't understand what I meant. I could have made my voice a bit louder so the audience could hear me better. I wish I was better at blocking and maybe covering my face at some points wasn't the best idea. I could have made more eye contact with the audience to really get my point across.
I think my classmates were excellent. Michael did a great job on the momentum of his monologue. It was getting higher and higher till he snapped and the audience was expecting him to. I like the end, when he sat back down and thought about his future. I think it could have been better if he talked slower and some points and took a break now and then. John did and great job with the ending, when he got emotional I got emotional. His feelings in his face and voice made you feel something. I liked how in love he was with his wife in the beginning then you could feel the love drifting as he got closer to the end. I think he could have done better on pronouncing words. Linda was great when it came to diction. I could hear her clearing. I liked the end when she was completing all of a sudden so into the guy she was trying to push away. I think Linda would have done better if she made more facial expressions and not have her voice stay the same.

Next level

To take my monologue to the next level, I need to speak louder so my message can get across to the audience. Maybe try to make eye contact so they can tell what I feel by just looking at me. So then when I speak the message it's much stronger. Make an actually ding-dong sound for the door bell. Imagine my mother is there, so a conversation is being held. Carry a backpack and walk into the scene instead of just sitting in a chair. Make should my feelings about my biological father and biological mother don't have complications.

Video Reflection

In my video, I notice that I need to work on my facial expression and the emotion behind my voice and body language. My change in emotion should affect the sound of my voice. When I talk about my father I should feel more scared then carefree. When I talk about my mom I should be upset. I don't need to stand but I need to use my hands more.

Acting Blog 2

Acting Blog #2 By Christeena Aaron

The first two weeks of class have been great. Already, you have taught me things that I won’t think about, that are helpful to create a character. The exercises we do in class are fun, and most of the time funny. In some scenes, you could tell it was hard for all of us to keep a straight face and you would end the scene. In others you would let us go on for long time truly interested in what we would do next.

It was hard for me to sometimes stay in character. I would get distracted by the other students in the class that were doing different things. And in scenes where I had one job to do I would get distracted by someone or something else that would influence what I do. I want to work on being focused and not getting out of character. It was easy to talk about scenes and describe what I felt was happening in them.

I liked watching scenes more than being in them for some odd reason. It was cool to see what others would decide to do in a scene, compared to what you would do. An improv scene could go a million different ways, it helps to understand a person by what moves they make. I liked the class where we got a card and had to do what was on the card, but then it would escalate each scene we played.  I would like to do more of watching the scenes and more of the escalated card scenes. The one where we wrote done all of the words on the board then circled was fun to do as well. Having a connection to a character was nice. Its easier to know how they feel and would act.

I would like to work on staying focused on the task at hand. I like having discussions with the class as well. I need to work on getting my blogger in on time and writing it the way its suppose to be written. I want to stay in your room instead of going to black box, your room is much more fun in my opinion. I’m not someone who likes writing scripts but I love watching them and seeing someone else's ideas come to life.

“My Real Father” Monologue       Christeena Aaron

Trina: (Pacing the floor) Mom, I don't know if I can do this. I don't know if I'm ready to meet this man that I've never known. Gosh, what if he hates me? (Points to herself) I mean what if he thinks I'm ugly? I just know he's not going to like me...Oh no! What if I don't like him? What if he comes through that door, right, and our eyes meet and the feeling's not there? (Beat) Yeah, he's my father, but not like Frank is. Frank is Dad, this guy...I mean Ben, is just a father, right? I mean he and my biological mother decided they couldn't hang with having a kid at such a young age so they gave me up. And I'm cool with that, I think. It's just that I really don't know what to expect from him. I mean the letters he sent where cool and all, but they were just words on paper. (Shakes her head) I don't even know why I bothered looking for him, I'm eighteen now I should be getting ready for college and not sweating the old stuff. I mean my biological mother couldn't deal with it when I found her. She's got her own life now with her own kids, the one's she actually wanted. I'm just a bad memory she's trying to erase. (Beat) What do you mean I don't understand? Mom, she doesn't want to know me, and she sure doesn't want her husband and kids to know that she had a bastard kid when she was sixteen. So, what if, my father feels the same way? Rejects me like she did? I should have never contacted him. I'm setting myself up big time, I just know it (Pause) He's here isn't he? Okay, I'm ready to meet him!

Character: Trina

Trina: Female, 18

First: Trina sitting at dinning table talking to her mom who is in front of her at the kitchen counter.

Second: Trina gets up and points to the front door.

Third: table with letters on it couple feet from the door

Four : pacing

Fifth: goes back to sit at dining table

Sixth: stands up behind mom who is about to open the door

Trina is a happy teen who is living with her foster parents. Her biological parents gave her up when they were 16. Now at the age of 18, Trina is about to meet her biological father for the first time. She is nervous and has anticipation. She has already met her biological mother and she wanted nothing to do with her so she fears rejection with her biological father. She’s mad at him for giving her up but tries to understand the reasons. She wants a connection with her father but doesn’t know how it will happen. Trina has always been a foster kid. Since birth she has been in and out of homes, not staying anywhere for more than a couple months. Finally, at the age of 13, her mom (Carly) and dad (Frank) took her in and didn't let her go. They took care of her and tried as hard as they could to mend the scars Trina has but somethings can never heal. The burden Trina has from her biological parents is still there. Once she was settled with her new foster parents after 2 years she finally admitted to them that she wanted to find her biological mother. Her foster parents agreed that she deserved to know why she was put in the foster care system. After a couple months, she found out her biological mother, Maya, who lived in New York which is only a state over. She is an accountant and is married with two kids. Once Trina found  her email, she explained who she was and Maya emailed back asking to meet her at a park in her city. Carly drove Trina to the location and Trina couldn't be more excited. Carly dropped Trina off and Trina found Maya sitting under a tree. Trina's excitement was wiped off her face once she saw the look on Maya’s face, anger. Maya didn't leave any room for discussion and told Trina that she needed to stay out of her life. That she was a mistake she didn’t want to have any memory of. Maya’s husband came by wanting to surprise his wife not knowing who Trina was. Maya told her husband that Trina was one of her friends daughters that was going away to college soon so they wouldn’t be seeing her again. After that, Trina made an excuse to leave and couldn't stop the tears that fell from her eyes. This broke her. Carly tried to comfort her the best she could but Trina didn’t want to talk about. She doesn't want the same reaction from her biological father.

Acting Blog

              My name is Christina Alexandria Aaron. I am 14 years old and I live in Wolcott, CT. I have a brother named Christopher and a sister named Shawna. My mother, Heather, works as the executive director of Leeway Inc. in New Haven, CT. My favorite color is purple and hockey is my favorite sport. Although I can’t play, I enjoy watching. The Mortal Instruments Series is the best book series in my opinion. Star Trek films are my favorite movie series. I always watched the new Star Trek movie in theaters with my mom and brother.

               As a child growing up, I was always friendly and theatrical. Before I even went to school, I was in theater camp. At the age of three, I was the youngest one there. My mom had noticed how I always loved to watch movies and pretend to be the characters. It was fascinating to me I guess. How someone's life could be so different from my own. I understood that it was all fictional, we’ll most of it. Disney movies were the things i could watch all day long. My full attention would be on the scene. I think it was just the fact that the characters seemed so cool to me. Nemo with the nerve to touch the boat (butt) or Cinderella’s bravery to stand up to her evil stepmother. How awesome the characters were was captivating.

From a young age, reading was a passion of mine. When I first went to Pre-K I would never sleep during nap time. I can imagine I was tired but I didn’t trust anyone. Instead of sleeping, during nap time I would look at books or color. I was the only child that didn’t sleep. Therefore since a young age reading books has always been a comfort for me. The only time when I didn't like reading was when it is forced upon me. For example, if its a homework assignment, something my mom demands me to read or something that I didn't choose it makes me not enjoy the book. I am someone who likes having a choice. It makes me feel as if I can direct myself the way I want to. I like doing what I want and not what others tell me unless it's a teacher who I need directing me.

Another one my passions is singing. I am no Whitney Houston but I have confidence in my singing voice. Having a solo is fun but I love being a part of a choir. A group that aspires to do the same as you. We all help each other. Whose voice suits this part or what pitch a person is comfortable in. Plus if someone messes up, the group is right there to save the day.

I am taking this course to become a more well rounded actress. I want to be able to play roles that can make me stand out as a performer. When you act, you're not yourself. You become whatever character you are given. That is your life now, that's who you are in the theater. For me, I like leaving it on stage. I’m not the kind of person who wants to be more like my character in real life good or bad. I like being myself and only that.