6月28日2026 - 調布

The rainy season when a typhoon is threatening is not the best time for a workshop and we were very sorry to have a couple of last-minute cancellations. But none of that stopped us from welcoming one of our favorite Returning Champions!

Our strong focus was on technical skills that lead naturally to communicating to the audience something about the relationships among the characters. Vocal pacing and physical distance can easily create moods that are funny or scary.

Two blank scenes for this workshop:

First scene:

A: Hold this.

B: I don’t think so.

A: I need you to hold it.

B: I don’t think so.

So what is it? A frog? A gun? Does B want to hold it? Where are they? When? Who might be watching?

Second scene:

A: I feel weird.

B: You look a little weird.

A: Yeah.

B: Yeah.

A: Yeah?

B: …Yeah.

A: Is that all you can say?

B: Do you want my help?

A: Yeah.

B: Yeah?

A: I mean…

B: Yeah?

A: Yeah.

B: Yeah. OK. Yeah.

A: Weird?

B: Just a little weird.

How weird? In love? Sick? Nerdy? Does B want to help? Can B help? How much can be communicated just by how they adjust their body language?

We also spent some time on the Commedia dell'arte and the lazzo of the chair. This was to illustrate the creativity and challenge of being a pure entertainer. There is no attempt to connect with the audience except to make them laugh or cry.

We wrapped up with scene study of Stupid Looks. This scene between frenemies includes the possibility of exiting the stage only to reemerge later as the tension builds. The audience should identify with at least one of the characters and either 1) want them to succeed, or 2) want them to stop. The audience investment is what allows a rather silly scene to have real artistic value.

We’re looking forward to July!