Gregory Chen

12/08/14

THAR 120- Final Paper

My Journey Into the World of Acting

My experiences this semester into the world of acting have been enjoyable and unforgettable. I had several doubts coming into the class, and the challenges that I faced were numerous but interesting. The growth I've experienced from the beginning to the end of the semester has been phenomenal and I'm quite happy to talk about my journey.

The first challenge that I faced was insecurity. I had never acted before, and the thought of performing in front of my classmates was rather intimidating. I was always jealous of my friends in theater; on-stage they seemed so confidant and vibrant. Could I really learn the techniques necessary to do the same? I had a background in violin performance, but I had practiced violin for many years. Even then, I was still nervous whenever I performed for an audience. If I was nervous performing the violin which I studied for many years, how nervous would I be acting with no experience at all? The activities that we did in class helped me settle in and the readings Let the Part Play You by Anita Jesse helped out a lot- specifically the chapters concentration, observation, and relaxation.

The activities that we did in the beginning of class really warmed me up and helped me break out of my mold as a serious college student. I was a little reluctant to participate in our games and daily activities at first. I was worried that I looked like a complete fool when doing the activities. Another challenge I faced was working with classmates. Some of classmates already had prior acting experience, so I was slightly intimidated by the thought of working with them. What I did not except was how friendly everyone was. This was a class where it was okay to make mistakes- in fact it was encouraged so that we could learn from them! When I realized that everyone give their full attention to the activities, I realized that no one really cared if you looked like a fool. No one tried to look cool- it was a fantastic environment to learn in. Since then, I have grown to step outside my boundaries a little. I am more prone to strike up conversation in an elevator or chat with a complete stranger. That's because I'm not concerned with looking like a fool anymore- I know that if the person likes me they'll accept me for who I am.

The chapters concentration, observation, and relaxation also helped me grow as an actor.

I did not realize how attentive you had to be as an actor. In the beginning of class I was so wrapped up in my own world I failed to adapt to my surroundings. Part of it was due to my violin background- I would concentrate on the music and nothing else. However, I learned it was so vital to adapt to your scene partner- each scene was so fluid that you never acted it the same way twice. Concentration was also extremely important. In the beginning of the class I lamented that this class was on a Friday for three hours. I was not 100 percent focused all the time. However, I learned that if I could concentrate and really get into the scene I would find it fun- and the three hours no longer became an issue! With concentration and observation came relaxation. The better I knew my part, the more relaxed I was.

Another I faced was getting into character. I was to supposed to imitate a young lawyer Paul who is annoyed by his wife Corie but honestly loved her. What took me a while to get was realizing how much he loved Corie. He may have been annoyed by her, but the further I acted and read the play the more I realized how devastated he was when Corie started breaking away from him. That realization came with experience and the class where we slowly analyzed our play carefully.

The last challenge I faced was rehearsing with a scene partner. It was difficult to align our schedules together. Thankfully, Amanda was very accommodating. I have since grown to adapt to my partner's situation- we would rehearse certain parts just so that the other person could get it down solidly. That dedication is what really made our play tick the way it did.

All in all, I had a fantastic foray into the world of acting. I became more self confidant, and I've already begun to see the fruits of my labor- I am more self confidant now, and I have developed a real love for acting.