excited excitement.

COURTNEY GETS IN TODAY!!!

edit: now that i got that excitement out of my system, i'll write a bit more about mamet's last class with us. oh and before i forget, he remembered my name. oh yes, i'm in his next movie (what was that called again, nick?) for sure. he had us learn different speeches both classes (like the declaration of independence and the gettysburg address for example) so that we can see how the words can be anything but still be engaging if the actors are saying the words with an objective. i thought i'd hate this exercise, but i was engaged. and there was really good work happening onstage. yeah. now i'll stop putting my own spin on things and take down more of his wise words for all my actors out there. non-actors: jump ahead to my awesome conversation with dave's wife, rebecca pidgeon, and other fluffy stuff. 

from the desk of d. mamet as told my m. o'leary:

- do you ever get the feeling that people are judging you when you go up onstage? get used to it or move on to another profession. it's like someone wanting to be a firefighter who can't stand smoke.

- "it's tough." "i know, but now it's time."

- text is the given circumstance of the play.

- "you're given that your mother died, it's raining, and you're in a submarine." haha i just liked his given examples. so random!

- don't pick up any emotions, etc.

- you never have to touch the text. 

- don't pick it up unless you want to carry it.

- NEVER prepare.

- you can choose a different verb in the action than to get (ie to obtain, to beg, to demand, etc)

- "um did you ever get jilted? yeah isn't that a great feeling?"

- drama is about 2 people wanting something from the other person that they aren't willing to give up easily.

- we don't wanna know about your ideas. your ideas are bullshit. we wanna see real human interaction.

- the work is in the thinking, in the figuring out.

- choose a complete-able action that you want to do. guess what? you're gonna have to do it.

- the text makes no difference. if you invest in the text, you can't invest in the scene.

- first thing mamet every heard about playwrighting backstage in a performance of the fantasticks, "if only they would just say the words."

- it's the playwright's job to be interesting. it's your job to be active.

- don't talk in actor speak. other professionals don't use bullshit jargon. use real words.

- what is the truth?

- you've gotta have pride.

- you paid for it. you earned it.

- it's habits.

- what happens if i don't?

- "i want to revolutionize fucking everything."

- yes, it hurts. the trick is not minding the hurt.

- if it's not fun, it's not acting.

- if there's something you really need, it won't matter what you're feeling when you begin. 

- 3 things every action needs: 1.) capable of being performed, 2.) something like the author intended, 3.) fun.

- when picking an action, don't pick something the scene already gives you. you don't need to do it if it's already done (ie if he's already open with you, don't choose 'let me in on a secret' etc). that work is done so you won't need to complete your action.

i couldn't write enough. mamet is truly the king on this stuff. he's such a great teacher. moving on to the gossip... i got this really cute email from kristen (johnston) about how she is sorry she can't hang out with me in LA but she's shooting the Ab Fab pilot really quick and then heading back to NYC for rehearsals for the 3rd year show she's directing (jealous? yeah me too). she also emailed me a nice pic of her on set of ab fab. i felt loved and lucky she took the time to write me while in town. esp when she has a ton going on. i then bumped into rebecca pidgeon and we had this conversation:

rebecca: "meredith, right?"

me: "yes." 

"i loved watching you work today."

"oh, thank you."

"i'm rebecca, dave's wife."

"nice to meet you."

blah blah we kept making small talk about how great mamet is etc etc. then we get on the subject of ab fab.

"do you want to see this picture that kristen johnston sent me from the set of ab fab?"

"yes. that's great. we were just there watching the pilot last night because dave's daughter is in it."

"i heard that."

blah blah we talked more about the show and stuff.

anyway, it was really cool to have a convo with her without feeling crazed. we were also driving up to class that morning and saw mamet in the parking garage so we all started waving and he waved back. it was so funny and nice. oh! and i had a very nice conversation with ricardo. he was wearing all of his clothes (so it could have been better), but it was funny. i can't wait to train with him (not-so) privately. with julie. 

spring break 09, here we go.