Drama Class
The Class
In the second quarter of school, I had to take a ten week drama exploratory, and the teacher was Mr. R, our English teacher. This class had two parts. One was writing scripts and the other was actually acting them out. For the writing part, we were put into pairs and we created a short five-minute scene together with dialogue. Our scripts went through a few drafts, and we discussed each one as a group. During the acting portion of the class, we would do appearances and rehearse our scripts. Appearances were a tool that we used to learn how body language can be applied to a performance to show how a character felt without using words. Each person in our class had to come up with an appearance for the emotions happiness, anger, sorrow, and fear. The appearance had to be statue-like, meaning we couldn’t move at all. After we had finished writing our scripts we would run through them at least once per class.
For me, this was an extremely nerve-racking experience since I’m not at all comfortable on stage in front of an audience. This is particularly true when we have to do appearances, which can make you look very embarrassing, and actually performing a short scene. Furthermore, I’d have to say that acting isn’t one of strengths, and I’m very shy. However, after awhile I became accustomed to the torment and embarrassment that I encountered every class. Once I had adapted to this new environment though, I didn’t find it as humiliating, and I began to come out of my “comfort zone”. From here on everything was going smoothly until the day of our performance came. Before I knew it, I was panicking and couldn’t concentrate. Luckily though, the breathing exercises we had done beforehand in our “actors pose” helped me calm myself. When we ran through the show, it wasn’t nearly as frightening or embarrassing as I had imagined. Overall, I wouldn’t say that I enjoyed this class, but I did learn a lot from it, and we did have some enjoyable times. Additionally, I’ve definitely expanded my “comfort zone”, and I think that I can now perform actions that I wouldn’t have been able to do before because of the humiliation.
The Script
Emotion ~ Anger
Erica ~ Knows who Isobel’s love of her life likes but wont tell her. Eventually gets angry thinking Isobel is using her. She is outgoing and popular.
Isobel ~ Wants to know who the love of her life likes, and Erica won’t tell her. She knows that Erica knows who the love of her life likes. Eventually gets angry because Erica won’t tell her. She is shy and quiet.
Setting ~ Fitness Room
Time and Date ~ A nice sunny afternoon in a cool small fitness room, on the 26th of July 2005.
- Isobel and Erica walking in -
Erica: He’s from out of town. He says that he and his family just move from one place to another every few months. They’re trying to find the “perfect” place to live.
Isobel: Oh, that’s too bad. He seems really nice
Erica: Yeah, but look on the bright side. We’re here doing yoga and I’ve been looking forward to this all week! (Laying down yoga mat)
Isobel: I know what you mean. I have been having such a stressful week and yoga is just what I need. (Laying down yoga mat)
- Erica’s mobile phone rings–
Erica: Hold on a sec, I think that’s my cell phone. Hello, Erica speaking. (Pause). Really? That’s great. Thanks for the update.
- Erica hangs up her mobile phone –
Isobel: What is it? What’s great?
Erica: Lilly just called me and guess what? She said that he and his family are gonna stay here. How lucky are we? So, what’s up?
Isobel: Nothing much really. I’ve just been doing school work. Oh, before we start can you just tell me who he likes and then I can stop asking you.
Erica: I am not going to tell you even if I knew. Plus, you’ve already asked him a million times. Do you like him or something?
Isobel: What, no. Don’t be silly. I just asked. I’m just curious. And, I haven’t asked that many times…
Erica: Yes you have. Remember at lunch you asked me 6 times, and each time I didn’t tell you. Then you went over to Stacie and asked her 6 times too. Let’s just forget about all this and continue with the stretching. You can lead today.
Isobel: Fine. Okay now bend down. (Hold) to the left (hold) to the right (hold) and slowly go up.- Pause -
Isobel: Erica, do you think he might like Melissa? She is really pretty and soooooo nice. What is not to like about her? Plus all the guys say she has got it going on. Whatever that means.
Erica: I don’t know. She is nice and all but not really his type. I think Jessica would go better with him.
Isobel: Jessica? Ya could be. Stacie is totally his type.
Erica: Actually you are right she does seem to be his type. He doesn’t like her though.
Isobel: Hmmmm… What is his type anyway?
Erica: Sweet… Innocent… Kind… Everything your not.
Isobel: What? I’m sweet and kind.
Erica: (slow laugh) Haha. You are totally not those things little one.
Isobel: I am so not little I have grown like 2 inches since last year! And hello, remember when I did all those after school tutoring classes for disabled students? (Stops stretching)
Erica: Yeah, whatever.
- Silence -
Erica: Hey, so how’s life? Mine is like so super fantastic!
Isobel: Nothing’s really happening, just doing homework. Have you done the “How to be popular” video yet? It’s so hard.
Erica: What? It’s probably been the easiest homework I’ve gotten all year. Just get a camera and explain how to be popular, and I already am, so it’s so simple.
Isobel: Well I have no idea how to do it. Every time I get in front of the camera I get so nervous and I can’t even think of what to…
Erica: Oh Shoot. I think a broke a nail. I hate this yoga position. It broke my nail, and I just got a manicure yesterday. It even messed up my hair. Look at it.
Isobel: Well, it doesn’t matter that much, it’s just a nail, and I’m sure you can just comb your hair.
Erica: Uh, it does so matter. My nails are so beautiful and so is my hair. Without them, I’d look just like an average person.
Isobel: So who does? ummmm. He like? Is it Jessica?
Erica: Oh my gosh! Could you stop talking about him? And, I don’t even know if he likes Jessica because I don’t know who he likes. Are you sure you aren’t interested in him, coz people who ask this many times have got to be more than curious.
Isobel: So what if I am interested? So what if I am curious? What is it to you?
Erica: Well, it’s just that I wanna know if you like him or not.
Isobel: Okay, I won’t lie to you. I do like him, but no one will tell me who he likes. No one. Not a single person.
Erica: There is a reason for every thing Isobel.
Isobel: Okay, whatever. Why can’t you just tell me who he likes so I will stop asking you and annoying you all the time. - Stop doing yoga -
Erica: I can’t. I don’t even know who he likes.
Isobel: Remember that time in eighth grade when you liked that *ugly* Spanish guy? I told you who he liked the second you asked me.
Erica: Yeah, but you were wrong. You told me that he liked me, so I totally went for him. I did stuff that I never thought that I would do to impress him, but when I finally asked him if he’d go on a date with me, he turned me down. I looked like total fool.
Isobel: sorry, but it’s the thought that counts.
Erica: Sure, but it doesn’t count as you helping me since you didn’t and I made myself look really stupid. In fact, it should actually be like a negative and you owe me on now.
Isobel: C’mon just tell me who he likes. I know that you know and you’re just keeping the information.
Erica: You know what? Everything’s becoming clear now. You’re just using me. You don’t actually want to be my friend. You know that I know, and I do know. All you want is for me to tell you who the love of your life likes. Once you have that you’ll forget all about me and hang out with your other friends.
Isobel: That’s not true! You are my friend and I just want to know who he likes.
Erica: Oh yeah? Then how do you explain the fact that just last Sunday you left me waiting at the new mall they just built? You know how much I was waiting to go shopping with you there. How could you forget to come? If you had at least forgotten and stayed at home, then it wouldn’t have been so bad, but instead you’re at the opening of that stupid bookstore while I was walking around alone at the mall.
Isobel: I’m sorry. I’ve already said it thousand times. I know I should have come and I know how much you were looking forward to shopping there. Please forgive me. It was just that one time.
Erica: But the thing is you went with him! Who would wanna go with you anyway?
Isobel: Well he wanted to! So what is it to you?
Erica: Well, nothing. My point is that you’d rather spend time with him than me.
Isobel: What? That’s soooooo not true. I spend time with you. Like right now I’m here at the fitness center with you. (making eyes roll and widen)- pause look at each nothing awkwardly -
Erica: See, you are just using me to find out who he likes, but please. I just want to spend more time with him.
Isobel: What?! What did you say?
Erica: Nothing, I meant I wanna spend more time with you…. (soft) And your annoyingness
Isobel: Something strange is going on here. And its not just you!
Erica: Uuugghh! No. Nothing’s going on. I just said the wrong name that’s all. No big deal.
Isobel: You sound like you like him too. Before you were upset that I went with him to the bookstore probably coz he wasn’t spending time with you. And then you just happened to say the wrong name when you were saying you wanted to spend more time with me. You like him too don’t you?
Erica: Fine, you got me. I do like him, but that’s why I can’t tell you who he likes.
Isobel: So now you have a crush on the guy that I like, and you still won’t tell me who he likes. So what if you like him? That has nothing to do with you telling me.
Erica: Yes it does. If I tell you, then you’ll get mad at me or there’ll be some sortta conflict between us
Isobel: Wait, are you saying that he likes you?
- End -
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