First rehearsal and general thoughts

I think the audience all identifies with John Proctor at the essential struggle against laws of society, at the essential struggle with his own identity. Whats cathartic is watching that break through, the moments of anarchy and rebellion. We want to watch him land the punch, some sort of manifest of his and their frustration. It is in this way John Proctor will need the audience and how they will need him.

Rehearsal 1/17

First blocking rehearsal. I had been apprehensive about how comfortable I was going to feel putting the dialogue in with the blocking, but being off book made the process much easier. Emily and I did some good work on our first scene. Technically I felt like I kept cutting myself or Emily off from the audience; the playing space is narrow and would be more comfortable in thrust. Theres a particular moment where I walk around the bed and remain flat back to the audience. Emily comes up behind me and there are about 2 lines of dialogue where both of our backs are right to the audience, but I like that the moment is slighting cut off from the audience, so I'll be able internalize the tension of her coming up behind me and true to convey that energy through my shoulders and by turns of the head. I'm going to have to make sure my hair doesn't obscure my face. Once again, I really enjoy Jason's rehearsal process of repetition, which always works really well for me. Its going to be all the more helpful for the scenes I'm not solidly memorized on. I felt a bit restricted in general throughout the first workings of the scene, which might have to do with the nature of the scene. I'm dealing with trying to emulate the earthiness and roundedness of John; staying fairly unemotional well still being compelling and expressive. I'm paying attention to tempo and mood, which I think are two things that are in danger of hovering at the same level throughout the scenes. I was trying to think of this scene as the way of establishing where John Proctor is coming from, so that I can build the characters arch over the next two acts.