Hi Brian, Rupal and Rachel: I met with my scientist friend, Rachel, last week and she helped me craft another version of the VAS. Each question uses narrative contexualizing, anchors it in time (“at this moment”) and follows with comparative question. For example: (narrative) Many actors describe performances as feeling connected. In this audience context..... (temporal) at the moment you describe as feeling the most connected, were you: - aware of the audience? - aware of your physicality?
Not Very __________________________________Very etc.
(comparative) In the moment you felt the least connected, did you feel: repeat the same factors.
Rachel reminded me to frame the questions around the big ideas I”m getting at, so as a refresher for you guys before you review the VAS, here are the big areas of inquiry: RESEARCH QUESTIONS: What happens in the actor’s experience of inhabiting, connecting to, and relaying that story when told in different mediums and in front of different audience permutations? * Are there different levels of pleasure and/or anxiety? * Are these expressed physiologically or as psychological indicators? * Does the actor’s understanding of the story change? * Does the actor’s telling of the story change? These may be expressed as new discoveries about the story, connection/disconnection, truthfulness etc. in the telling Below is a draft version of the VAS that the actors will fill out. It will vary slightly in each of the different performance scenarios. The VAS is 10cm and represents the extremes of the factors. The actor will mark her reaction (x) on the line and the distance from the start will be measured and assigned it’s numerical value. For example: Did you feel nervous? Not very_______________X__________________________________Very
This example is not accurate in terms of real length ie: I haven’t measured it, but say this answer measures at the 3cm mark. The value would be three. This answer will be then compared to the same question for the same actor in the other audience scenarios. I am still working out the way to pose the questions and the factors to include.. I would love to hear your reaction to the VAS and if you think there is anything too repetitive, if there is an important question missing. If there is a cleaner, more precise way to ask the question. There are still a lot of factors to be fleshed out. Sometimes I think I have too many - sometimes not enough. I was wondering if there was anyone in the office who might have an hour to brainstorm or work through it with me in the week or so. I could come to the office. It would be good just to get another set of eyes on it. Thanks cb
The actors who have confirmed participation are: Martin Julien Leah Pinsent Tanja Jacobs * maybe a scene Rebecca Singh Dima Chepovetsky Eric Goulem Paul Lee and Jean Yoon - scene Diane Flacks John Cleland Lisa Norton Marcia Johnson * maybe a scene Amber Goldfarb * maybe a scene Sochi Fried - movement piece Eric Woolfe Stephanie Belding Tony Nappo Allegra Viv Moore - movement piece Catherine McNally Randi Helmers Ralph Small * Right now there are more than 20 actors. I’m expecting some drop-outs. Aiming for 18. Day One - 6-8 (ie: 5 solos, 1 scene); Day Two: 8-10 (six solos, 2 scenes) Possible Directors: Alex Williams or Collette Micks (still TBA)
Stage Manager: Ashley Westlake (TBA) Equipment - Still sourcing, but director may be able to bring what they have. . The VAS Draft Version 2 - September 14th. * This intro may just happen once on the first VAS: During the course of a performance, actors experience the story they are telling very differently in terms of connection to the story and awareness of the performing circumstances. Sometimes the story feels easy to tell and takes on a life of it’s own. Sometimes self-consciousness takes over, and the story can feel false. Sometimes, even after telling a story a hundred times, the very presence of new audience lets you discover something you have never known before about that story. In this series of questions, I am going to ask you about the extremes of these experiences in an attempt to understand how various audience types affect the actors experience of story.
1. During any performance, an actor can feel very “in the story telling” moment or very connected to the story he/she is telling. During that moment in which you felt MOST CONNECTED/LEAST CONNECTED did you find yourself.... Aware of the story?
Not very
_____________________I_____________________Very Aware of your physicality? Not very _______________________I___________________Very Aware of the audience?
Not very
______________________I_____________________Very Were you feeling........... Nervous?
Not very _______________________I_____________________Very
Confident?
Not very _______________________I_____________________Very
Self-consciousness? Not very _______________________I_____________________Very
Free?
Not very _______________________I_____________________Very
Focussed?
Not at all _______________________I_____________________Very
Distracted?
Not at all _______________________I_____________________Very
Truthful?
Not at all _______________________I_____________________Very
Fake?
Not at all _______________________I_____________________Very
Happy?
Not very _______________________I_____________________Very
Unhappy?
Not very _______________________I_____________________Very
Engaged?
Not very _______________________I_____________________Very
Excited?
Not very _______________________I_____________________Very
Bored?
Not very _______________________I_____________________Very
Discomfort?
Not very _______________________I_____________________Very
Relaxed?
Not very _______________________I_____________________Very
* Here the question would be reiterated with regards to LEAST CONNECTION
2. This piece/monologue/scene is something you have performed in many times before and you are very familiar with this story and it’s content. In the context of this setting, did you find you learned or experienced something new in this story? Not Really_______________________l____________________________A LOT At the point in time when you felt you learned something new, did you feel ...... Aware of the audience (repeat the scale above with Not Very....Very) Aware of the story Aware of your physicality Confident Nervous Self-conscious Excited Focussed/Concentrated Pleasure
Discomfort Embarrassed Engaged Bored ***Need the collorary opposite question here - not sure how to pose it exactly. 3. Sometimes during a performance, an actor feels s/he told the story differently than on previous times. In the context of this performance, did you feel the story you told changed from previous telling Different (Not at all - Very) Clearer (Not at all – Very) Livelier Happier Easier Larger emotional content… Other FACTORS?............... 4. When performing, different external factors can affect an actor’s pleasure or displeasure. In this context of this setting, when you experienced PLEASURE were you: Aware of the surroundings? (Very.....Not Very) Aware of your physicality? Aware of the story? Nervous? Self-conscious? Focussed? Confident? Truthful? Engaged? Excited? Bored? Discomfort?