it has begun

Now that we're into the rehearsal period, I'd like you to focus on the SPINE of your character. No, I don't mean a real spine. Please don't try anything with your spines. I'm referring to a term that encompasses the total actions & desires of your character, while fitting into the overall theme of the play. There are a few things you have to do in order to find your character's spine:

1. On a blank sheet of paper, write down every significant action of your character. Those that effect others, big decisions, alarming statements, revealing lines, etc. (try to avoid adjectives and judgemental language, like "he acts like an idiot", or "she stupidly says ..." but try and focus on the facts)

2. Write down everything that is said about your character by other characters in the play.

3. Try and figure out what your character wants by the end of the play. This is called the SUPER-OBJECTIVE. What are they trying to do? What is their greatest need?
Example: The Bourne Ultimatum guy's Super-Objective might have something to do with "clearing my name", etc. Benvolio in Romeo & Juliet might be "to keep the peace". Your Super-Objective should be your character's greatest need, but also hint at their personality or M.O. This might take some time to develop.

4. Then we take the Super-Objective and give it a QUALIFIER, which gives your character a frame, a certain level of limitation that will eventually hone your instincts into the characters' instincts - if you work at it hard enough. You can find the Qualifier by looking at everything you wrote down in steps 1 and 2. The summation of the character's actions should point to a dominant trait of some kind. For instance, the Policeman's qualifier might be something like, "without getting too involved", or "without dirtying my hands", etc.
The SPINE of your character is the Super-Objective with the Qualifier stuck on the end.

5. Then if you're still feeling frisky you can try and tie your Spine into the Theme of the play. To me, a theme is best expressed as a metaphor; a strong image that can tie all of the elements together. We've already discovered that a TRAIN adequately symbolizes many aspects of the Visit. Claire is putting everyone in Guellen on a pre-determined path, like tracks. If you think of your Spine in terms of that theme-image, you can find a better way to verbalize it.
For instance, Bobby the Butler might have a Spine like, "To keep the wheels greased, without losing favor." That Spine has a catchy Super-Objective that gives me something to work with, as an actor. The qualifier will serve as a buffer for any errant or out-of-character choices. It keeps your ideas in the same ballpark as your character, and the rest of the play.

Don't worry if this is a bit tedious. Its totally worth it. Just follow the above steps, in order, and let it be ugly at first. Don't try and make it perfect from the start; it has to develop. We'll talk about all this stuff more in rehearsal, but go ahead and post your questions here.
Sims

A Question

Lately the image of a train keeps coming to mind when reading the Visit. We begin the story at the RR Station, return there for a creepy encounter with the Townsfolk, and end the play with a tableau of the Station again. But after a while the image of a locomotive seemed fitting for the play in more thematic ways. What could a train be symbolic of in this play?