As I waited for the cue from Mickie to enter and get up to the platform my mind was a merry go round that seemed to just go faster and faster. It was odd I suppose that my focus was on first time reactions, but then again I had been anticipating this for a month or more.. As I heard "Prudy's" Line, with Laundry basket in my arms I walked thru USL entrance with my first line "Who's Askin"..
I REMEMBER the response was loud laughter from all the cast. Not sure how the time between then and now has blurred the truth, but it really does not matter, this is my memory and I LIKE It.. I recall all laughing, including the techies, and I know I giggled with them... I knew then the response from them was as good indicator of how it would be once we were in front of an audience. I also determined their initial reaction would be louder than the audience's would be once we had one. I have a vivid memory of how much I had anticipated this exact response and how relieved I was that I was correct.
As we went thru each scene, the laughter dissipated, which was fine with me. I now could begin to develop Edna and have some fun with the process and, hopefully, reap the rewards a happy audience would afford me if I was successful.
To be Continued..
Stay Tuned for My Life as Edna - Part VI - "Edna, Edna, Who Are You?"
Friday, June 3, 2011
Monday, May 16, 2011
My Life as Edna - Part IV - "I feel pretty"
So, the beginnings of self turning into Edna was as interesting a challenge for me as I have ever experienced. Every line I read held the future of Edna's relationship with the audience. Each line delivery had the potential of cementing their acceptance or releasing them from even trying to believe. I put myself under a great deal of stress as I read and re-read the lines. I practiced in the Living Room when no one was there, in the car when alone, and any other time and place I could be Edna without any company. I knew that soon the lines delivered would take a temporary back seat to the costume I would be wearing which, to me, impressed on me more the importance of being Edna in personality and spirit. Once others saw me in Edna attire the words and physical movements used would become sterile. All people would see was Wayne in a dress, hose, with makeup and a wig. I knew the time to unveil Edna to everyone was here.
I remember taking a deep breath at the rehearsal and heading back to the dressing room alone. I made sure all cast was in the theatre. I needed to see and feel reaction to a dressed Edna..I knew I had to see and hear what their reaction was and I knew it would mirror what the audience's would be as well.
Putting on the Bra for the first time was very awkward and laughable because I had it upside down.. "It fastens from the front dumbshit" I giggled at me as I struggled to put the damn thing on. Seemed like the snaps in front were endless and I remembered thinking that there must be a way to fasten it once and then just slip it on and off over my head! I then decided to create my boobs by stuffing me with any cloths I could find, 2 shirts on each side made me a Triple EEE..Next was the Moo Moo, which turned out to be a breeze, just slip this "TENT LIKE" garment over my head. It was then that the Edna Hankie was created. For some reason I decided I had to have a hankie for this character, so I found one and stuffed into the front of the Moo Moo.
For those of you who know me as an actor, you know I have a "Where to put my hands?" issue and the Edna Hankie proved to be an ingenious "cheat" for me. Did I know this before,which drove me to add it to my costume? Not sure but, as you saw when you watched Edna, the hankie was my crutch. I LOVED it..
The hose and heels were easy to until I tried to walk! DAMN!!! I took those first steps in heels and felt like a baby Elephant taking its first steps. My toes squeezed into the front of these damn shoes, feeling like a vise had been put on my foot..I also remember how strange the hose felt on my skin and that I laughed at how little hair I had on my legs. I thought "How cool that I have such girly like legs with no hair to worry about" as I viewed legs with hose and heels on in a mirror.
Painful is an understatement as I made my first walk down the hallway as a dressed Edna for the first time.. Trying to NOT wobble as I moved proved to be a huge challenge as the heels and my legs did not like each other at all!! But I moved forward and down, what now seemed to be, a VERY long hallway..
The anticipation of trying to guess cast reactions swirling in my mind, I took the last 3 steps to the back of the stage and waited for my cue..
Part V coming soon
I remember taking a deep breath at the rehearsal and heading back to the dressing room alone. I made sure all cast was in the theatre. I needed to see and feel reaction to a dressed Edna..I knew I had to see and hear what their reaction was and I knew it would mirror what the audience's would be as well.
Putting on the Bra for the first time was very awkward and laughable because I had it upside down.. "It fastens from the front dumbshit" I giggled at me as I struggled to put the damn thing on. Seemed like the snaps in front were endless and I remembered thinking that there must be a way to fasten it once and then just slip it on and off over my head! I then decided to create my boobs by stuffing me with any cloths I could find, 2 shirts on each side made me a Triple EEE..Next was the Moo Moo, which turned out to be a breeze, just slip this "TENT LIKE" garment over my head. It was then that the Edna Hankie was created. For some reason I decided I had to have a hankie for this character, so I found one and stuffed into the front of the Moo Moo.
For those of you who know me as an actor, you know I have a "Where to put my hands?" issue and the Edna Hankie proved to be an ingenious "cheat" for me. Did I know this before,which drove me to add it to my costume? Not sure but, as you saw when you watched Edna, the hankie was my crutch. I LOVED it..
The hose and heels were easy to until I tried to walk! DAMN!!! I took those first steps in heels and felt like a baby Elephant taking its first steps. My toes squeezed into the front of these damn shoes, feeling like a vise had been put on my foot..I also remember how strange the hose felt on my skin and that I laughed at how little hair I had on my legs. I thought "How cool that I have such girly like legs with no hair to worry about" as I viewed legs with hose and heels on in a mirror.
Painful is an understatement as I made my first walk down the hallway as a dressed Edna for the first time.. Trying to NOT wobble as I moved proved to be a huge challenge as the heels and my legs did not like each other at all!! But I moved forward and down, what now seemed to be, a VERY long hallway..
The anticipation of trying to guess cast reactions swirling in my mind, I took the last 3 steps to the back of the stage and waited for my cue..
Part V coming soon
Thursday, May 12, 2011
My Life as Edna - Part III - "Edna moves in slowly"
Shortly after the first reading and my nerves settled because of cast response to lines she has, my mind began to look into the future. Transforming Wayne into a woman was now a reality and the physical aspects of the transformation were consuming my thoughts as an actor. I found myself worried that Edna would become cartoon like and I knew Edna could not be a cartoon.
So my focus changed to developing Edna's character to "fool" the audience into at least considering the idea that I was a woman. Though I was aware that anyone who knew the show at all would never subscribe to the idea, I challenged me to work hard to create, for those who did not know Edna, a question for them to answer as they watched the show. How exactly to do that drove Edna into becoming more of a real woman rather than a very effeminate actor trying to be her.I also solicited guidance from the likes of Kim, Nichole, Sandi, Lyssa, Amy, Emily, Kalyea, and other women in regards to how to act like one. I took "Bitch Snap" lessons from Amy and Emily, as well as learned the correct way to stand, (one food behind the other, curtsy, take my bow and sit like a woman from all of them. It was exhausting and very confusing for a man who thought he knew, but found out quickly he was lost. Something tells me all of my helpers loved teaching me.
As I designed the plan to have Edna move in, I knew immediately that physical appearance alone was not going to compensate for those who looked at Edna and wondered, so I set my sights on Wilbur and our interactions.
David was the absolute perfect Wilbur for me. Almost as if divine intervention had saved me from dealing with the uneasiness of acting with a stranger, he was there as Wilbur and trust me, I was very thankful. I am not even sure if we, at any time, approached the idea that either of us would need time to not feel uncomfortable, I remember only that I knew we would have great fun with these parts..
We began the rehearsals and Edna, gingerly and slowly, moved in. At first with subtle innuendo, easing herself into "my person" with great care so as not to become too animated. I knew, for the audience to enjoy her, she had to be real. My feeling was that anyone could be way over the top with her and make her "Cross Dresser like", but Edna needed to be a wife, a mother and a real woman more than a composite of what a man thinks a woman is.
As we moved forward, I knew the day, I dreaded and looked forward to, was approaching quickly. Wayne was about to appear in a dress and other female attire..
Part IV to follow soon....
So my focus changed to developing Edna's character to "fool" the audience into at least considering the idea that I was a woman. Though I was aware that anyone who knew the show at all would never subscribe to the idea, I challenged me to work hard to create, for those who did not know Edna, a question for them to answer as they watched the show. How exactly to do that drove Edna into becoming more of a real woman rather than a very effeminate actor trying to be her.I also solicited guidance from the likes of Kim, Nichole, Sandi, Lyssa, Amy, Emily, Kalyea, and other women in regards to how to act like one. I took "Bitch Snap" lessons from Amy and Emily, as well as learned the correct way to stand, (one food behind the other, curtsy, take my bow and sit like a woman from all of them. It was exhausting and very confusing for a man who thought he knew, but found out quickly he was lost. Something tells me all of my helpers loved teaching me.
As I designed the plan to have Edna move in, I knew immediately that physical appearance alone was not going to compensate for those who looked at Edna and wondered, so I set my sights on Wilbur and our interactions.
David was the absolute perfect Wilbur for me. Almost as if divine intervention had saved me from dealing with the uneasiness of acting with a stranger, he was there as Wilbur and trust me, I was very thankful. I am not even sure if we, at any time, approached the idea that either of us would need time to not feel uncomfortable, I remember only that I knew we would have great fun with these parts..
We began the rehearsals and Edna, gingerly and slowly, moved in. At first with subtle innuendo, easing herself into "my person" with great care so as not to become too animated. I knew, for the audience to enjoy her, she had to be real. My feeling was that anyone could be way over the top with her and make her "Cross Dresser like", but Edna needed to be a wife, a mother and a real woman more than a composite of what a man thinks a woman is.
As we moved forward, I knew the day, I dreaded and looked forward to, was approaching quickly. Wayne was about to appear in a dress and other female attire..
Part IV to follow soon....
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
Who is Edna?
I recall how nervous I became as I viewed all of the videos online wondering if I could pull this off. Self doubt is an issue with me onstage, haunting me since High School. I was one of those High School Actors who just had to show up and the part was mine no matter what the show was. I don't think I was ever consumed by it but I do know I KNEW it and never worried about auditions. However I always second guessed me onstage, never allowing any positive reactions to my performance to replace my personal criticisms. "I could have done better", "damn it, I messed up that line", "they are only applauding because they are my friends", etc..become who I was after each show and before the curtain rose for the next one.
Sure enough, for this part, my old "YOU SUCK GHOSTS" found me and took over. My ghosts became the first hurdle as I began to study my lines and hear my attempts at being "Edna Like", whatever that means. Understand the fight I was having with me on exactly how to deliver Edna to the audience was one I had no idea how to fight or win. The hurdle/dilemma for me was fighting my insecurities. Not an easy task at all. Me fighting my ability before we ever hit the stage had become the task instead of developing Edna, which is what it was supposed to be.
I have never enjoyed my voice, no matter what part I have had. I have always hated my sound and for this role, my hatred became hurdle #2. How the hell can I change my tone? How the hell can I even attempt this role with this crappy voice of mine? And so on and so on. I was losing the war before any real battles had begun. My lack of self confidence had taken the first shot in the war with me which left me with no choice but to simply fight back with whatever arsenal I had.
I read, read and read my lines to me in private and repeated them out loud with no one near me. I looked in the bathroom mirror as I repeated my lines so that I could see the expressions. I recorded my lines into this cheap little recorder and played them back so I could hear me. I was bent on making this role, probably my last for some time, my best since Oscar...
Interesting that the first real rehearsal, not the read through, provided me some solace that I was on the right track. The giggles over some of the lines left me feeling I had the right idea while also confirming that the "Edna" words designed to solicit laughter. My confidence took a deep breath...and I felt ready to begin the assault
At first my Edna, I think, was an actor trying to use subtlety as his main focus. Being subtle initially seemed to be the best approach and calmed me. The problem, I realized very early, is that Edna, along with Penny and Wilbur, were the BIG comedic characters in this show and "subtle" was not the best idea I'd ever had. The writers in most shows choose certain roles to carry the show's comedy and dramatic story lines. In this case, comedy is the priority, and 3 characters assigned to shoulder most of the responsibility to deliver the funny lines and actions to the audience needed to not be subtle. So "Subtle Edna" began to evolve into "Funny Edna."
PART III soon...
Sure enough, for this part, my old "YOU SUCK GHOSTS" found me and took over. My ghosts became the first hurdle as I began to study my lines and hear my attempts at being "Edna Like", whatever that means. Understand the fight I was having with me on exactly how to deliver Edna to the audience was one I had no idea how to fight or win. The hurdle/dilemma for me was fighting my insecurities. Not an easy task at all. Me fighting my ability before we ever hit the stage had become the task instead of developing Edna, which is what it was supposed to be.
I have never enjoyed my voice, no matter what part I have had. I have always hated my sound and for this role, my hatred became hurdle #2. How the hell can I change my tone? How the hell can I even attempt this role with this crappy voice of mine? And so on and so on. I was losing the war before any real battles had begun. My lack of self confidence had taken the first shot in the war with me which left me with no choice but to simply fight back with whatever arsenal I had.
I read, read and read my lines to me in private and repeated them out loud with no one near me. I looked in the bathroom mirror as I repeated my lines so that I could see the expressions. I recorded my lines into this cheap little recorder and played them back so I could hear me. I was bent on making this role, probably my last for some time, my best since Oscar...
Interesting that the first real rehearsal, not the read through, provided me some solace that I was on the right track. The giggles over some of the lines left me feeling I had the right idea while also confirming that the "Edna" words designed to solicit laughter. My confidence took a deep breath...and I felt ready to begin the assault
At first my Edna, I think, was an actor trying to use subtlety as his main focus. Being subtle initially seemed to be the best approach and calmed me. The problem, I realized very early, is that Edna, along with Penny and Wilbur, were the BIG comedic characters in this show and "subtle" was not the best idea I'd ever had. The writers in most shows choose certain roles to carry the show's comedy and dramatic story lines. In this case, comedy is the priority, and 3 characters assigned to shoulder most of the responsibility to deliver the funny lines and actions to the audience needed to not be subtle. So "Subtle Edna" began to evolve into "Funny Edna."
PART III soon...
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