Like I said before, I find myself totally in relation with the character of Eugene.
Granted, I'm not too terribly far from the age of this character (me being 20, Eugene being 15), which by the way, helps emmensely in the character analysis side of things.
I don't only see a lot of myself in Eugene: the dreamer, the writer, the young one, etc. But I admire a lot of him as well. And I really kind of miss being that age where all you had to worry about was so comically minute but in your head, heart and gut it was your WORLD CRISIS.
Eugene is a boy. Right on the cusp of manhood (at least for 1937.) He's really in search of his status in the world. At hom he's just the kid who plays too loudly and obnoxiously and writes a lot. But for Eugen he has plays and goals, a future worked out and to him so attainable.
One of my very favorate tings about this play is the brothers: Eugene and Stanley. As a pair. I never really had that big brother/little brother realationship with my actual brother. But fo some reason it's easy to find it in playing opposate Mark, who plays Stan. Those are my favorate scenes to play.
I truly have enjoyed and will continue to enjoy the portrayal of this character. I have fun with it every time and taht's really what I want to bring to the table, so when I first address the audience they won't necessarily think Eugene Morris Jerome but they'll think: "Eugene the fun and goofy 15-year-old narrator."
That's me!
~jacob bean-watson
Friday, January 30, 2009
Jacob's Memoirs. CHAPTER ONE: BRIGHTON BEACH
When I first heard that "Brighton Beach Memoirs" was being considered for the 2009 season at Portland Actors Conservatory I was overcome with excitement, intrigue and desire.
The play comes with a bit of history with me.
I was introduced to the play back in my Freshman year at Oregon City High School. My Drama One class. It was actually the first play script I had ever read. I instandly loved the balance of hilarious comedy, colorful characters and I found Eugene very interesting, but also it's use of drama and discussion of serious and valid family troubles and woes.
In all truth I loved the character of Stanley. I actually played him in a scene assgnment for the class.
Of course when I read the play again, this time in preperation fo the auditions at PAC, I found my mouth would drop and internally I would think: "Holy crap! I was such a Eugene!"
And to some extent I still am.
After being awarded the part of Eugene there was this strange nostalgic feeling of returning to the play that ultimately was there at the begining of my acting education and practice.
I read the play maybe 50 times before the read-through wtih the cast and each time I could find something new to maybe laugh at or think on; it's just such a full play you can enjoy it every time. It's so easy to have fun with it.
And luckily the cast, I feel anyway, still have so much fun with it.
And thank God for that.
~jacob bean-watson.
The play comes with a bit of history with me.
I was introduced to the play back in my Freshman year at Oregon City High School. My Drama One class. It was actually the first play script I had ever read. I instandly loved the balance of hilarious comedy, colorful characters and I found Eugene very interesting, but also it's use of drama and discussion of serious and valid family troubles and woes.
In all truth I loved the character of Stanley. I actually played him in a scene assgnment for the class.
Of course when I read the play again, this time in preperation fo the auditions at PAC, I found my mouth would drop and internally I would think: "Holy crap! I was such a Eugene!"
And to some extent I still am.
After being awarded the part of Eugene there was this strange nostalgic feeling of returning to the play that ultimately was there at the begining of my acting education and practice.
I read the play maybe 50 times before the read-through wtih the cast and each time I could find something new to maybe laugh at or think on; it's just such a full play you can enjoy it every time. It's so easy to have fun with it.
And luckily the cast, I feel anyway, still have so much fun with it.
And thank God for that.
~jacob bean-watson.
Friday, January 9, 2009
Well finally!
We finally had our Winter Showcase, huzzah! We were thwarted by the weather in December, but now we are back and more amazing than ever ;P
The evening started with Philip and Beth talking about the conservatory and its programs, then came the moment when they announced our names and we walked out onstage. It was an incredibly exciting moment, signalling the start of all of us on our journey to become professional actors and yet for me, it was very bittersweet. To hear my name, my name that I have chosen, called out and to walk onstage to my friends applause was glorious, but at the same time I was sad beyond words. You see, the person I wanted there the most, my mother (who has come to every production I have ever been involved in, whether onstage or behind the scenes), was unable to come due to automobilic and physical obstacles.
The evenings performances went off without too many hitches (most of which I'm sure the audience did not see. Except for poor Vinnie's concussion, :( ), and the applause as we took our last bow was gorgeous to hear. Then the rush as we changed out of our clown outfits and into our clothes and ran down the stairs to be hugged and congratulated by our friends and (for everyone else) family.
And also by each other.
ROFL, I'll never forget Mark coming up to me, shaking my hand, giving me a hug and telling me good job. I said good job back and asked if he was leaving. He said no, that he was just congratulating everyone. Awww. "And you're all sweaty and you just hugged me. Thanks dude, I really appriciate that. Really." Trust me to ruin a kodak moment ;P As the evening wore on, I was cuddled and congratulated the members of the ensemble. Again, awww. I'm in school with some pretty amazing people, you know that?
We are now in full swing for our next production, a piece by Neil Simon. And now, having just completed the read-throughs for "Brighton Beach Memoirs" and with rehearsals starting in about 12 hrs, I'm going to sign off with the words of Eugene Jerome:
"Puberty is over. Onwards and upwards!"
~Jack
The evening started with Philip and Beth talking about the conservatory and its programs, then came the moment when they announced our names and we walked out onstage. It was an incredibly exciting moment, signalling the start of all of us on our journey to become professional actors and yet for me, it was very bittersweet. To hear my name, my name that I have chosen, called out and to walk onstage to my friends applause was glorious, but at the same time I was sad beyond words. You see, the person I wanted there the most, my mother (who has come to every production I have ever been involved in, whether onstage or behind the scenes), was unable to come due to automobilic and physical obstacles.
The evenings performances went off without too many hitches (most of which I'm sure the audience did not see. Except for poor Vinnie's concussion, :( ), and the applause as we took our last bow was gorgeous to hear. Then the rush as we changed out of our clown outfits and into our clothes and ran down the stairs to be hugged and congratulated by our friends and (for everyone else) family.
And also by each other.
ROFL, I'll never forget Mark coming up to me, shaking my hand, giving me a hug and telling me good job. I said good job back and asked if he was leaving. He said no, that he was just congratulating everyone. Awww. "And you're all sweaty and you just hugged me. Thanks dude, I really appriciate that. Really." Trust me to ruin a kodak moment ;P As the evening wore on, I was cuddled and congratulated the members of the ensemble. Again, awww. I'm in school with some pretty amazing people, you know that?
We are now in full swing for our next production, a piece by Neil Simon. And now, having just completed the read-throughs for "Brighton Beach Memoirs" and with rehearsals starting in about 12 hrs, I'm going to sign off with the words of Eugene Jerome:
"Puberty is over. Onwards and upwards!"
~Jack
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