Author: ashley27

Ashley Rodriguez

4/21/2018

Professor Polish

HUT 101

Can I just be? Reflection

• What did you learn while writing this monologue? This assignment allowed me to experience another side of theater. I am a Media Studies major, so I am so used to making decision that would look better cinematically rather than focusing on the actor and it was a nice experience learning how to make choices that would still make the same impact.
• What you didn’t learn? I wish to learn how an actor finds time to connect with the story. To then perform as if it where their own authentically
• How you can use what you learned in the future? In the future I can use the experience I had when creating this monologue in a project. I feel that I would be able to create a film that would equally be powerful for the actor and the film.
• Did writing a monologue (as opposed to an essay) help you understand the place of monologues in theatre? If yes, how? If no, why not? instead of writing an essay I believe that I understood the place of a monologue in theatre better. I now understand a monologue isn’t just a performance for the audience. A monologue instead is a chance for the audience to relate, to almost feel like they are not in a play but instead in a real place captured in time.
• How you think you could have pushed your writing and performance even further? I believe that if I had more time I would like to explore my character in my monologue. I would show what exactly is going on in her life. I would emphasize her age and crisis a bit more in detail.
• What rhetorical choices did you make in your monologue — both with your words and with your body — and how did these choices advance the depth of your work? In my monologue I wanted to get across that my character just went through something big in her life. I wanted to show her emotions play out in her head as she as talking out loud. Almost like if she was trying to make sense of her crisis like losing her father. So, I kept repeating the words “I am fine” like if it was her own way of convincing herself that she was. I like to think that these choices that I made allowed my monologue to be relatable to others.
• How did the process of peer review push your analysis forward? If it didn’t, why not? the process of peer review allowed me to see how others would understand my monologue. It allowed me to alter my character so that it would relate to the audience (class)
• What fresh rhetorical insights might you bring from this assignment into future assignments? I would like to explore emotion even more on future assignments, I would like to use words that continue to repeat.

Ashley Rodriguez

4/12/18

Professor Polish

HUT 101

Can I just be me?

No go away… I am tired just let me sleep. [person completely ignores what she says and walks in] Did you not hear me? I just want to sleep. [staring] what!! [pause] why are you staring at me. Just Stop, I ….am… fine. I am okay. [continues to stare] huh!! Ok yeah so, I know he isn’t coming back he’s gone and I can’t do anything about it. He was perfectly fine one minute and then he wasn’t. I just can’t believe that. You know I’m just scared, and I’m lost, and [pause] I don’t… [Pause]I don’t…. I just don’t know.  I mean Who is going to give me that back? Why would he take him away from me? He was supposed to live forever. Who’s going to give me advice when I need it. And what if I need somebody to talk to just listen. [takes deep breath] I just feel like there is a piece of me missing. I just don’t understand… it doesn’t make sense. I keep remembering everything that happened that day. I woke up and he was in the kitchen making his coffee like usual and It didn’t seem like nothing was wrong. I mean did I miss something. [doubting] I guess his appetite was a little off, but he was fine. I mean I think he was, no he would’ve said something. so, then what happened?  Like Why?… it’s not fair!! [yells] I’m just so confused…. How could somebody be so healthy one minute to then end up in a hospital bed. And then hearing the doctors say if I wanted to sign a DNR for him… my own father!… A DNR! I was just [pause] broken… Then I’m here in this house with all these people here when I just want to be left alone. Like no mam… thanks but no… I don’t want your lasagna. I just want sleep. I am fine. Then in my own house, they give me these weird looks. In my own home. Just because I decide not to wear “appropriate clothes”.   It’s just so frustrating like why do you care about what I am wearing? If I want to wear sweats and [points to hair] wear whatever this is on my head as a hairstyle I can. Can I just be me? Then theirs people who think I’m rude if I don’t want to talk about my dead father. I mean hello excuse me for being I don’t know sad. [takes deep breath] I don’t even know why I’m still talking anymore. I mean can you just get out, no like for real. I mean get out I love you, but I just told you I’m fine.

 my reaction to “a raisin in the sun” act 1

i enjoyed how easy it was to picture the setting. I was able to imagine how there living conditions were like because she gave great details. Although there living conditions weren’t the best. They lived in a two bedroom apartment but they had such a big family. and they had to share their bathroom with there neighbors. so yeah i can see why they were so eager to have some money coming there way.

Ashley Rodriguez                                                                                                             March 16. 2018

                                                                                  World Theatre Assignment 

Questions:                                                                                                                                          1. who had the idea to wear costumes when telling there stories/plays?

2. if Bollywood is soon becoming or is the best here does Hollywood stand?

3. why is it hard to preserve traditional stories?

Two Body Gestures: 

body gestures #1: My head pulled into the story as if i was intrigued. My head did a slight twist, My body pulled forward seeking something more. My posture was positioned in front of my laptop as i read more of the reading.

body gesture #2: my head did a slight lean towards my right, and as it was falling i picked up my right arm and raise my hand making a wave motion laying my elbow on my lap as i sat criss-cross apple sauce. i picked up my hand and laid it on my right cheek. creating a comfortable feeling.

Two sounds:

Sound #1: an inhale that fills up my lungs until it wont let in anymore air. but as i am filled up with enough air i pause causing to let out a yawn. allowing some of the air that i trapped in to spill out of my mouth. and once i am finished yawning i exhale a big flush sigh filled with a ton of air. sounding like a ballon that hasnt been tied up yet. “hugggggghhhhhhh”

Sound #2: letting in air from the tiny spaces of my teeth causing a pressure that a promotes a high pitch tone oozing from the tiny spaces in between my teeth. mimicking a tone that sounds like if you were to put your finger on top of a hoes with it water set on high

The video i chose to reflect on was “Working in the Theatre: Choreography”

Ashley Rodriguez

I clicked on this video expecting to see something that wouldn’t catch my attention. But i can honestly say i was wrong i found this video so entertaining. This video shined a light on the choreography side of theater. As the choreographer Camille A. Brown expressed her feelings on how in theater when dancing its very important not to find yourself worrying if your hitting every movement trying to “dance”.  Although its important to make sure your on beat. The choreographer speaks on what truly is important in putting together a great show which is making sure to allow yourself to “FEEL” every single movement. So i appreciated this video because i learned something new.