Applying Shurtleff's acting guideposts to Frankie's monologue in "A Lie of the Mind"

¶ … monologue "A Lie Of The Mind" play written Sam Shepard. monologue page "80." starts Frankie " Look- I make effort. Did ?." I u make ? essay outline:Take home test outline: Text: Audition Michael Shurtleff ( outline) Part 1.

A Lie of the Mind

Michael Shurtluff's guideposts are very important for all actors, regardless of their level of preparation. Through acting in accordance with these guideposts, one is likely to experience positive results while on scene. Most professional actors who come across these principles are very probable to acknowledge that they have developed a similar set of laws during their career. Although told from a general point-of-view, guideposts inform the actor regarding his or her priorities and instruct him or her in being able to have a good impact on the audience. One does not necessarily have to follow Shurtluff's guideposts literally, as he or she can interpret them or can attempt to apply them to their own set of rules (this being expected to personalize guideposts and make them even more effective).

I personally believe that following these guideposts can make one feel less hesitant about going on stage. Beginners will find that Shurtluff's set of advices is very helpful for someone who is not experienced in preparing himself of herself effectively when provided with a new script.

Part 2.

By applying Shurtleff's guideposts to Frankie's monologue an actor is likely to make a positive impression on the public that he or she is playing before. These four particular main ideas make it possible for the actor to undergo some of the most important phases before going on stage and while on stage. The relationship guidepost enables him to focus on the connection that exists between him and Baylor, Jake, and Mike, thus allowing him to be aware of the attitudes that he needs to adopt when faced with particular individuals. The conflict and the find the events guidepost helps him in using the monologue, his critical condition, and the circumstances that he is in with the purpose of appealing the public through inducing tension in viewers. Also, these two are also essential in helping the actor maintain a strong connection with actors playing Baylor and Mike, and by getting them actively involved in contributing to the scene in any way that they possibly can. The moments before guidepost assists Frankie's actor as he tries to employ diverse attitudes on stage and as he tries to prepare to get on stage.

I. Relationship

The Relationship guidepost in Michael Shurtleff's audition is meant to provide the person analyzing the monologue with more information regarding the protagonist's relationship and how it affects the person speaking. Shurtleff practically wants individuals to think about the protagonist's background with the person that he refers to. By focusing on this moment's environment and on all the events that led to this situation one is likely to gain a general understanding of the speaker's situation. Similarly, the analyst is also probable to comprehend more about the individual responsible for this situation, the reasons that influenced him in performing a particular act, and his position regarding the matter.

The actor practically needs to identify with the character in order to feel what he feels. He even has to consider how he would act if he were to be in the circumstances that the character is in, as this is likely to trigger strong feelings in the individuals and to eventually have him feel that he is going through real-life experiences. By focusing sufficiently on all characters and the relationship that his character has with them, the actor can have a better understanding of his position, especially considering that this enables him to look at the play from a subjective point-of-view.

One of the principal factors assisting the individual in being able to successfully identify with his character is the way that he feels about other characters in the plot. An actor needs to focus on the personality of his character and on the way that he would react to the nature of other characters in the play in order for him to be able to put across the exact message that the writer wanted to convey. The fact that they present people's attitudes as they interact is not necessarily what is important about relationships in regard to the play. A character can also relate to other characters by expressing his opinion regarding them and by providing the public with information regarding how he adapts his thinking to the behavior of other individuals.

Considering that strong relationships can deteriorate as a result of certain events and that they can also strengthen as a consequence of unifying circumstances, the actor needs to understand when it is right for him to appreciate or to detest particular characters.

Frankie is a moral individual and in spite of the way that he was treated by Mike and Baylor he does not hesitate to put across his understanding regarding their approach. Whereas he expresses criticism concerning Baylor's refusal to feel sorry for mistaking him with a deer, he somewhat accepts Mike's position because he acknowledges the gravity of Jake's actions. Through understanding the strong relationship between Mike and Beth the actor is capable of seeing Mike's torture techniques as a means to channel his frustration regarding Jake.

Even with the fact that Baylor insists regarding his lack of interest in expressing any feelings related to guilt concerning his decision to shoot Frankie, the latter does not appear to be furious with this overall situation. Instead, he expresses lack of understanding concerning the immoral attitudes that people around him constantly adopt. One of the intriguing concepts about employing the relationship guidepost in analyzing Frankie's monologue is his determination to believe that all people have the ability to express moral beliefs. While Jake would be infuriated with the way that Baylor and Mike behave, Frankie prefers to use ethics as a method to address both of them.

Frankie's relationship with Baylor is certainly tensed, given that the latter shot the former and that he even relates to how there is nothing wrong with what he did. However, Frankie does not express anger concerning the way that Baylor behaves and simply puts across his difficulty to understand people. While he would normally have to focus on the circumstances that he is in, Frankie discusses his relationship with his brother, the character of his brother, and his general disappointment with the fact that Jake is still immature.

Frankie adopts typical behavior in his understanding of other people, given that he constantly sees himself as the normal individual in his relationship with others. He believes that he is not responsible for the problems that he experiences, especially considering his self-esteem. In spite of the fact that Frankie manages to behave ethically he constantly gets into trouble because of wanting to help his brothers and because of failing to see the fact that the individuals that he comes across blame him for their mistakes.

III. The Moment Before

The Moment Before guidepost has the actor focus on the events that happened in the scene that preceded the one that he has to perform in. The moment before can actually refer to the over storyline that preceded the present act and it can address a series of occurrences in the character's life. Through putting across the feeling that he continues an episode that happened before, the actor makes it possible for the audience to feel that his acting merges perfectly into the overall storyline.

As he prepares to get on stage, the actor needs to have a good understanding of the events that preceded the scene that he is about to play. By thinking about previous events in trying to play a particular scene, an actor is more probable to experience positive results. The audience needs to be reminded in regard to the personality of the character that an actor is playing and it has to be provided with significant hints meant to assist it.

The actor's point of focus needs to extend to his character's history with the characters that he interacts with and to his personal views in regard to conditions that resemble the one that he is in at the moment of the scene. Even with that, the information that he gets regarding the character needs to be filtered so as for the actor to be able to focus on the situation at hand and on feelings that are likely to emerge as a result of such circumstances. The actor needs to regard this moment as being part of a continuity that requires that the character should put across sentiments that are characteristic to him. When someone is not experienced in playing a particular character, the respective individual can relate to his personal experiences in producing convincing acting. It is not sufficient for the actor to want to be good, as he actually needs to understand the character that he is playing and to support it as it attempts to achieve its objectives. Moreover, he should look forward to the moment when he gets on stage and consider it to be his opportunity to assist his character in a critical situation. Shurtleff most probably wanted The Moment Before to represent an essential phase that actors need to undergo before they get on stage and across their stay there.

The fact Frankie's monologue is preceded by a tensed conversation that he has with Baylor means that an actor playing Frankie would have to put great passion in expressing the character's personal beliefs. Frankie virtually reached a moment when he is not necessarily interested in what happens around him and simply wants to present the audience and Baylor with what he thinks about this whole situation. In order to do this, the actor needs to employ an authoritarian and yet calm attitude in trying to change the way that Baylor sees things. Frankie's moral character is particularly important at this stage because of the effect that it needs to have on the audience.

The actor needs to consider Frankie's past, his relationship with Jake, and his history having an abusive father. Frankie should not feel intimidated with the fact that Baylor and Mike pressure him and he should continue to maintain an indifferent position for most of the monologue. This indifference is not necessarily owed to his lack of interest in the outcome of this situation, as it is the result of the fact that his life experiences made him feel that there was little that could hurt him. He considered that humans were predisposed to doing immoral deeds, but he did not believe that this meant that he should not get involved in trying to help them.

By performing a thorough analysis of Frankie's personality, an actor is likely to realize that this character is fighting a continuous campaign intended to save his brother from following their father's footsteps. He does not seem to be concerned with the fact that he just got shot or that he is in an uncomfortable situation. All he cares about is presenting his audience with his brother's personality and with reasons not to employ prejudice in judging Jake.

Frankie's present situation is the result of a series of events that happened throughout the play until the moment when he got shot by Baylor. The fact that Baylor mentions a potential trial would influence Frankie's actor in believing that the man is actually afraid of the consequences of his actions. This makes it easier for Frankie to consider that he is advantaged by this position and that he can use it in order to persuade Baylor in thinking that it would be wrong for him to continue to torment Frankie.

IV. Find the Events

The Find the Events guidepost is meant to introduce factors like change, conflict, and culmination into the scene. Through identifying the changes that take place in the scene, the actor gets to introduce these respective transformations into his acting. Even if there appears to be little change in the general context of the play, the actor has to focus as much as possible in order to discover his relationship with other characters and how he can use changes in order to affect their personalities.

One of the most important things about events is that they can be created at any point in the scene with the set of elements that the actor comes in possession of. The actor needs to be constantly certain that their partners are aware of what they are doing in order for events to be organized and to trigger the intended feelings in the audience. One is likely to ruin the scene if other actors fail to understand his intentions, as they need to cooperate so as for the final product to be exactly as they want it to be. In order for events to happen without any interference all actors need to be alert and responsive to other actors' actions.

The importance of scenes generally depends on an actor's ability to create changes and to emphasizing them by animating the scene. An author is more likely to identify potential events by trying to understand what happens in a scene and what changes can be exploited. Given that a team of actors can function more efficiently than a single actor, it is very important for an actor to attempt to get all of the characters involved in an event. Moreover, the event does not necessarily have to be produced by a single actor, as it can be shared between actors in order for the general aspect of the scene to be attractive.

Especially when considering a significant scene in the play, actors need to stay active and ready to intervene at any point with the purpose of strengthening the effect that the respective scene has on the audience. Although it is not necessarily difficult to find events, it can be very demanding for an actor to maintain an event's magnetism.

Frankie's monologue holds a great deal of opportunities to create events, with one of the most significant being related to the character's determination to put across his general state of indifference regarding his own faith. By emphasizing the interest that Frankie holds in the well-being of others, an actor playing him would be likely to impress the audience in regard to the character's altruistic nature. This actor would have to work closely to the actors playing Boyler and Mike, as they should have their responses based on how they interpret Frankie's speech.

Creating events during a monologue might be difficult for the individual as a result of the fact that other actors are limited in supporting him and he because he would be mainly responsible for backing up the events that he creates. Frankie's actor can create a climax event during his speech as a result of having other characters and audiences understand his determination to assist his brother. Also, through employing indifference in speaking to Boyler, he can make it possible for a confrontation to take place, especially considering that he puts across his feelings regarding the people in the house at this moment. Given that a confrontation requires for a consequence to be present, this would also support the creation of an additional event in the monologue.

Frankie's character needs to maintain his attitude all across his monologue and the actor needs to comply. This is an essential part of the scene, especially considering that the actor has to understand the risks that his character takes in employing a daring outlook. Frankie's attitude can represent an event all by itself as a result of spicing up the scene through emphasizing the fact that the character makes a courageous and expresses little to no interest in the fact that he is in great danger.

Works cited:

Shepard, Sam & Chaikin, Joseph, "A lie of the mind: a play in three acts," New American Library, 1987.