The Green Room is now up and running and I'm no longer a chat-room virgin, having shared the experience first with Paddy and then Edd
So what's it all about and how do we use it ?
Well, obviously you can Chat
But there's never anyone in there
Not entirely true - as well as typing this, I'm in there at the moment, which you can tell by the fact that my name's currently in the "Who's in The Green Room" box
No, it's not
What ?
Your name, it's not there
Well, it was, but I must have left
But if you were there, I could log in and we could have a chat ?
In principle, yes. It's all to do with critical mass and chickens and eggs
Excuse me ?
Why not get into the habit of logging into The Green Room as soon as you arrive and thereby make yourself available while you browse the Forum ?
I've tried that, but there's still no-one there
Ok, so look at the foot of the Home page and you'll see the names of other Members currently online - why not PM them and arrange to meet there in (say) 5 minutes
What's PM ?
Personal Message - if you left-click on a name, one of the options is to "Send a Personal Message"
Ah, right
Come on ... don't be shy, give it a try
(exeunt, pursued by Bear)
>>>>>
Other ideas I had ...
"An Interview with ... "
Once a month or once a week at a pre-determined time, we could have a Special Guest doing a one-hour interview and Question & Answer session
The software also allows us to make transcipts of such interviews. These interviews can then be archived and kept in a Library for future reference and interest
Invitation-only Private Forums - this can be arranged, whereby each invited member is given a special access Password
Collaborators & Mentors could also meet privately to discuss their script in real-time
And, er ... well, that's probably enough for now
As ever, your comments and ideas are very welcome ...
Here's a direct link to The Green Room, why not give it a try this very minute -
paul, this is wonderful. glad you renamed it from 'chat room' to 'green room'. most appropriate. were it not for my innate shyness, i might well just pop in there and see who shows up. perhaps over time i'll gird up my loins and venture forth, alone, into the green room.
btw, i think the q&a/interview bit is a fabulous idea. could be interesting if you/we could get folks like producers, agents, publishers and such to talk with us about what they want, what they hate, and what they think about the state of theatre. and of course, talking to some of our hero(ines) of the playwriting world would be amazing as well. any chance you can ply your other talents to get us o'neill? just hoping. :)
thanks again for all of your marvelous work on this forum. it is a gift to us all.
I'm trying as we speak, Mac. The problem is that even if you send private messages to people, they don't necessarily notice them right away. Besides that, while some people might be signed in and have this page on their browser, it doesn't neccessarily mean they're at their computers, or that they're not doing other things.
I could not access the Greenroom. I was asked to download a java exe file. I downloaded it onto my hard drive but upon trying to install it I kept getting an error message saying I was unable to download an update to the file. It would not allow me to go any further. Any advice is appreciated.
I don't know for sure, but I would go to the control panel, then to add and remove programs and then delete JAVA and then resinstall JAVA from the internet. Will it work? I don't know. But, it is what I would do.
The problem with the mix of nationalities is, us Brits need to be up real early in the morn to catch our US/Canadian counterparts online (and they need to stay up real late) and vice versa!
It's 6.54am here in the UK now and The Green Room is empty!
Is it being used regularly by you delightful people?
Tracy
Last edited on Tue Jan 9th, 2007 06:07 am by Tracy
All these people must be shy, thats all I can say! I dont mind being in there on my own - if I can stand up on a stage in front of an audience, I can sit on my little lonesome, hoping someone else will pop into The Green Room.
You asked "What did I write today?" - I am assuming it isnt your signature, checking out other posts by you!! I dont normally write scripts - I am more hands on with the acting side of things but began contributing here recently due to being asked by the drama group I am a member of if I would be the producer for our next production. Wanted some tips on roles and responsibilities on producing - and got some wonderful responses here.
Actually that is my signature when I remember to use it. However, I found your answer very interesting.
I feel that hanging out with us could be a VERY good thing for you and for us. We have many actors here and some are of more than little note. Dialogue between the actor and the playwright is very valuable, to say the least. The actor speaks the playwright's words and so the actor is in possibly the best position of all to feel or not feel the rhythm and the pattern of speech, the character--the truth.
It was through acting I became a writer. I worked in every community theatre in every town I ever lived. I had been in one god-awful piece of dreck too many and decided I could write better. So I began to write for the actor. I am still an actor's writer. I like to challenge the actor as I liked to be challenged when one.
So stay. Read some of the plays in progress left by our members. Give us the benefit of your response. You have a point of view I would certainly listen to. Without you we could not be heard.
What did I write today? Aside from this response to you, I wrote several long emails, one of which was rather painful since it may have severed a relationship. Although one was heartening since it had to do with a renewal of a relationship. It's only noon where I am so possibilities abound. I have several plays and my memoirs in progress. I'll put my hands to one of them.
I did the re-install but still couldn't get into the greenroom. I'm expecting the delivery of a new computer in the next week or so. Hopefully I will be able to get in then. Are there many Canadians here? The reason I ask is because of the similar time zones.
Hi Edd,
What a delightful response! And my mind must have been on a mono-rail, because I assumed "What did you write today?" meant anything to do with dramatics, rather than *anything*. I too wrote an email - one to an online friend that I have been communicating with for many years. She lives in Arizona, so the time zones mean we are like ships passing in the night sometimes. We mean to meet up at specified times but it doesnt always happen. I have to get up in the wee hours of the morn to catch her online in her evening - or stay up real late to catch her in her day (are you keeping up with this?). Anyways, missed her by 10 mins, so decided to write a long email giving an update on my life adventures in the last few weeks. I do love to write (or type, I should say!). I used to write poetry alot but sex and drugs and rock 'n' roll got in the way (only kiddin' sort of!) - I was distracted by life for so long, I kinda got out of the habit of writing inspirational pieces.
I find writing a letter to someone you may be having problems with is a good release - I am one for having face to face communication but others can perceive it as *confrontational* in the aggressive sense, so sometimes a letter is the only way one can get the communication across. It is up to us all, as individuals, to not allow our baggage to get in the way of good communication (it is also up to us to communicate in a way that tries not the hurt others) - but life is not always like that, sadly.
I do have an idea for a pantomime for my drama group - we have attracted families in the past but the group seems to have been pulled towards plays that are innappropriate for a younger audience (i.e. sexual innuendo and all that) but I miss having children in the audience, sitting there transfixed at the wonderful sets, colourful characters and hysterical scripts. We stick to comedy because *we* want a laugh as much as any audience but there is nothing better than seeing children at the theatre. Anyway, I am going to pursue the pantomime theme and push it with the group - one way or another!
And yes, Edd, I agree completely that the actor brings the words to life. You have a vision and the biggest compliment is to see an actor give life to your vision. I always imagine the writer being pleased with a certain character, because I/we may have captured the *soul* of that particular character - generating the exact image that the writer originally conceived. As an actor, especially leaning towards comedy, I think the trick is to embellish, exaggerate the character- definitely make her larger than life!
If anyone out there wants to ask me questions on the acting perspective, please ask away! I am able and willing to respond. And, Edd, I will check out the plays left here and, no doubt, will pass comment!
Dear Tracey, I have found your exchange with Edd most interesting.
An actors perspective is invalable for a writer.
When you say you like to exagerate the characters traits, make them larger than life. What would you see as a dream role for a female lead?
Contraversy?
Comedy?
Empowerment?
Or creating art from the mundane?
Edd mentioned being challenged as an actor. What would that entail? Deep emotional outbursts? Subtle undertones that could be easily missed if the audience wasnt paying attention but add depth if they are? Takling social issues?
I would love to hear your voice on this and so much more.
You asked what I would see as a dream role for a female lead. The thing is, I can only respond from my own perspective. I am quite extroverted and confident enough to take on any role - I see things as challenges, not problems and would probably give my heart and soul to any role.
But if I was to pick any *theme* - it would probably have to be empowerment. Say, from scared, frightened mouse type to strong, feisty, warrior princess! I think of Bette Davies in "Now, Voyager", for example! I did not connect to the love element, but rather her transformation from bullied mouse to empowered woman! Sticking up for herself and fighting the manipulators!
The drama group I belong to is predominantly a comedy group - we thrive on laughter from our audience - you cannot get enough laughter in your life! Ironically, I have played two women that, in real life, would have been taken very seriously, in that one of the characters was an incorrigible snob with a delightful barrage of snooty, insipid verbal attacks on everyone around her. The other character was a totally proficient and very formal secretary, until the man she lusted after entered the room - she would then become this little, squeaky voiced (dumb blonde) femme fatale. Both characters, in real life, would have probably been the butt of many a joke and/or reproach but, in a comedy situation, the audience is allowed to laugh *openly* at the indiscretions of these characters.
Creating art from the mundane? What a wonderful challenge for anyone who would regard a part or situation as mundane! I guess this is where I would have to embellish the character. Gesticulation, overt facial expressions, perhaps a slightly offkilt walk could bring a character to life. But I guess I am swaying towards the comedy again?
In real life, I think alot of people hold emotions in - if they dare to carry their hearts on their sleeves, it's seen as a weakness and open to attack from the more insecure people who need control in their lives. If you have the confidence to *let it out* on stage, you can be anything. I have heard of many actors who think of a traumatic situation in their real lives, to give a realistic and deep emotional effect on the screen/stage. And I suppose it does help, but personally I wouldnt dare think too hard about a traumatic situation from my own life, I would probably wail like a banshee and run off the set - This may sound like a contradiction, considering my confident and balanced nature but I am an emotional person too!
I wear my heart on my sleeve, but balance that with an awareness that some people can be cruel or manipulative. I learnt the hard way (as most of us do) and the secret was to recognise when people are genuine and kind. But to be challenged by the playwright? - I think the best way is to get to grips with what you feel the playwright wants from the character. If the script mentions a list of adjectives to describe the character, then follow the playwright's vision - if it feels right. You cannot be what you dont feel.
Again, because I lean toward comedy with the group I am with, the only way to *tackle social issues* is to embellish the character/problem. A perfect example is the "Basil Fawlty" character (played by John Cleese) - the guy is bullied by his domineering wife and is obviously completely frustrated by every person he meets. He abuses the waiter to release his frustrations, hops around like a complete loony but gets the laughs because his character is exaggerated - he is doing exactly what any person in complete and utter emotional turmoil would wish to do but holds back - keeping it down deep. He throws it out to the audience and dare you to laugh at him, although he isnt finding it funny at all!
Think of the asian actor who makes fun of himself/herself - they are breaking the barriers - They are daring you to laugh at them, because they can laugh at themselves.
We have to cope with so much politically correct-ness in our lives day to day, that relief comes from being *allowed* to laugh or let go when a controversial situation is exaggerated and thrown in our direction.
Phew! Have I made any sense here and was it relevant??
Keep asking those questions - if I can make an revelations here to any of you, I will be happy - and I will be learning too from the magic pen people! :))
Last edited on Wed Jan 10th, 2007 11:00 pm by Tracy
Duncan wrote: I could not access the Greenroom. I was asked to download a java exe file. I downloaded it onto my hard drive but upon trying to install it I kept getting an error message saying I was unable to download an update to the file. It would not allow me to go any further. Any advice is appreciated.
I am the proud owner of a new computer which seems to allow me to go where I please. I checked out the Green Room today but no one was around. Is there specific evening set aside for a Green Room chat or do people just wander in and out hoping to bump into a cybersoul? Any info is appreciated. Thanks!
Hey I met someone in the Green Room by fluke today. Limerick was writing from a school computer. Chatted for about 10 minutes. I've been trying to find out if there is a particular evening when there are people in the Green Room. Anybody know?
I think I saw a couple rats along with lots of cobwebs in there the other day. Spooky and creepy it is. I hear Wes Craven might use it as a setting for his next horror movie. And then there's the possible bank repossession due to its being abandoned for so long and bringing down the property values in the neighborhood. Sad news all 'round.
