I am Peremptory

　
     Words given voice require much preparation. Especially Shakespeare. The phrasing, cadence of rhythm, pronunciation, inflection, tone, resonance, adjunct gesture or lack of movement, all demand reckoning long before opening night.
     These are the dog days of Performing. Rehearsal time allotted with cast falls way short of the need. Rehearse alone. Morning, first thought of the day, in the shower then while dressing, on the ride to work, during a walk down a long corridor or after finding a lonely parking spot, during lunch break, on the ride home, waiting for pasta water to boil, then rehearse with the cast in the evening and once more sequestered before retiring and maybe drift off to sleep still running that troublesome phrase from act II.        
   Rote memorization is a great start yet more is needed. To “run lines” with a different purpose toward discovering what is a stake at the moment of the uttered phrase. What do I want to get accomplished by saying this or that and how might those goals effect the sounds? How are the sentences affected by the relationships established (hopefully) with everyone else in the scene?
      All this while fighting our internal demons labeled pride and laziness. Focus thieves such as TV, the internet, smart phones, angry birds, egomania (who me???) loved ones vying for attention, household chores will rob the audience of my best preparation. Good intentions pave the way to hell. (thanks for the reminder mom) I meant to take time but….. It is funny, the more I studied in college the less fear I felt before an exam.
     Certain words taken from every script handed me have been etched forever in my consciousness. So far from this story my favorite is Fear is Treason!
　
See you on the boards,
Stepping lightly on the earth,
T.A. Conway