Performing Belvile: Developing a Transformative Method

Learning to act is a difficult process, particularly for a young adult who is still discovering the wide variety of human experiences that make up much of dramatic literature. As an actor in training, I have struggled to play characters whose experiences and given circumstances differ from my own. I am not resistant to this idea, I have, however, come to realize that my own personal habits continue to get in the way of making a full transformation into the inner life of the character. As a result, my characters are often similar to one another, even if these characters exist in different time periods, styles, or genres. This thesis will explore a personally concocted methodology that will lead me to depart from my typical process of character development. To begin developing my methodology, I will employ various techniques, some gained from my graduate training and some I\u27m researching independently for the first time, as I prepare for the role of Belvile in The Rover by Aphra Behn. Belvile is a banished English Colonel in 1600s Naples, which is very different from my own life as an American actor in 2000s Florida. It is an important developmental stage in my training to utilize a transformative methodology to build the life of this character. The techniques will focus on opening my senses and inner life to a new perspective: the Belvile perspective. The physical senses will be developed through stretches and warm-ups all through the lens of Viewpoints. My inner life will be expanded through the creation of different supplemental paintings from the perspective of Belvile. These paintings will be done in the expressionist style outlined by Die Bru¨cke and their expressionist manifesto. The results of these experiences will be logged in a journal to inform my future processes