https://www.idcprofessionals.com/store/p/intimatestage04262023

Have you ever encountered a stage direction that seems so abstract that you are not sure how to stage it? Or one that seems to be incredibly specific but provides no visual picture? Bess will walk you through some methods for identifying the useful parts of stage directions for intimacy by introducing some new ways to think about stage directions in general. This course will provide tools for engaging with different kinds of stage directions and aims to empower you to make your intimacy specific to the individual involved while still staying true to the tone of the play. Bess will introduce her concept of "affective stage directions" and teach you how affect transforms stage directions into playgrounds for creativity. "Affect" refers to our embodied, communal ways of communicating, and it is responsible for moments when you sense the mood in a room. So, how do playwrights communicate such nonverbal types of communication in print? And how can you help render those moments into embodied scenes once again as an IC? We will work through some affective stage directions for intimacy found in scripts from theatre and film both individually and in small groups and also have the opportunity to try writing your own.