"Sometimes being too nice is dangerous. You have to show your mean side to avoid getting hurt" I am Charlotte Louise Summers, I am actor training at The Miskin Theatre. I am 18 years old and have had a passion for theatre and performing ever since I was a small girl. Growing up I took part in many stage production and dance shows. I have never done TV or Film if an opportunity came up I was love to experience this. When I was 14 years old I auditioned for YAP (Level 2 Diploma in Performing Arts) where I was fortunate enough to gain a place. I took part in many showcases there and we even devised our own pantomime. I left there with 4 Distinction*’s in July 2012. Then at 16 years old I auditioned for The Miskin Theatre where I was fountuate enough to gain a place there. I am currently still there studying the Level 3 extended Diploma in Performing Arts. Over the years I have gained more confidence and developed as a performer and a person. With the confidence I have gained, it has helped me to take on challenges with ease and complete them to the best of my ability. I am a determined and will not give up, I believe you can achieve anything if you want it badly enough and work hard enough for it . I have seen many Theatre productions which include “The Lion King” at the Lyceum Theatre to “The Bird” at the Unicorn Theatre. All different types of theatre interest me , however I perticully take interest in Musical Theatre , I have performed Musical Theatre in past shows I have done , however I still would like to take my training further and gain more experience in this area. I am hungry to learn and love the fact that I wake up every day and discover something new weather that be about performing or myself.
I'm on a new show, "Oh What A Lovely War" and I have been cast as a ShowGirl ;) I have had extreme fun playing and exploring with this character and I feel like I am starting to really understand the bones of the character. I have been playing with physicality, voice and of course feathers !!! I have been exploring how I move as an actor and adapting my body to fit the way the character moves. I have been dancing, singing and just making new discoveries. We have 3 weeks before we open ?! Bring It On ! ;)
For the last few week we have split into smaller company's of about 6-8 and we have written, produced and performed a piece of theatre. Today I went out and about with my fellow colleagues and re-write a few scenes. The scenes that we had been working with weren't flowing and we felt we were missing the true essence of the characters, this is what prompted us too re-write.We had a lot of fun writing and was inspired by the things that surrounded us, memorials, trees, bridges ect. I feel the new scenes work a lot better and the characters are lot clearer. We also using slapstick and clowning inside of them added more dynamic to the piece. I cant wait to get these scenes onto the floor and play.
I recently presented the hair show with another colleague of my Sam. I had extreme fun presenting it, it was something new I had never done before so I was very excited. I love that kind of pressure and it was interesting to go on stage not as a character but as myself, I found I was quite comfortable on stage and I loved the banter me and Sam had with the audience. If another opportunity came up to do something like this again I wouldn't hesitate to say yes. It was a great night ! :)
I've recently started on a new project which is a devising project. Within my company we have split into smaller company's and have started to devise a piece of theatre from scratch. In my small company have decided to devise a piece of theatre based on the torture story's from WW1. We have been doing a lot research on WW1 and we have been doing a lot script writing. Its been a lot fun to create whatever we like, there are littary no limit with this, we can present it however we want. We want to take the piece in a abstract way and keep it away from a realistic style. I am intrigued about where we can physically take this, I am excited to explore the endless possibility's physical eg Showing a torture scene without actually showing torture. I am the director of our piece which is exciting because this is a role I haven't had much opportunity to explore before. I am looking forward to the up coming challenges I may face and I am excited to go on this new journey.
For the next 5 months I will be working on the Stalingrad Radio Play, this will involve adapting the script so it will work for radio, devising new material and exploring different ways we can use the voice. Its been great to work on the voice in more detail as this is something I feel I haven't covered in depth yet. I'm loving the freedom to write and tweak the script as it allows us to put in detail we feel that was missed in the theatre show. I'm finding it really interesting discovering what is involved in producing a Radio Play. Below is the site which me and my fellow company member are using too share ideals and get this piece together. Have a look :)
Recently I went to go and see Charley And The Chocolate Factory, I was very surprised it only had one song from the original film in and it was very very modern. It was interesting to see theatre present with the latest technology, they used a projector screen amongst robots and flashing colourful lights. I personally think it great using the newest technology because it is opening doors, with the technology we have in our society now anything is possible in theatre - anything can be created.
The acting was very strong and I feel I was defiantly transported to another world through the audience engagement and the mind-blowing set .I really loved the Charley grandparents, there lines were witty and funny, they appeared and disappear coming up and down though a lift centre stage - Hilarious !!! The actors who play them were committed and had great comical timing. I also loved the glass elevator lift scene were Willy Wonka takes Charley up into the sky. The lift was a glass with neon lights and was lifted using a crane - it was magical and it really captured me. At times I struggle to hear the actors especially the children, the Theatre Royal is very big and it just swallows the sound. Some of the actors had poor dictions and more concerned about hearing them so I could completely relax and engage with the story.
The music I though was okay, some songs I connected with more than other because in some there was rapping and due to poor dixtiction I didn't understand what they were saying. The songs missed the feel good factor and think because it only had one of the original songs in it was a little harder to connect with it as it was the recognisable.
The set really did engage me, before the actors had said anything my mouth was open in shock of the set that I saw before me, I never knew something like that could have ever been possible to create on stage. Inside the factory there big machinery outside the factor the gates look so real and mind-blowing. Even Charley's house looked very authentic made out of wood and metal. This really helped to set the scene and take me to that world. I personally liked the set more than the story just because I couldn't understand half of it however I think its a good show to see if you have an open mind. Overall I enjoyed it.
The show has finished ! Steampunk Santa has been a very fun show too be on and I've enjoyed every minute of it . I have grow as an actor because I was push physicality and mentally, I've learnt how to emotionally connect with songs and most importantly I've learnt how to relax on stage and just be in a moment, this has been a huge break though for me because in past shows I have found it hard to just relax and go with it. I cant wait to do my final show a Miskin. I've only just got off the stage but already I want to be back on it !
The last 2 weeks have been full on rehearsing for the Christmas Show. I am so excited to put it out, the character's we have been creating have been really big and unlike anything I have ever done at Msikin before. This process so far has been a fun, exciting process that pushes you physically and mentally to the limit. This is helping me to grow as a performer and actor. I cant wait to do it ! Bring it on !
We have now started to work on our Christmas Show, this week we have been exploring and playing on the silk, trapeze, skates, scooters and stilts. Its been a lot of fun, its been great to get back in touch with my childhood side and exploring. This picture is of me and 2 of my company members Lily and Stephen...She has balance problems :')
This week we had a open evening at Miskin. Members of the pubic came to see us to see what Miskin is like and if they would want to go there. I really enjoyed the evening I took part in some character and dance workshops. I really enjoyed the character workshop because it gave me the opportunity to explore some of the Christmas Show characters in more depth. I explored different physicality's , voices and I just played, it was so much fun. This week I also did some areal work on the silk and trapeze, I had a lot of fun doing this, and although my core is not that strong I am very flexible meaning I could lots of different positions. I hope to carry working on the silk and trapeze in the up coming weeks.
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