Staging Sex: Best Practices, Tools, and Techniques for Theatrical Intimacy

Description

Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Brief Contents Detailed Contents Foreword Acknowledgements Introduction The Old Approaches Old Approach: “Just Kiss Each Other!” Old Approach: The Actors Talk It Through Old Approach: The Actors Talk It Through (Over There) Old Approach: Show, Don’t Tell Old Approach: Let the Choreographer Do It Old Approach: The Sharing Circle Old Approach: Chemistry Lessons Getting Better at Staging Sex What the Old Approaches Ignored The Power in the Room: the Director The Power of the Room: Human Psychology How This Book Can Help: Three Big Ideas Create a Culture of Consent Desexualize the Process Choreograph It Who I Am and What This Book Is CHAPTER 1. Tools and Techniques Environmental Factors The Boundary Tools Button Games for Practicing “No” and Button Simon Says (with Some Twists) The Circle Game (or “Yes” with a Twist) Fences Gates The Boundary Practice Boundary Practice Modification What to Say: The First Time through the Boundary Practice Group Boundary Practice Quick Check-Ins Navigating Resistance Placeholders De-Roling Stop Stepping In Boundary Breakers Joking Around Additional Boundaries Making Mistakes CHAPTER 2. The Ingredients Opening and Closing Distance Opening and Closing Hands Telling Stories Directing Distance Levels of Touch Level 1: Skin/Powder/Touching Level 2: Muscle/Paint/Moving Level 3: Bone/Clay/Pulling Tips for Using Levels of Touch Choreographing with Levels of Touch Tempo and Counts Trying Counts Putting It Together The Shapes Arcs (or Curves) Angles (or Lines) Figure Eights Putting It on Its Feet Destination Eye Contact Try It with a Partner Other Applications Visible Power Shifts Try Visible Power Shifts Using What Ifs and Visible Power Shifts Breath and Sound Short and Long Shallow and Deep High and Low Sharp Vowels and Consonants Putting Voice, Breath, and Movement Together Gravity and Weight Playing with Gravity Playing with Weight Combinations with Gravity and Weight Kissing Ground Rules Talk about that Kiss Opening and Closing Distance Counts Level of Touch Destination The Kiss Conversation Trying It with Your Hands Common Fixes for Bad Kisses Alternatives to Kisses Putting the Ingredients to Work Choreographing Tweaking Documenting Writing Recipes Notating and Coaching Choreography Actor Documentation Production Documentation Practicing with an Open Scene CHAPTER 3. Staging Intimacy Who is in the Room Vulnerability Practicing Vulnerability Partner Up Put It in Motion Introduce Touch Moving Together Staging Sexual Violence De-Roling in Sexual Violence Staging Nudity Have a Backup Plan Additional Thoughts CHAPTER 4. Recipes Embrace Variations Kiss Variations Oral Sex Masturbation and/or Digital Stimulation Penetrative Sex Feeling and Touching Teasing Removing Clothes Intimacy with Lots of Text Stylization CHAPTER 5. Production Logistics Company and Department Policies Chain of Communication Casting Audition Disclosure Form Placeholders in Auditions Recasting and Reimagining Rehearsal Schedules Intimacy Calls Intimacy Choreographers Staffing the Production Considerations for Designers and Technicians Front of House Staff and Ushers Content Warnings Boundaries with the Audience Talkbacks Post-Show Reviews CHAPTER 6. Staging Sex: A–Z Strategies for Actors Strategies for Teachers The Cheat Sheet APPENDIX Theatrical Intimacy Education Index