Chapter Ten
Theo
How to build sexual tension
“Okay, let’s go through and dissect the next scene by writing out the beats. This is where we find and come to recognize the emotional elements in and outside the dialogue. And then we’ll discuss how actors get themselves prepared for romantic scenes.”
There’s a few snickers and clearing of throats. While my play doesn’t require any nudity like some stage productions I’ve seen or heard about, there are a few scenes within the second and third act that require some heavy emotional portrayals. As well as a very heated kissing scene.
It’s day four of the class and everyone seems to be doing great and enjoying themselves so far – including my hot neighbor, Joey.
After I cajoled her into joining this class to get her mind off her doubts about her career, she seems to have gotten the acting bug. She’s always been easy going and fun, but I can tell she’s well-liked by her classmates, some of them more than others.
I break the group up into pairs and have them read through the scene and dialogue with their partners. Joey sits next to Marlon, a young guy from the Washington Park area. His dreads are long, but pulled back neatly into a bun the size of a large cinnamon roll with some sort of bandana thing wrapped around it. His high cheek bones, smooth mocha-colored skin and wide, dark eyes that seem to always be tracking Joey.
He and Joey seem to have hit it off and are laughing together as I walk around the room in my instructor mode. I’m ashamed to admit it, but my stomach tightens into knots when I see how he looks at her and it makes me want to punch his lights out.
Unfortunately, he’s a very good actor and a very nice guy, so I can’t dislike him too much.
But I’ll keep my eye on him.
Marlon acts out the scene in a dramatically high-pitched voice, which says to me that he’s playing the female part. I smile and shake my head, stopping behind Joey’s chair as they practice their lines.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about. I never did any such thing. You need to take that stick out your ass and get real, Chester.”
Joey says the next line, her voice forcefully low to sound masculine and she puffs out her chest like she’s a Guido dude. “I am as real as it gets, lady. And it’s about to get a helluva lot more real if you don’t stop accidentally over-watering my side of the lawn.”
I jump in. “Okay, stop right there.”
This gains their attention and they both look up at me with a mixture of anticipation and worry.
“Now Joey. Do you think that Chester is really angry with Silvia at this point? Or is he just trying to get under her skin?”
Joey scrunches a brow in thought and then shrugs. “I’m not sure. I mean, he stood at his window and saw Silvia spraying his lawn – so it looks like it’s intentional. I guess I’d be pissed if my neighbor did that to me.”
She smiles coyly and I laugh. “Possibly. But knowing the interactions these two have had thus far, do you think he’s only just hedging his bets? Maybe he’s trying to push her boundaries a little to see how far he can take this. Maybe he has an attraction to Silvia and doesn’t know yet how she feels about him.”
Marlon grumbles. “Women.”
We all laugh at his comment. “Okay, let’s try that again. This time, I’ll play Chester and you say Silvia’s line, okay Joey?”
She nods. “Sure.”
As we go through the lines together, I see the lights come on in both Marlon and Joey’s expressions. Based on the way I enunciate and highlight certain words, using my hand gestures and expressions, they soon realize the true meaning behind the scene.
It’s all innuendo and sexual tension building up between the two main characters.
We finish it up and I gather the class back together to discuss the emotion hidden within the words and it’s all in how the actor uses their own emotion to draw it out for the audience.
“So, you see, class, acting is not just about memorizing lines or saying them on cue. It’s about listening to your partner and reacting using your own emotional reactions. This is where you have to draw upon some personal experience you’ve had in your life to depict what the character is going through. It’s about taking yourself somewhere emotionally and capitalizing on that feeling by expressing it in your lines. Does that make sense to everyone? Any questions?”
A few people chatter in comprehension and a few hands raise, as I work to answer them directly. Birdie joins in on a few explanations and we continue the rest of class until we finish up at four o’clock.
“Great class today everyone,” I say, just as Birdie announces the plan for tomorrow.
“Remember, tomorrow we will be reading lines and those who wish to try out for the lead roles in the play, be prepared.”
With that, everyone gives a collective groan and I notice Joey’s eyes dart down to her lap in order to avoid any eye contact with me. She admitted in a conversation after class the other day that she suffered from severe stage fright, which I promptly resolved to fix with a good old fashioned “do what you fear the most” speech.
