Guide to the Actors' Working Notebook

Purpose and Definition

  • The Actors' working notebook is an active tool designed to chart an actor's process across a production.
  • It is not a diary or a list of rehearsal events; it functions as a track of progress, challenges, and next steps for professional actors in training.
  • Associate professor Kate Foy marks these notebooks for first and second year students.

The Three Sections: Research, Rehearsal, and Reflection

  • The notebook must be divided into three distinct parts known as the "Three R's":
    • Research: Preparation for the role.
    • Rehearsal: The process of dealing with challenges and director notes.
    • Reflection: Outcomes and key takeaways.
  • Research and Rehearsal often overlap; notes should be taken accordingly as new information surfaces during practice.

Workflow and Methodology

  • Daily to Weekly: Take daily notes on scripts or a separate pad during sessions, then summarize them into a dated weekly review.
  • Layout: The structure should be clear, clean, and easy to read.
  • Substance over Style: Focus on substantive written content rather than excessive web images or "surface prettiness."
  • Referencing: Any external sketches, photos, or links must follow the correct style guide.

Style and Voice

  • Personal Voice: Entries must be written by the student, not by ChatGPT, to capture subjective human experience.
  • Specificity: Avoid vague summaries (e.g., "we rehearsed act one"). Instead, document specific goals like line accuracy, diction (e.g., final consonants), and director notes.
  • Professionalism: Focus on the work rather than personal complaints about others.

Prioritization: Big Rocks and Little Pebbles

  • Big Rocks: Major priorities that need immediate attention, such as characterization, movement sequences, backstory research, or being "off book."
  • Little Pebbles: Minor tasks that can wait.
  • The objective is to assess daily whether focus is being placed on shifting the "Big Rocks."

The Final Reflection

This is considered the most important part of the assignment. Associate Professor Kate Foy suggests using five specific questions as subheadings:

  • What have I learned that stayed with me?
  • What do I know now about my craft, body, voice, and process?
  • When was I most excited or most challenged?
  • What would I do differently if I started again?
  • What will I take into the next production?

Note for Second Year Students

  • Review the feedback provided from the previous Chekhov project to improve the current notebook.
  • Reflection is the key component where growth is most visible and must be supported by consistent week-by-week note-taking.