Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bn5gXD4TFaU
Dialog (Dawn Williams performed by Kimiko Glenn only):
"I stick with real things
Usually facts and figures
When information in it's place
I minimize the guessing game
Guess what?
Jenna: what?
I don't like guessing games
Or when I feel things
Before I know the feelings
How am I supposed to operate
if I'm just tossed around by fate?
Like on an unexpected date?
The stranger who might talk too fast
Or ask me questions about myself
Before I've decided that
He can ask me questions about myself
He might sit too close
Or call the waiter by his first name
Or eat Oreos
But eat the cookie before the cream?
But what scares me the most
what scares me the most
Is what if when he sees me, what if he doesn't like it?
What if he runs the other way and I can't hide from it?
What happens then?
If when he knows me, he's only disappointed
What if I give myself away, to only get it given back?
I couldn't live with that" - Dawn Williams, Waitress
Contents:
What is it about?
What do I like about it?
Subtext
General observations
Actions that are specific to the character in this scene
Interesting Poses
1. What is it about?:
- Dawn fears what might happen if she can't control her feelings on a date. She's also worried if her controlled emotions and planning can't protect her from what her date might think of her.
2. What do I like about it?:
- There's just so much. Kimiko's performance belongs to Dawn and I haven't even seen the full show. She comes off the page without me trying to study her entire arc - I know who she is
- She aligns all the ketchup and mustard bottles. Her fear and distraction actually make her mess up and she forgets to align a couple, and she adds mustard to a ketchup bottle. And so she just needs to relax (just as she does on the date)! Every movement adds to what she says
- symmetry symmetry symmetry (see 5)
- when she gasps for breath to sing the next line, she rambles on and on until she can't and she's forced to take a breath. The gasp also emphasizes a fear or change of thought. cool
3. Subtext:
- "I stick with real things. Usually facts and figures. When information in its place. I minimize the guessing game. Guess what? I don't like guessing games": States who she is and what her conflict is...very clearly and succinctly. She likes organization, so she organizes the things that are in front of her.
- "Or when I feel things. Before I know the feelings. How am I supposed to operate if I'm just tossed around by fate? Like on an unexpected date?": She tries to convince that she doesn't function without a plan - so to emphasize that, she completes organizing the mustard and ketchup bottles. Tries to validate why going on a blind date is a bad...bad idea for her. Emotions throw her into a loop.
- "The stranger who might talk to fast. Or ask me questions about myself before I've decided that he can ask me questions about myself. He might sit too close. Or call the waiter by his first name. Or eat Oreos. But eat the cookie before the cream?": She makes excuses. She makes a list...A LIST of excuses. But these are external. Now that she's listed these out...(see next)
- "But what scares me the most. What scares me the most is what if when he sees me, what if he doesn't like it? What if he runs the other way and I can't hide from it? What happens then? If when he knows me, he's only disappointed. What if I give myself away, to only get it given back? I couldn't live with that"- She worries perhaps all her habits won't protect her from being hurt by the rest of the world and that who she is isn't good enough.
4. General Observations:
- the blocking of the other two characters are interesting. When she lists out her external excuses/fears, she's able to speak to other characters directly, so she's sandwiched between the two. And when she feels worse, the two come closer to her. But then when she reveals her internal fears, she's isolated and the other two are further away from her and together with each other. It's like she's talking to herself, perhaps feels like no one else could understand.
- she goes from staccato movements to smooth movements (ish) - but still generally contained.
- she goes from staccato movements to smooth movements (ish) - but still generally contained.
5. Actions that are specific to the character in this scene:
- Her hands/arms and stay close to her body. They have sharp movements, kind of robotic - which is basically what she feels comfortable with and she fears to go outside of that box.
- Going back to the robotic movements, there's very little delay/overlap between her head and hands. Her hand and hands, or head and arms hit the poses at nearly the same time.
- Her head tends to lead the motion. Then she focuses on the object that she looks at, and never takes her eye off of it.
- Her body tends to move symmetrically. Again, enforcing the robotic movements and her emotions.
- Her toes tend to be inward - kind of childlike/inexperienced/nervous.
6. Poses (some keys, some general, but interesting story poses and not all 😝 ):
