The 12 Guideposts from Michael Shurtleffs book AUDITION

1. Relationship-based on NOW. a. What is my relationship with the other person? b. What is my emotional attitude toward him/her? Do I love him? Do I hate him? Do I resent him? How much? Do I want to help him? Do I want to get in his way? What do I want from him? What do you want him to give you? 2. Conflict: what are you fighting for? Same as beats or motivation. a. What is the positive I am seeking? b. How am I going about fighting for it? Find as many ways as possible. c. What action could I do to get what I want? 3. The Moment Before: each scene starts in the middle. a. What was I just doing? b. How does that relate to the scene? c. How can I show I am committed to it? 4. Humor: what is it that keeps me from giving into despair? a. What gets me through the day? b. What do I find absurd about this person or situation? c. Is there a moment where I attempt to lighten the burden for myself or the other person? 5. Opposites: is the other end of the spectrum present? a. Where are both the love and the hate? b. What extremes do I feel about the other person? 6. Discoveries: things that happen for the first time. Acting is a series of these. a. Avoid the routine, the humdrum. What makes this moment different? b. What do I learn about myself? c. What do I learn about the other? d. What did I learn about the situation, both now and before? 7. Communication and Competition: communication is a circle. a. Am I sending out and getting back feelings? b. Am I just talking? c. Am I open to receive the message? d. How do I disagree with the other person? e. Where/when do I show I am right and you are wrong? f. How do I say you should change from what you are to what I want you to be?

8. Importance: the truth is not enough if it is neither dramatic, nor interesting, nor unique. a. What is important to me right at this moment? b. Is that the same or different as a moment ago? c. Am I making the trivial important? d. Am I making the important trivial? 9. Find the Events: what happens in the play. a. Is this a change? b. Is this a confrontation? c. Is this a turning point? d. Could I win or lose something right here and now? 10. Place: where are you and how you feel about it. a. Can you see it? b. Can you feel it? c. Can you smell it? d. Are you comfortable with it? e. Why are you there? 11. Game Playing and Role Playing: the me I am now. a. What role am I playing? Student vs. Teacher, e.g. b. What is the game I am playing? c. Who do I need to be to win the game? d. How far will I go to win? 12. Mystery and Secret: what we dont know. a. What cant be explained? b. What would I never tell another? c. To what lengths would I go to keep it a secret? d. Why might it hurt me if they found out?