Intimate Apparel By Lynn Nottage

77 Pages·2013·3.3 MB·English

Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage
Growth Through Personal and Character Development, Exploring the World of Esther Mills
and the Themes Within Lynn Nottage’s Play

LaTonya Denise Tolbert

Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements
for the Degree of Master of Fine Arts in
Performing Arts at Savannah College of Art and Design
©August 2013, LaTonya Denise Tolbert

The author hereby grants SCAD permission to reproduce and to distribute publicly paper and
electronic thesis copies of document in whole or in part in any medium now known or hereafter created.

LaTonya Denise Tolbert
____________________________________________________________________/ __ /___
Author

Michael Wainstein
____________________________________________________________________/ __ /___
Committee Chair

Sharon Ott
______________________________________________________________________/ __ /___
Committee Chair

Vincent Brosseau
______________________________________________________________________/ __ /___
Committee Chair
Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage

Personal Artistic GrowthThrough and Exploring the World of Esther Mills

A Thesis Submitted to the Faculty of the Performing Arts
in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the
Degree of Master of Performing Arts
Savannah College of Art and Design

By

LaTonya Denise Tolbert

Savannah, GA

August 28, 2013
Table of Contents

Thesis Abstract………………………………………………………………………………………......1
Evolving Philosophy Artist Statement…...…………….….……...…………………………………......2
Beginning Again/Learning to Trust the Artistic Process……………………………………..………....2
Discovering the Artistic Process of Creating the Character………………………………….…..…......7
Script Analysis
Plot Breakdown …………….………………………………………………………………….……….10
Establishing Mood with Music………………………………………………………….………………19
Applying Psychological Gesture………………………………………………………………….…….22
Given Circumstances…………………………………………………………………………………....25
Backstory…………………………………………………………………………………………..........34
Character Analysis………………………………………………………………………………………36
Tempo, Rhythm, and Mood……………………………………………………………………………..40
Major Themes…………………………………………………………………………………………...42
Works Cited……………………………………………………………………………………………..46
Bibliography…………………………………………………………………………………………….47

Appendices
Appendix A: Rehearsal notes ………………………………………………………………………….49
Appendix B: Advertisement & Production Photos…………………………………………………….59
Appendix C: Mood Music……………………………………………………………………………...68
Appendix D: Process and Reflection…………………………………………………………………..72
Intimate Apparel by Lynn Nottage
Growth Through Personal and Character Development, Exploring the World of Esther Mills
and the Themes Within Lynn Nottage’s Play

LaTonya Denise Tolbert
August 28, 2013

Savannah College of Art and Design presented the 2009 Spring Main Stage Production of Lynn
Nottage’s dramatic work, Intimate Apparel at the Lucas Theatre. Exploring the lead role as Esther Mills
provided invaluable opportunities for personal and artistic growth during pre-production and
performance of a period style piece. Through a contextual analysis of characters and script, I cultivated
an artistic process for creating the character and finding her voice, walk, needs, and wants, thereby
expanding my repertoire from a movement-based to a well-rounded performance artist.

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Evolving Philosophy/ Artist Statement
When I applied to Savannah College of Art and Design’s graduate performing arts program, I
foresaw my potential to cultivate new growth and support the career platform I created. I envisioned
teaching in higher education as a dance and acting professor, writing, directing and producing theatre
productions, and establishing a performing arts institution to educate and entertain the community. At
the end of my artistic process, I discovered my way as an artist, outlined in the following statement of
philosophy and intention:
Performance is more than an art form; it’s an invitation to change and affects each participant in unique
ways. Performance is a lesson in intention designed to provide any willing student with the essential
tools to align mind, body, and soul so that gifts are given purpose for the ultimate creative experience.
As a creative and powerful force within the continuum of life, the artist develops strength to build-up
awareness and trust and the consistency to connect lessons and build momentum. These collective
powers will bring the willing student closer to one’s true potential while living in the present. Life’s
challenge is realizing that the ability to tap into this inherent power requires a commitment to being
mindful and to listen to life. It is this true intimacy that many seek but are afraid to embrace for fear of
letting go of what they believe to be true-- the lives that they once knew. As we navigate through life,
our deepest, noblest desires and intentions must line up with gifts, a life force, to transform and bring
meaning to our life…no longer am I limited to dance and choreography.

Conceived and Written by LaTonya D. Tolbert
Beginning Again/Learning to Trust the Artistic Process
At my core, I embody a deep respect and compassion for the human condition. I am inspired to
make a difference as an African-American woman within the artistic community. To bring this
perspective to fruition, discovering a process in which I felt safe to create within a supportive
environment was necessary. This opportunity arose when I was cast as the lead role in Intimate Apparel.
With the support of the director, Professor Sharon Lee Ott and Professor Vivian Majkowski, Vocal
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Coach and cast members, I began the piece-by-piece process of using the playwright’s world to” live
truthfully under imaginary circumstances”(Brestoff, 130).
During the first half of the pre-production process for Intimate Apparel, I made a grave mistake.
When the barrage of corrections from both professors began, I hid. Unconsciously, I transferred the
same demands and expectations from my dance and choreography accomplishments into my new
experience and kept myself asunder. I protected my mask, too ashamed to let others notice the
weaknesses of my oral and written communication skills. While I excelled in dance, I failed to connect
language art skills to speech production. Years of code switching, evading details and diminishing my
intelligence to gain acceptance impacted how I applied basic rules of grammar, syntax, punctuation and
articulation to my daily life. From my communication skills alone, one wouldn’t be able to discern that I
was intelligent, gifted and talented. Somehow, I passed through secondary and higher education with
these deficiencies unaddressed and uncorrected.
Overwhelmed and eager to please, I fast-tracked and crammed logically as if preparing the night
before for a final exam or learning last minute choreography. However, I quickly learned I couldn’t
force corrections and muscle through. Working harder to achieve an outcome resulted in more emotional
and physical tensions and blocked my engagement with my senses and imagination. Unlike dance, the
effort of acting training was different and I didn’t understand which experiences I could bring into my
new journey and which ones to place in my tool box. Regarding my level of exposure and disability, I
was at-risk, dependent and vulnerable. This was entirely new territory to explore, hence the start from
the beginning.
My early experience with art dates back to joining dance school at the age of five. I possessed
natural kinesthetic awareness and enjoyed all forms of dance and movement. I felt alive and deepened
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my relationship to dance ever since. I moved beyond limitations like a free-spirited child at recess,
daring to dance to the beat of a different drum. I presented unique visual interpretations of weight, time,
flow and space connected in thought and purpose, distinctively insightful, and glossed with a flair for
drama. I gained confidence and visibility. I felt accepted by and connected to others.
Gradually, I began the process of stepping out on faith after graduation and trained at Alvin
Ailey American Dance Center by focusing on Horton and Dunham technique and ballet. Visualizing my
goals and dreaming out loud enhanced the connection of mind, body, and soul and catapulted my
pursuit. I, then, auditioned for New York Knicks City Dancers and became a member of the National
Basketball Association’s (NBA) most respected dance team. The law of attraction was clearly in effect
as the momentum led to various principal castings in films such as, Marci X, Mary J. Blige’s Family
Affair video, and tours for Alicia Keys, P.Diddy, and Mary J. Blige.
Career opportunities in instruction and choreography began to arise. While studying at Broadway
Dance Center, I accepted an opportunity to teach hip-hop as a lead replacement. This opportunity
provided another outlet for expressing my career potential as a choreographer. The relationships I
cultivated and the artistry evident in my work led to employment as the key choreographer for the New
York Knicks City Kids and the NBA All-Star game. I discovered the connection of creating a home base
for gainful dance employment such as with the New York Knicks and developing aesthetic and polemic
qualities pertinent to a specific market to seize future opportunities as they arose. I was at the right
place, at the right time, and had connected to the right people. This was just the beginning of my career
stride, and my confidence soared like an eagle.
The ability to improvise in various dance genres separated me from the rest of the competition
and my talent was equally matched when choreography had to be learned. Early on, the experiences in
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dance school as a soloist and ensemble member developed my personal confidence, technique, and
showmanship abilities. I had been prepared for these defining moments since the age of five. So when
my career momentum quickly shifted from booking gigs to becoming a professional working dancer and
choreographer, I accepted the opportunity to choreograph for Alicia Keys. I had been testing the waters
of choreographic experience. Alicia Keys was a class act and the demands of her rising stardom had to
be met. I composed and produced first class, professional dance and visual performances for live
concert, stage, television, and video. My role naturally grew to conceptualize beyond movement in such
areas as characterization, shot design, and other aesthetic factors in many performances for Alicia Keys
including “Vibe, ”Fashion Rock,” and “British Music” award shows, the video for “Girlfriend,” the
“David Letterman” show, and her European tour.
I continued to press forward with training, networking, and creating a market niche as
opportunities arose to develop newly signed recording artists, conducted master classes as a guest artist,
and continued with dance and choreography jobs. During that time, I experienced an awakening as a
modern and jazz dancer under the tutelage of the legendary contemporary and Latin jazz choreographer
Cecilia Marta. She spoke about breath work, freedom, and commitment through the language of dance.
While working with her as an assistant, I brought balance into my life by creating a spiritual center that
supported me as a young woman and artist. The training and meditative work uncovered what I’d been
missing: a yearning for a personal sense of satisfaction that no job was able to fulfill.
All this time I had been evading moments to grow and develop by using dance as a way to mask
my fears and insecurities. I discovered that I was an introvert and used dance as a form of escape to
distance myself from chaos and uncertainty. I created my own encapsulated world and I could retreat to
dance and performance whenever I wasn’t able to open up and connect. Emotionally, I was a toddler
lost in the middle of Times Square. Anxiety overwhelmed my senses. I no longer felt safe to create and
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doubted myself. I wanted to take a sabbatical but was afraid of losing clout in the business. My dreams
of being a professional dancer and choreographer had materialized and my personal disconnections were
compounding my perception. How I connected to dance emotionally as a child no longer afforded
protection in my young adult years as career demands increased. This was a time when I should have
felt overjoyed yet I was deeply conflicted.
It could have been the first or the 99th time but I don’t recall why this one particular moment was
any different than the rest. With my head bowed down resting in both hands, I was plagued by the
question, “what did I do wrong?” and the stream of consciousness that flowed out of that dark place. But
on this one particular day, an image replayed. It was the last time I had experienced a complete moment
of fullness, brilliance, and bliss. I was 14. It was the last day of school- no more finals, early mornings,
late nights, and wardrobe melt- downs. I distinctly remembered looking up into the sky creating shapes
and patterns with the green tree tops against the backdrop of the beautifully lit sky. Maybe it was June
21st, and the longest day of the calendar year. I guess you would call it a ‘pause button.’
What I do recall about that nostalgic moment was the non-existence of pressure, criticisms or
expectations. The world just stopped for me. I danced the Viennese waltz alone at one o’clock in the
afternoon in my neighborhood. I made a choice to stop and let go and that memory has always stuck
with me. When I got into the business, I didn’t have the right perspective from the start. I placed an
unhealthy amount of trust and confidence in false promises, competing, and seeking external validation.
I had to learn to breathe in vision and life at a time when confidence and self-esteem were low.
The intimacy and liberation I experienced in dance was impinged upon by biased, competitive
standards that I accepted as truth. Am I good enough? This thought plagued me and the beauty and ease
I once discovered about my life through dance now evoked a self-defeatist perspective. I returned to my
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spiritual center and responded at a conscious level to the need for change and to defy negativity. Dance
was my first experience with power but I was fighting a losing battle. I made the courageous choice to
bow out gracefully from the professional world and focused on my personal development and raising
my son at the height of my career.
Stepping out on faith to embark on this journey as an actor was exciting; taking a sabbatical from
my professional career with only a sense of direction produced moderate anxiety. Working on Intimate
Apparel provided my greatest academic accomplishment whereby I learned to trust the artistic process
using my breath to awaken and alight the character’s voice, incorporated certain acting techniques and
applications to form connections, translated plot development and scriptural clues into internal and
external actions, and remained in a relaxed ready state to allow the imagination to fire. Beginning with a
sense of direction, I landed at the right place at the right time. I knew that my personal identity was more
than being a performance artist. It was time to step outside of my comfort zone and begin again.
Discovering the Artistic Process of Creating the Character
Working through the challenges of retreating to my cerebral domain and lacking focus presented
early in the rehearsal process. During the initial table reading, my delivery was flat and disconnected
from the playwright’s intentions, the characters of the play, and everyone else in the room. The small
gains achieved in my first quarter at SCAD quickly came to a halt. The fear of being amongst students
who were respected for their talents heightened my own insecurities. I left rehearsal disappointed and
retreated into my thoughts.
As Declan Donnellan describes in his book The Actor and the Target, active listening was a skill
set I lacked, revealing a habitual pattern of anxiety, self-consciousness, and intellectualizing. I
functioned in this mode of self-preservation for years and listened to my own inner dialogue. These
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