The Working Actor's Journey

Text Work: Threat Matrix with Jeanne Sakata

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Episode notes

In this episode, Jeanne discusses a monologue she worked on from the TV show Threat Matrix. She plays a Cambodian woman who recounts her experiences of escaping the Khmer Rouge. I’ve visited Cambodia and seen first-hand some of the atrocities that happened there—just horrific, as we talk about.

You’ll hear Jeanne discuss:

  • how a book she had read two years earlier helped her initially with the audition and then again, once she booked the part
  • how she ended up finding a sense of ease with the text the challenges of learning a Cambodian dialect, and how she
  • felt insecure about it

 

Plus, we talk about working on monologues that are stories set in the past vs. things that are happening right now!

It's a great session, and it was really wonderful to hear Jeanne’s process of connecting to this material.

 

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Jeanne's monologue (as Dara) from Threat Matrix 

DARA

The stream bed, it was dry season

But the rocks still slippery

Uncle Sam help me, carry my baby

He say he have baby boy long time ago in the States

[AGENT FRANKIE: Did he talk about his boy, did he say his name?]

No, but he say worse pain in world

is losing family

[AGENT FRANKIE: How long did you walk?]

At least three hours, then no more

But Uncle Sam, he move quickly like he see in dark

Then he stop us at pool of water near big boulder

Uncle Sam say, many mines in jungle on side

Only way through water

Water deep, cold

Sam carry my baby high

On other side, we see small house

He had name for it.