Notes to Actors

So here’s the challenge.

How do you keep it simple, fresh, honest and urgent?
How do you make it new and meaningful without pushing?
How do you make it personal?
How do you re-dedicate yourself to the work?
How do you do it justice and become your character’s advocate?
How do you get out of your own way?

First, remember the words of that extra-ordinary actor, Alec Guinness

“ACTING IS HAPPY AGONY”. Second, start from scratch and ask yourself the basic questions.

Do you have a “core” for your character? What is their point of view about the world? Do you bring this with you every moment you’re on stage? For instance, are you suspicious of everyone? Are you annoyed that you’re not recognized for your beauty, your intelligence, talent, etc? How do you express this in your interactions with others?

WHAT ARCHETYPE ARE YOU – SHEPHERD, MOTHER, KING, SLAVE, GAMBLER ETC.

You must have an “objective” something you want from every person you come in contact with and in every scene you are in. You must also have a SUPER objective, a “life” objective for your character -something this characters wants, needs, fights for, in life (something that HOLDS THE CHARACTER HOSTAGE).

What do others say about you, what do you say about yourself and what do you do?

What just happened (before you entered the scene, the play)? How does that affect you emotionally?

What do you want and how many different and opposite ways are you going to go after it?

Put it in your own words and then the words of the play.

Make it personal, personal and even more personal.

◊ Up the ante.
◊ Do your “Six Minutes”.
◊ Do the “Precious Object Exercise”.
◊ Find a Private Moment that expresses your deepest fantasy – your reason for living.
◊ List who you ARE NOT.  I’m NOT Cinderella, Mother Theresa, Medea – sometimes that helps with who you ARE.
◊ Let your character write letters to all the other characters.
◊ You could always sit the character down and ask them questions about themselves.
◊ Walk in the character’s body emphasizing center of gravity, tense areas, what part you lead with, etc.
◊ Remind yourself that your character is always right and the others are wrong.

Trying COMPELLING LANDSCAPE (my recent favorite exercise to get to deeper into the character on many varied and subtle levels).  Ask me about it.

Remember that the enemy of fear is involvement and making it more important.

Give yourself permission to fail.

Remind yourself that you are enough.

Put all the attention on the person you are talking to and know why you are saying what you are saying.

See anew all you are talking about and make it even more specific and deeply personal.

If you haven’t done these suggestions, do them.  If you have, dig deeper.

If you’re frustrated, bring your frustration to your work and give that to the audience.  Always go out, not in.

If you are discouraged, bring that too but always give what you have no more, no less, to the audience.

Have courage and fight for what you want, what you need and cannot live without and find out what makes you passionate, fearless, proud and committed and then bring all that, and more, to your work.

And above all remind yourself of why you are doing this work – because the stories need to be told and retold.

It’s not about you. It’s about the story, the audience and your fellow actors and yet you MUST make it personal, drawing on your truth to make the character live their truth.

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QUESTIONS TO HELP ANALYZE THE NEW WORLD OF THE PLAY AND YOUR CHARACTER -  All answers need to be based on the analysis of the play

1.  What kind of behavior gets rewarded?
2.  What kind of behavior gets punished?
3.  What draws your attention?
4.  What makes you respect someone?
5.  How do you respond to attempts at seduction?
6.  What makes you feel put down?
7.  How frightened are you of physical force?
8.  What is sexy?
9.  What turns you off?
10. What frightens you?
11. How do you react when frightened?
12. Do you have a sense of humor?
13. What is fun for you?
14. Do you like to have fun?  To be seen having fun?
15. What do you like in people?
16. What makes you trust people?
17. Do you treat your fiends well?
18. Do you fear eloquence?
19. Do you admire it?
20. What is your span of verbal attention?
21. What kinds of words do you use?
22. What kinds of syntax?
23. What makes someone socially acceptable?
24. What is fashionable?
25. What would you be saying/wearing/doing to be fashionable?
26. What is old fashioned?
27. What is your apparent moral code?
28. What is your real moral code?
29. What is rude?
30. What is polite
31. What would constitute a scandal?

NOW THERE ARE OTHER QUESTIONS THAT ARE SINGULARLY OBVIOUS TO THE PLAY YOU ARE REHEARSING.  FOCUS ON THEM.