Acting Troupe Handbook
Page 1
2010 State Theatre Summer Drama Academy
Facilitated by
Bea’s Performing Arts
Developing the human potential through performing arts
Mary Beth ‘Bea’ Geppert, Proprietor
ACTING TROUPE HANDBOOK
Welcome to the State Theatre Summer Drama Academy!! This handbook is
designed to help you have a positive and enjoyable experience. However, if
you are unclear about anything, need further information or have concerns
or worries please speak to a member of the Academy Team. We are here to
support you for both the academy daily activities and the Acting Troupe’s
final performance!
Table of Contents
What will you experience at Drama Academy?
What happens on a typical day?
Our aims are:
Who Makes up Academy Team?
What are Academy Team’s Expectations?
Health and Safety!
What is a ‘Safe’ person?
Who is a ‘Safe’ person?
Discipline Policy and Code of Conduct
Why have discipline policies?
Sanctions
Class Code of Conduct
Theatre for a Small Planet, by Jules Tasca
CHARACTER LIST
How to speak in a British accent
All the World’s a Stage
Theatre Tips
Stage Blocking Notation and Abbreviations
A Universal Backstage Checklist
Key’s to Good Stage Movement
Dancing Guidelines
Stage Fright Help
Methods for overcoming stage fright
Help with Auditioning
Acting Journal
Theatre Terms
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What will you experience at Drama Academy?
●
20 fun-filled days of acting, characterization, stage technique, theatre
crafts, costuming, set design, stage movement, dance, prop building
and carnival skills.
●
Taking part in drama classes unlocking the capacity for a sense of
wonder.
●
Engaging in physical, vocal, and mental exercises.
○
Resulting in endless energy and relentless optimism revealing
movement problems and possibilities: initiating a process of selfawareness.
●
Workshops provide tools for self development, inspire motivation, and
encourage self-awareness.
○
You learn how to relax and focus. You find out how your body,
voice and personality affect other people.
○
You get tools for change if you dislike what you find.
○
You develop a stronger sense of the kind of figure you cut in the
world.
●
Active membership in the Academy’s acting troupe: name to be voted
on by active members!
○
Intensive Acting Troupe driven rehearsal process that culminates
in a fully mounted production of Jules Tusca’s Theatre for a
Small Planet.
●
Working alongside highly skilled theatre professionals with special
guest artists.
○
Experiencing multicultural theatre; including dialects, dance &
puppetry!
○
Witnessing technical theatre artistry with the opportunity to
learn the tricks of the trade!
○
Traditional dances will set your feet a tapping to three diverse
cultures!
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What happens on a typical day?
What
Who
Where
Stage Manager’s Call: sign
Acting
Lobby to
in, unpack script & pencil, join
Troupe
stage
team member on stage
Curtain Up: announcements,
Acting
Main
vocal & physical warm ups,
Troupe
Stage
theatre games
Break/Snack: Juice, water,
Acting
Green
fruit and various items
Troupe
Room
Drama Classes: Stage
Native
Trade:
Dynamics, Characterisation,
American
Stage,
Physicality, Voice and Dialogue,
Attic &
Improvisation, Dialects, &
Green
Theatre Crafts.
Room
English
Chinese
Sessions with Bea: Individual Individuals
Stage
character sessions, dialects, & & Groups
group unity work
TBA
Actors Not
Green
Round of Applause: Lunch
with Bea
Room
Actors with
Green
Bea
Room
Theatre Works: Discussions. Actors not
Main
Quick warm up & theatre
dancing
Stage
games.
Workshops: Creating Props,
TBA
Trade:
Constructing Costumes,
Stage &
Rehearsal Process
Attic
Workshops: Multicultural
Native
Trade:
experience, blocking,
American
Stage,
characterisation & the
Attic &
rehearsal process.
Green
Room
English
Chinese
Curtain Call: Ensemble workActing
Main
Group Theatre Games
Troupe
Stage
Stage Manager check: sign
Acting
Lobby
out, script & assignment check,
Troupe
departure.
When
9:00-9:20
9:20-10:35
10:30-11:00
11:00-12:20
12:20-12:40
12:20-1:10
12:40-1:30
1:30-1:55
2:00-2:40
2:50-3:30
3:30-3:50
3:50-4:00
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Our aims are:
●
To bring happiness to young actors, by providing fun, educational,
performing arts enrichment programs.
●
To instill confidence, inspire imagination, and support individual as well as
group appreciation.
●
To enhance self-expression.
●
To heightened awareness of inner strengths and talents.
●
To present in a safe and nurturing, team-oriented environment.
●
To reinforce the importance of integrity, responsibility, friendship, family,
and community.
Who Makes up Academy Team?
Mary Beth ‘Bea’ Geppert, Director…………………..….….814-577-2382
Email:
marybethgeppert@yahoo.co.uk
Gwen Crandell, Assistant Director…………………………..814-765-3003
Email: gwen711@atlanticbb.net
Andrew Jen Executive Stage Manager……………..…...610-733-9830
Email: Andrew.m.jen@gmail.com
Molly Farrell, Production Stage Manager
& Dance Instructor…….……………………………………570-357-5767
Email: mcf5066@psu.edu
What are Academy Team’s Expectations?
Familiarity:
●
Get to know your fellow Academy Troupe
members.
○
●
Relationships are the single most important element towards
positive experiences!
Enthusiasm:
Keep focused on learning and on doing a
good show together, not showing off and winning praise.
Realism:
●
○
Keep values straight.
Our primary task is to find the means with which to tell the story in
its fullest, clearest, most interesting, exciting, and believable ways.
“The actors must understand each other, help each other, and absolutely love each
other. They absolutely must.” Laurence Olivier
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Seekers:
●
Ask for advice when necessary and be open to
suggestions.
○
Search yourselves for the behavior of your character that best tells
the story of the show!
○
Remember there are many right ways to do things!
Responsibility: Ensure responsibilities and duties are
●
carried out.
○
We all want to work toward what makes the story clear and
interesting to the audience!
○
Do not allow anyone to use inappropriate language unchallenged.
Patience: Don’t issue commands.
●
○
You need the ability to listen with respect to your fellow Academy
Troupe members!!
Health and Safety!
We have organized the Summer Academy so that your health and safety are
given the utmost importance. It is therefore important that you listen and
follow any instructions give by the Academy Team.
What is a ‘Safe’ person?
A ‘Safe’ person is someone who you can rely upon to help you in a difficult
situation such as if you:
●
Are lost
●
Feel uncomfortable with a situation or person
●
Are being bullied
●
Are ill, etc.
Who is a ‘Safe’ person?
All members of the Academy Team are ‘Safe’ people. Each member has
current ‘Child Abuse Clearances’, ‘Criminal Background Checks’ (Both Police
and FBI), as well as fingerprints on file with the FBI.
If you have any worries or concerns or feel uncomfortable about an
individual(s) or situation(s) SPEAK OUT AND TELL SOMEONE SAFE!!
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Discipline Policy and Code of Conduct
The State Theatre Summer Drama Academy team recognize that the
individual actor is not the problem . . . it is the actor’s behavior that presents
a challenge. The outcomes of the discipline policy are linked genuinely to
equality issues and individual needs and potential!
We recognize and understand that some individuals may, at times, have
difficulties with managing their behavior and that at times may require
additional support. Additional support will be offered by a member of the
Academy Team.
You and your parents have signed the Class Code of Conduct to indicate
that you abide by it. If the code of conduct is breached the below sanctions
will be imposed.
Why have discipline policies?
Our aim is to help all members of Academy Troupe to develop to their full
potential, theatrically, socially, and emotionally in a safe and secure
environment.
●
Celebrating success in every part of the experience
●
Encouraging taking responsibility for consequences
●
Support any difficulty in keeping the class code of conduct
●
Taking an interest in what individuals have been doing and praising
success, and
●
Providing good role models because participants learn from adult
behavior
Moreover, it is the responsibility of the senior members of the Academy
team to discipline participants, where Class Code of Conduct or discipline
policy rules have been broken. Under NO circumstances must there be any
physical contact between acting troupe members. Verbal abuse will also
not be tolerated.
Sanctions
The most appropriate sanction for minor offences to the Code of Conduct
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should be a reminder of the Code of Conduct. If, after supporting the actor
to make the correct choice, and he/she continues to exhibit the
inappropriate behavior then the participant will be spoken to by Mary Beth
‘Bea’ Geppert. This will be recorded in the discipline book that should be
kept in the State Theatre’s main office.
On very rare occasions individuals may engage in behavior that is severely
unacceptable. This behavior is enormously disruptive to everyone and can be
dangerous, hurtful, and a serious risk to health and safety of all involved in
the Drama Academy. At this stage parents will be contacted by Mary Beth
‘Bea’ Geppert. Arrangements should be made for them to collect their child
from the theatre.
Class Code of Conduct
1. Students must arrive on time to begin academy on time. Students must
participate until the end of academy and dismissal.
2. Students must attend class every session, unless already approved by
the director. In the case of tardiness or absence, a parent or student
must notify the office prior to academy at (814) 272-0606.
3. More than one absence or excessive tardiness will result in a
conference between Academy staff and the parents, and a decision will
be made about whether the child’s continued participation in Academy and
production is appropriate. Excessive tardiness is defined as more than 10
minutes late.
4. The Academy is not equipped to supervise children after hours. Therefore,
if the person responsible for picking up the student is more than 30 minutes
late, a fee of $10 per ½ hour will be charged. Chronic late pick-up may
result in dismissal from the program with no refund.
5. Students in final production are not permitted to be absent last two weeks
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of academy!
6. Students must behave appropriately and respect guest artists,
staff members, and fellow Acting Troupe members. If any student
exhibits disruptive behavior which is distracting to the Academy, including
verbal abuse or vandalism, the student will be given three warnings. 1. The
Academy staff will first speak with the student. 2. The Academy Director will
talk to the parent or guardian. 3. Dismissal from Academy. Physical
aggression by any student will result in automatic expulsion without
warning.
7. Students may eat or drink in designated areas only. NO gum chewing
anywhere, anytime.
8. All students must keep main auditorium, stage, green room, and studio
space neat and clean. Garbage must be disposed of in appropriate cans.
Students in classes ending in a production will be asked to clean rehearsal
and performance areas in order to generate a shared respect for the space
and create a safe environment for their fellow Acting Troup Members. These
rotating duties include, but are not limited to, vacuuming, sweeping, and
mopping.
9. The Academy will not tolerate the use of classes as an excuse to fall
behind in school work or assignments.
10. All students are encouraged to attend at least one live performance of
theatre over the summer.
11. All students must dress in appropriate rehearsal attire: loose,
comfortable clothing that is easy to move in and flat, non-slip shoes
(sneakers are fine). No sneakers with wheels are permitted to be worn
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during Academy class or in the lobby. No flip flops. No dangly jewelry.
12. Students must behave in a quiet and mature manner in the main
theatre, rehearsal studios, hallways, reception areas, elevators, lobbies, and
any public area where classes, rehearsals or performances are held. This
means: No running, loud noise or horsing around!
2010 THEME:
Young actors and our audiences will see that different
cultures aren’t so very foreign at all with this year’s
production of:
Theatre for a Small Planet, by Jules Tasca
A Native American play, “Little Burnt Face,” the Cinderella story is retold
as Little Burnt Sand becomes the only Indian maiden to see the handsome
and powerful Chief Rainbow Mist. Because of her sweet and kind nature, she
becomes his bride and her older, meaner sisters, Tall Raven Hair and Magpie
Feather, regret their earlier cruelty to her.
The delightful English fairy tale, “The Travels of Farley Fox,” shows that
curiosity can kill, if not a cat, then certainly other too-curious animals. But
goodness does win out in the end as Farley Fox learns his final lesson.
In a Chinese play, “The Ten Thousand Treasure Mountain,” Little Red
Maiden and her older brother, K’O-Li learn from their mother and a wise man
that a mountain of riches does not always bring joy. Too bad the selfish
dragon learns this lesson the hard way!
The magic of theatre, which has always brought people
together to work as one, now weaves
Three Tales from Around the World
collectively into a captivating
Summer Drama experience!
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CHARACTER LIST
ACTOR 1: Narrator, leader of the youth theatre troupe
ACTOR 2: Scientific researcher, a bit nerdy
ACTOR 3: Theatre troupe clown, playful, childlike
ACTOR 4: The spiritualist of the group.
ACTOR 5: Environmentalist who is aware of how small the planet actually is
ACTOR 6: Associate Stage manager
ACTOR 7: Assistant Stage manager Eager assistant, anxious to help
DRAGON: Hungry and wants all the goodies for himself!
MARV: the dragon’s keeper
TALL RAVEN HAIR: Oldest mean sister to Burning Sand
MAGPIE FEATHER: Middle mean sister to Burning Sand
BURNING SAND: Youngest sister & future bride to Chief Rainbow Mist
FATHER: Single parent to the three sisters
SPRING DOVE: Chief Rainbow Mist’s Sister, with tom-tom
CHIEF RAINBOW MIST: Young Micmac brave is invisible till he weds his bride
KNOWING HEAD: A medicine (wo)man with a stick with a rattle & feathers
FARLEY THE FOX: The ultimate sly fox, a Newcastle or Geordie accent
WOMAN 1: Peasant with homemade fairy tale broom, Yorkshire accent
ROOSTER: Oxford type, eats Farley’s bee, Jolly well spoken accent (Posh)
WOMAN 2: With a leash for the pig, an Irish accent.
PIG: Eats garbage & Farley’s Rooster, Birmingham or Brummie accent
WOMAN 3: A posh older woman with a Jolly well spoken accent (Posh)
OX: eats Farley’s Pig, speaks with a Liverpool or Scouse accent
FARMER: indulgent parent, speaks with a Scottish or Scottie accent
SON: Farmer’s spoiled child, also from Scotland
WOMAN 4: She speaks in a rhyming cockney accent
BOBBY, THE DOG: Non-speaking role; throttles Farley to Fox
MOTHER: Hard-working, honest, wise mother
K’O-LI: Maiden’s older brother, faces temptation
LITTLE RED MAIDEN: Poor peasant girl
OLD MAN: priest of the mountain, must test humans
MI-MAI: old Man’s Daughter, has keys, leads the Chinese Celebration Dance
3 DANCE CAPTAINS:
Native American Wedding Dance:
English Morris Dance:
Chinese Celebration Dance also Mi-Mai:
(All actors will perform multiple roles including but not limited to: the above,
Associate Stage Manager, Assistant State Manager, Set Crew Chief, Stage
Hands, Head Flyman, Master Flyman, Props Mater, Prop Crew, Costume
Mistress, Wardrobe Assistant, etc.)
THIS IS IMPORTANT!!
All actors are required to wear black pants, plain long sleeve black Tshirts, black shoes & black gloves for the performance. If you are
unable to obtain these, please speak with a TEAM MEMBER as soon
as possible!.
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Trying to speak in a British accent is not really easy. However, with practice
you can improve your accent, making it more similar to a genuine British
accent. Along with the accent are mannerisms that go along with the British
themselves. There are hundreds of different accents within the United
Kingdom, so categorizing them all as a British accent is rather incorrect;
wherever you go, you will find an unbelievable variety of different
pronunciations. The following directions describe 'Queen's Pie', rarely ever
used in the modern-day United Kingdom, but the foreigners' stereotypical
view of how the British talk.
Steps
● Understand that all British accents (barring those from the West Country,
Liverpool, Northumbria, Northern Ireland, and parts of Scotland) lack a
rhotic r; i.e. don't roll your "r"s and that not all British Accents are the
same; a Scottish accent varies greatly from an English accent (apart from
Lowland Scottish and Northumbrian accents, which derive from the same
Anglian dialect), but are both British.
● Pay attention to the tones and stress(emphasis) used throughout spoken
sentences by British people. Do sentences generally end on a higher note,
the same, or lower? How much variation is there in tone throughout a
typical sentence? There is a huge variation between regions with tonality.
● Know that some British accents may be that the 'T's are not pronounced
and that the u in stupid and duty is pronounced with the y sound, not oo
as in an American accent; thus it is pronounced stewpid, not stoopid, etc.
In the standard English accent, the a (for example, in 'father') is
pronounced aaw, and not like a as in apple. So pronounce "father" as
"fawthuh", or pronounce "can't" as "con't".
● Vowel usage also varies greatly across the UK. Vowels in words such as
"about" would be rounded in London, but usually flattened in Northern
Ireland. Get a British person to say well known sentences such as "How
now brown cow" and "The rain in Spain stays mainly on the plain".
● In some regions, sometimes two or more vowels together prompt the
creation of an extra syllable. For example, the word "road" would usually
be pronounced rohd, but in Wales and with some people in Northern
Ireland it might be pronounced row-ahd.
● Pronounce that T as T, and not an American D. (Duty is pronounced
Dyuty or condensed slightly to Jooty; not doody).
● Pronounce the suffix -ing with the g, so it sounds like -ing rather than een. But sometimes it is shortened to in as in lookin.
● Applying the two steps above, the words human being are pronounced hyuman being rather than yooman been. In certain areas though it would
be pronounced h-yuman bee-in.
● Sometimes 'T's aren't pronounced at all, especially in words with two 'T's
grouped together (this is known as the glottal stop, and is common in
American English pronunciation). So battle might be pronounced Ba-ill,
Acting Troupe Handbook
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catching the air behind the back of the tongue at the end of the first
syllable before expelling it on pronunciation of the second syllable.
● Sometimes the 'H' is not pronounced, in some accents. The 'H' is always
pronounced with the word herb, in contrast to American erb.
● Realize that some words require the ee sound to be pronounced as ee,
such as in the word been. In an American accent, this is often
pronounced bin. In an English Accent, this may be pronounced been, a
homophone of bean; or just as "bin", depending on where you go.
Although 'bin' is probably most common.
Tips
● It is easier to learn accents by listening to people. A formal British accent
can be heard on BBC news. You need to pronounce everything clearly and
articulate every word properly, making sure there are spaces between
your words.
● The British Library’s Learning Language and Literature web site offers
sound bites where you can listen to regional dialects.
http://www.bl.uk/learning/langlit/sounds/
● BBC’s website offers recordings of conversations, also in sound bites. You
will need Real Player to access these recordings.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/voices/recordings/
● As you expand the ability of the ear, speaking becomes an automatism.
When the ear can 'hear' a sound, the mouth has a better chance of
producing it.
● Try imagining a plum in your mouth. While pronouncing your vowels, try
to keep your tongue as low in the mouth as possible while keeping the
roof high. Talk as normal as possible (not foolishly). The placement of the
tongue, combined with the extra resonance, should make a good start to
"faking" a British accent.
● Think about your audience. If you wish to genuinely fool people into
thinking you're British, you want to think about regions, and work much
harder than if you want to get a general picture across for a school play.
● As well as accent, watch out for slang words, such as 'lads' or 'blokes' for
boys/men, 'birds' or 'lasses'(in the north of England and in Scotland) for
women. 'Loo' for the toilet, but 'bathroom' for a room you clean yourself
in.
● Also, don't talk nasally, thus don't use your adenoids to speak.
● Remember: The accents of Julie Andrews or Emma Watson (Hermione
from 'Harry Potter') are quite different from those of Jamie Oliver and
Simon Cowell (Sussex) or Billy Connolly (Scottish).
● Many places have different mannerisms and word usages. Look up a
British dictionary online for more British terms.
● Another way to practice an English, Welsh, Scottish or Irish accent would
be to watch and follow a specific news spokesman on any British news
channel and repeat their speech (half an hour a day would probably take
2 weeks to become an expert).
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●
●
●
●
●
You may have heard a Cockney accent (east end of London). This accent
is increasingly more unusual in the 21st century but if you were try to
imitate one, notice that they almost sing words and they almost replace
vowels and remove letters, e.g. the a in "change", would be an "i" sound.
Films based on books by Dickens as well as ones such as "My Fair Lady"
may have examples of this accent.
With some very strong regional accents, there is a tendency to replace
'th' with a 'ff' - "through" may sound like "froo".
Try repeating people who have British accents.
Always use British English words if they are different to US English. The
British tend to be protective about the differences. In particular, use
"rubbish" and "tap", not "trash" and "faucet". Also, it's good (but not
essential) to say "schedule" with "sh_", not "sk_" but you must learn how
to say "speciality" with 5 syllables, not three.
Also, one of the words in English which shows very easily which accent
someone has is "Water". In Britan, it would sound more like "wu-tah".
Warnings
● Don't narrow your mouth too much when you say words like 'shark' or
'chance'. The resulting sound may make you sound like a South African.
Don't think that you'll get it right quickly either, it is likely that any true
British person will know that you're faking it straight away, but it might
pass for a real accent to non-'Brits'.
● The Cockney Accent is rare in Modern Britain. TV makes it seem like
that's the main accent, but it isn't.
● Don't be over confident that you can 'do' a good British accent. It is rare
to find an imitation that sounds genuine. A native Brit can always tell.
Things You'll Need
● CD player, some tapes related to the British accent
● you can also refer to BBC learning English
● record the British accent and open windows media player and play it on
slow. That will help you learn the British accent more quickly.
All the World’s a Stage
William Shakespeare wasn’t exaggerating when he wrote those famous
words. Performances of all kinds are going on just about everywhere you
look and listen: at the movies, in auditoriums, on television, on the radio, in
school gymnasiums, community centers, theatres, camps and academies!!
Below you will find terms and information that will help you grow and
develop theatrically during your time at the Academy!!
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Theatre Tips
Analyzing a Script
● Get an overview of the story
● Determine the mood
● Find the theme
● Establish the rhythm
● Construct your character
Developing a Character
● Nail down the body type
● Create a personal history
● Dream up an inner life
● Create behaviors that ring true
● Add mannerisms, likes, and dislikes
● Write it all down
Acting
● Be in the moment
● Find your motivation
● Let your imagination run wild
● Respond to your fellow actors
● Watch how other actors handle the situation
● Let your body tell the story
● Keep you character firmly in mind
Pitfalls
● Goofing up an entrance or an exit
● Knocking over a prop or scenery
● Upstaging fellow actors
● Flubbing a line
● Breaking character
Vocal
● Project (Speak loudly, but don’t yell)
● Be an active listener
● Control your breathing
● Pace yourself
● Enunciate: e-nun-ci-ate (Pronounce your words clearly)
● Collect and practice scenes
Stage
● The State Theatre has a proscenium (pro-SCENE-i-um) stage
● Audience watches the performance through a ‘proscenium arch’
● This opening separates the stage from the house, or auditorium
● Using the diagram below, make a mental map of your stage
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You need to KNOW THIS!
Stage Blocking Notation and Abbreviations are not just for stage
directors and stage management but must be used and understood by every
actor. During the course of play rehearsal each scene is "blocked" by the
director thus providing each actor with choreographed movement.
It is the actor's responsibility to make sure that he understands the
movement as detailed by the director. An actor makes note of what she is
told to do by keeping a written record. This is usually done by penciling
stage notation in your script. The penciling part is important because, in
most instances, any marks made in a script should be erasable.
During "Blocking" Rehearsals most actors use a form of shorthand to
indicate and remember where, when, how, and with whom they are to
navigate their character. If written correctly, for the most part, the
abbreviations are universal and can be understood by anyone reading a
particular character's script.
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What follows is a list of some of the more common abbreviations used by
many actors.
Stage Left (SL)
Upstage (US)
Stage Right (SR)
Downstage (DS)
Cross (X)
Center Stage (CS)
Off Stage (OS)
Down Center (DC)
Up Center (UC)
Enter (Ntr)
Kneel (Kn)
Combinations of these abbreviations are also very useful to know. Here are
just a few.
Downstage Right (DSR)
Downstage Left (DSL)
Downstage Center (DSC)
Upstage Right (USR)
Upstage Left (USL)
Upstage Center (USC)
Memorizing
● Start by reading the script, then reread it and reread it, never stop
reading the entire script till after the last performance!
● Grasp the plot and your character’s role in the action, what he/she
wants and why
● Don’t get too attached to your private approach
○ During rehearsals with the director and cast, you will evolve in
new ways
● Cue lines (the last words of another actor's speech etc, serving as a
sign to an actor to speak) must be memorized along with your own
lines!
Several ways to memorize your lines!
● Use a tape recorder. Read all parts aloud with your lines in a softer
voice. Listen to a scene several times, a little at a time. Recite your
lines softly along with the tape. When you feel ready, speak in a voice
that’s louder than your voice. If you start to forget, speak softer.
● Read through your lines, memorizing them bit by bit. Read a line.
Read it again. Now cover it and recite it a few times.
● Learn your lines with your stage blocking. This will help you by
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associating your lines with specific movements as you develop your
character and respond to other actors.
● Write all of your lines out. Be sure to memorize the line just before
yours. This is your cue line!! If you don’t now your cue, you won’t
know when to speak!
● Anyway you approach memorizing the script; you will want to spend
quality time with the script before rehearsals begin so that you are
confident of your understanding of the story and the characters!
Masks
● Don’t touch the mask; this is distracting
● Keep your head up so the mask can be seen; this keeps the energy
flowing outward
● Streamline your movement to bring it into sharper focus.
Mime
● Fine tune your facial expressions
● Keep movements simple
● Investigate imaginary spaces
● Remember: silence is golden
A Universal Backstage Checklist
● Know the script inside and out
● Learn all cues, actors, sounds, lights, and set changes
● Know the layout and particulars of the performance space
● Anticipate problems and their solutions
● Put yourself in the audience’s shoes
● Use your skills to keep the onstage illusion intact
The Big Picture:
● Always ask for feedback
● Don’t take criticism or rejections personally
● Cultivate professional friendships and relationships
● Be positive and realistic
● Keep exploring your craft
● Have fun
Key’s to Good Stage Movement
Cheat: to turn toward the audience, while appearing to focus on another
player onstage, so as to be seen better
Counter: small move made in the direction opposite a move made by
another actor, done to balance stage composition
Give stage: assuming a less dominant position in relations to another actor
Cross in front of another character, unless the character is seated and you
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can be seen the whole time
Generally, look at people who are entering or exiting to help direct
attention
Entering characters should move well onto the stage and not linger at the
entrance. They also leave completely. Half-moves distract out front.
Remain as open to the audience as possible when speaking, with
particular care to keep your face, especially your eyes, visible much of the
time.
Minimize eye contact. Inexperienced actors look at each other either not
at all or too much. Connecting with your partner does not mean staring at
her/him relentlessly.
What to Expect from Dance Instruction?
● Most dance classes follow a basic structure. Sometimes it can vary a little
based upon the teacher's method but for the most part, this is what to
expect:
● Your first dance class will start with a Warm-Up of some kind.
● You will learn some basic moves.
● The moves you learn will be formed into a Routine. The Routine will be
broken down into small parts, so don't worry.
● At the end of the class, there will usually be a Cool-Down stretch.
Dancing Guidelines
● Do your best by paying attention to the teacher.
● Do not be distracted by following other people..they may or may not be
doing the steps right.
● Do not become discouraged. Ask questions if you are having difficulty.
● Concentrate on learning the steps correctly.
● Be patient! Especially when it is another person's turn to perform a step.
● Don't lose focus.
● Relax...no one expects you to dance like a professional.
● Be proud of yourself, you're on a new adventure and on the road to your
goal of becoming a Musical Theater kid.
Stage Fright Help
● Overcoming Stage Fright is not any easy task but it can be done!
● Help yourself overcome stage fright by practicing your song, dance,
monologue, scene or whatever you are performing...to the point where
you no longer have to think about the action itself...in other words, it
becomes "second nature".
● Rehearsing both mentally and physically will help you to know and
understand your own talent. This is important as you need to know that
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you are capable of performing the task at hand. Practice to gain
confidence in your own abilities and try to do this is as close to the real
circumstances under which you will perform. This will help to
"desensitize" you to the experience.
● All performers experience some degree of performance anxiety. Do not
ever think that you are alone in this experience!
● The trick is to channel your nervous energy into positive energy which
helps you to perform at your best
What are some of the symptoms of stage fright you ask?
Everyone will experience it differently, some of the things it may include are:
giggling, nervous talking, rapid heartbeat, frequently running to the potty,
quick short breaths, withdrawal from conversation, dry mouth or throat,
sweating and becoming short tempered. These are many of the same
symptoms that people with general anxiety experience. Overtime you will
develop your own methods for coping with performance anxiety.
Methods for overcoming stage fright
● Positive Self Talk
● Focusing On The Character You Are Portraying and Not Yourself
● Meditate and See Yourself Having a Positive Experience
● Write It Down to Make It Real...a great technique for making things
happen in your life.
● Imagine yourself auditioning or performing while having a positive
experience...say getting cast or hearing the applause as you finish. Do
this on a daily basis.
● Keep in mind that it's good to be a perfectionist and set high goals for
yourself, however, don't set the standard so high that is is unattainable,
which leads to setting yourself up for failure and disappointment.
● Read a book written about how to cope with teen anxiety.
The majority of actors and actresses find that with more performance and
audition experience things do become easier. Everyone learns to overcome
their anxiety at a different pace. Be patient with yourself and others.
Help with Auditioning
Monologues & Readings
● Prepare a kid appropriate monologue... Simply put, this is a dramatic
piece which is spoken by a single person...you.
● Practice a short poem that you have memorized and can act out. This will
help the director hear your speaking voice, see your ability to become a
theatrical character, and get an idea of how you will come across on
stage (stage presence).
● You may also be asked to read for certain characters in a show.
○ If you know specifically what part you will be auditioning for...
it is a great idea to get a copy of the script for that show and read it
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through to become familiar with the character. You might be asked to
read for more than one character so try to at least get a basic
knowledge of what the show is about.
● It's not a good idea to dress in costume to go to an audition unless you
have been asked to do this. Just wear something that is yours which is
suggestive of the character.
Song
● Start by preparing a song (preferably two). Many times you may be
asked to sing an upbeat song and a ballad.
● Find songs that are appropriate for your age and type of voice.
● One of the best kids audition tips is to make sure the songs you choose
are songs that you enjoy singing. This enjoyment will show through in
your performance. We all do better at things we like to do.
● Find sheet music for Broadway Musicals on the internet, or at a music
store, book store or the library. If you are auditioning for a particular part
in a musical it is a good idea to become familiar with the music which
your character sings in the show...Even if you audition with another song,
you'll have a basic idea just in case.
Dance
● A worthwhile kids audition tip is to ask, if you can, about this before
going to the audition. Should you need to dance, be sure to wear
something you can move in.
● If you have been taking dance lessons, and are putting this down on your
resume, it would be a good idea to rehearse any solo routines that you
have preformed just in case you are asked to do a little something.
● Many times the choreographer watching your audition is simply trying to
see if a young person can move and if they are capable of picking up a
routine.
● There are also many plays in which not every character is required to
dance.
●
Kids with very little training many times are cast for their natural ability
to move.
● Don't worry about this too much...just do your best.
Acting Journal
One of the most effective ways of recording and keeping your individual acting
inventory is an acting journal. This is for your private use only, not to be shared
with the academy. Here is a standard format, which may work for you. Consider
dividing your journal into three parts.
Acting Class: How are you feeling about it? How is class going for you? How are
you enlightened? How confused? Any suggestions? Are you getting enough
attention? What is helping you most? Least? What would you like to share with your
teacher that is somehow easier to write about than talk about?
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Acting Observed: What are you noticing about actors you see in live theatre,
film, or TV? How are your critical responses changing as you see more? What do
you notice about people in the world that might help your acting? What are you
discovering about yourself, both in assigned projects and your own imagination?
Acting: What happened at your rehearsals for class work? How did you feel about
each session? When did you audition, and what occurred? What did you find out
that you can take to the next audition? Which of your offstage performances might
apply directly to your work onstage? Which of your life experiences would you ‘play’
differently, given the chance to repeat? What have you learned from them to
prepare you for the future?
Theatre Terms
Ad-lib: to improvise a line or speech on the spot. You’ll need to do this if
you or a fellow actor forgets a line
Backstage: The area, typically behind the stage, where the dressing rooms
are and where props and set pieces are kept until needed.
Blocking: the working out of the physical movements of actors in a play
Character: One of the people who figures in a play; a part played by an
actor
Climax: The point of most interest, excitement, or tension in a play. Often,
the turning point in the action
Conflict: The struggle between opposing ideas, interests, or forces in a
play. The existence of conflict, either external or internal – within a
character – is central to drama.
Crafts: the various artistic techniques that enable an actor to express
oneself
Curtain call: the curtain is opened, or lifted and lowered, depending on how
it’s hung: the performers bow; the curtain closes
Dialogue: a conversation between two characters
Drama: the performance of an imaginary or real-life situation that involves
plot, theme, characters, some sort of conflict and usually some sort of
resolution.
Freeze: A sudden and immediate stoppage in action and motion that
creates a tableau during a dramatic work.
Improvisation: is the practice of acting and reacting, of making and
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creating, in the moment and in response to the stimulus of one's immediate
environment and inner feelings
Load-in: the process of bringing the sets, props, scenery, and costumes into
the theatre
Mediums: the different types of media where you might find acting,
including TV, the radio, theatre, and the Web
Mime: Stylized pantomime; more exaggerated than true pantomime. Often
performed today in black clothing and white make-up
Motivation: the reasons behind a character’s actions or behavior
Pantomime: A scene or play without words. The actors use only action and
gesture to express their meaning.
Observation: the act of looking closely at people and the environment to
enhance your acting work
Role: A part as written by the playwright. The basis of an actor’s
characterization
Set: an environment created onstage that establishes the atmosphere, era,
and location of the play
Subtext: The implied or unspoken theme or character motivation in a
dramatic work
Tableau: A still picture representing concretized thought that is physically
created by actors
Tension: The force that drives the drama. It may be created through
elements such as challenge, time, space, conflict, constraints, unknown,
responsibility, and mystery
Theme: sometimes also referred to as the spine, it is the main idea or
ideas that run through the script
Vocal terms:
Stress: way you emphasize words or phrases, which affects their meaning
Pitch: how high or low your voice is
Volume: how loudly or softly you are speaking
Rhythm: how quickly or slowly you speak (long or short sounds and silences
can drastically alter the meaning and musicality of speech)
Diction: how clearly you pronounce words; also called articulation and
enunciation
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Quality: way your voice sounds; for example, raspy, nasal, breathy, or rich
Project: to send your voice through space with quality as well as volume
Wings: Areas offstage right and left were actors make entrances and exits
and from where scenery and props can be moved on- and off stage