ACTING TIPS - Rehearsing a Scene or Show Remember… Put your script in a paper brad folder with some extra binder paper in the back to take any notes

about your character or blocking. Have your script EVERY class day and rehearsal Have a sharpened pencil with eraser EVERY day YOU write down in “short-hand” blocking symbols for YOUR character ONLY in pencil ONLY Try to wear comfortable clothing and WEAR or bring shoes that are workable (not high heels) Highlight YOUR lines in yellow (skip, character name, any stage/line directions) and highlight the

cue* in a DIFFERENT color. *cue - sentence or action immediately before each time you speak. IF you missed the last rehearsal find another actor that either HAS your SAME CHARACTER or

ask Stage Manager to borrow the pages of Raven’s script (return in 15 mins. Immediately)

FORGETTING ANY of the above will LOWER

your daily “participation” grade. Stage Acting Term: Blocking Blocking is the term used to describe where and how an actor moves on the stage during a play. Most playwrights incorporate basic blocking into their scripts. Since stages come in different sizes and may have different special needs, the director will draft out his/her own blocking before rehearsals begin or as rehearsals progress. Blocking includes elements such as where an actor takes his place at the beginning of a scene, “crossing,” when an actor moves across the length of the stage to another actor or part of the set, and any action that asks an actor to employ the use of a prop. The consistency of being accurate in your blocking improves delivery, comic or dramatic timing and allows any technical aspect of the theater (lights, sound, special effects, props, scenery) to be more accurate. In musical theatre, blocking becomes especially important, particularly when choreography is introduced. It's imperative that every actor is in the right spot on stage before and after a musical number. Oftentimes, this positioning becomes a cue for the orchestra or for other actors' entrances. Learn Your Blocking Acting on stage requires the knowledge of a new kind of navigation. When you are on stage, directions are oriented to you as the actor. (Conversely, House Left (HL) and House Right (HR) refer to directions oriented to the audience.) In a script or from your director you will hear: X, SL, SR, DSL, DSR, USL, USR. Here’s what they mean: X: Cross (walk or move) SL: Stage Left – YOUR left when you are standing on stage FACING the audience SR: Stage Right – Your right on stage when you are FACING the audience DSL: Downstage Left – Moving toward the audience, to your left. DSR: Downstage Right – Moving toward audience to your right. USL: Upstage Left – Moving to the back of the stage, left. USR: Upstage Right – Moving to the back of the stage, right.

Downstage and Upstage refer to the old days of theater when stages were "raked," or sloped, so an audience on a flat floor could see ALL of the actor from head to toe. When you moved toward the audience you were literally moving in a downward direction and upward when you moved to the back of the stage. Older movie theaters often have sloped audience seating; IF you spill your skittles they would literally roll down towards the aisles in front of you.

Staying Open Oftentimes, novice actors make the mistake of “closing” themselves off the audience (Figure 1) In physical terms, this means you have positioned your body on a slight diagonal so that the side facing the audience is blocking the rest of your body. This is also calling “upstaging yourself,” as you have essentially shoved half of your body upstage, toward the back of the stage. To correct this: first put yourself in Profile to audience with feet parallel to each other. (Figure 2) Next, rotate hip as you point the foot closest to the audience so that the big toe is POINTING at audience. (Figure 3) Now, the actor that you are conversing with does the same facing you. You feel like you are talking out of the side of your face, but to a theater audience or even tv/movie audiences it looks natural.

In terms of your body positioning, always angle your body out toward the audience if you’re not facing them outright. Any movements that require you to turn, always turn in the downstage direction. Here is a gross visual that you will never forget: “Think of an umbilical cord from your belly button going out to the front row, TURN so you don’t get wrapped up in your cord.” If you need to cross furniture, cross in front of it whenever possible. And as every actor knows, never leave your back turned to the audience. As many directors say, “They’re paying to see your face, not your butt.”

Memorizing

Your brain gets bored so easily; NEW actors often stop their memorizing too SOON. They get up on stage at the next rehearsal thinking that they are ready to “drop their script”. And then, they hear the cue, and their mind goes blank. Memorizing lines must be DONE as solid as you know your own name, birthday, and address. Make yourself a bead string. Use 10 beads and leave some extra string, so you can have some sliding room. Promise yourself you

will RUN aloud your sentence or paragraph or scene 20 times before you move on to something else. The best way to test yourself BEFORE you go to rehearsal is to use a recording device. Hold your script and press RECORD, SAYING ALOUD everyone’s lines in the scene, but when you get to YOUR lines MOUTH them somewhat slowly but SILENTLY. When you play the recording back to have an automatic scene partner to test out your brain to see if that “LINE” comes up over the horizon in your brain. If the road is empty, they you need to practice RUNNING your lines MORE.

LARGER STAGES

Figure 1 incorrect

Figure 3, CORRECT

Figure 2, Profile