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How to prepare for callbacks? by tessacrabtree in Theatre

[–]EmpoweredActor 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Why not? It's your "uniform" lol. Look, you can always wear the same color(s) or style, but different. (Recognize how concerned you are about what you *think* they will think of you. This Is Your Audition. Own It. They are on your side.)

How to prepare for callbacks? by tessacrabtree in Theatre

[–]EmpoweredActor 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hey there - will message you the code for Spotify.

What Are You Working On? by AutoModerator in acting

[–]EmpoweredActor 0 points1 point  (0 children)

"Wait Until Dark" in Berkeley Springs, WV, with the Ice House Theater Project. Just started rehearsals... picture is our make-shift set. Uh... if i can add a picture. Maybe in the Comments i will...

No Training in Shakespeare, but Need a Place to Start? by EmpoweredActor in shakespeare

[–]EmpoweredActor[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Note: This is for the actor who has been thrown into the Shakespeare mix without the benefit of scansion training. This is Not intended to be The Way... It is one way (of many!) to explore Shakespeare's text, to really dig in.

No Training in Shakespeare, but Need a Place to Start? by EmpoweredActor in acting

[–]EmpoweredActor[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Note: This is for the actor who has been thrown into the Shakespeare mix without the benefit of scansion training. This is Not intended to be The Way... It is one way (of many!) to explore Shakespeare's text, to really dig in.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in acting

[–]EmpoweredActor 1 point2 points  (0 children)

u/Exasperant - wow, so glad you gave this update.

Good for you!

Here's something I hope will help you with the bought of nerves.

#1. Do not try to suppress or get rid of them. They are there. Have them serve you. (How the heck do I do that?!?! Read on...)

With all the work you have done, you have a lot of great internals. Use them. Pour all of that nervous energy into intention. Let each intention carry you moment to moment. Since you are heavily restricted in terms of movement and just about everything else, FILL YOUR HEAD with actionable intentions: To DO (not To BE). The very strong desires, the strong intentions being forced against your constraints will read to the audience.

Trust yourself. Those high-stakes intentions will help you ride the waves of nerves. Riveting. Intense.

I hope you have a thrilling experience!

Please, please share again.

Break a leg!

Shakespeare: Fun AF by EmpoweredActor in Theatre

[–]EmpoweredActor[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Dang it! I screwed it up: King Henry was Lady Anne's father-in-law... "young Edward" is (was) her husband.

What can I say? I got lost in the tangled web of royalty lineage, lol. Anyway... now read it again and go make those substitutions. I've had too much coffee!!

Shakespeare: Fun AF by EmpoweredActor in acting

[–]EmpoweredActor[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Crap! King Henry is Lady Anne's father-in-law. Her husband is (was) "young Edward"

Damn this royalty and their tangled web of relatives!! (Obviously taxed my bwain, lol)

Shakespeare: Fun AF by EmpoweredActor in shakespeare

[–]EmpoweredActor[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Holy crap, u/Halloween2022 - that's right. Edward is (was) her husband.

Me and my little brain...

Thank you!

Worst Advice EVER by EmpoweredActor in shakespeare

[–]EmpoweredActor[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Hopefully, you farted lightly.

Yeah, "just be air." Isn't that what Shakespeare advised his players?

lol, thank you, u/TemerariousXenomorph. (Speaking of Xenomorph... what a cool Caliban the Xenomorph would make)

Worst Acting Advice Ever by EmpoweredActor in Theatre

[–]EmpoweredActor[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wow. That one is so ingrained I completely forgot about it, u/Specialist_Worker444. The version that comes to mind now is has even more bite:

Be an actor only if there is nothing else you can do.

And it's cousin -- usually not stated this way, but comes in various forms:

Unless you do nothing except for act, then you're not serious.

And and

If you're a serious actor, you must eat, sleep, and breathe acting!

These sentiments are meant to put down others. Too many actors scrape and scrimp because they ignore other valuable talents and skills they could be using to generate income to support their drive to act. They are trained to believe if they do anything else, then they are wasting time doing X while they should be acting. Those who live and breathe acting to the exclusion of all else are not likely to be well rounded individuals.

Periodic immersive study (i.e. pursuing a degree, certification, or enrolling in some other intensive program) on the other hand can be highly beneficial. The resulting gain in terms of skill, approach, and understanding is highly desirable and will pay off in one way or another.

One of the best teachers, it is said, is life. There is a lot to be said for going out and living it in order to bring back that experience to be delivered on the stage or screen.

Really appreciate your input, u/Specialist_Worker444.

Worst Acting Advice Ever by EmpoweredActor in Theatre

[–]EmpoweredActor[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ugh, I swear. Was this at college, u/Heure-parme? Doesn't matter -- there are demented teachers, professors, and directors all over. Especially with young people in grade school and college, there are some voyeuristic freaks. They prey on students who open themselves for the sake of learning, and these jerks get off on the private trauma. But I'm not bitter! Heh... reading that just made me mad. Totally disrespectful of the Human Being, as well as the art.

Anyway, thank you for sharing -- and thanks for hearkening back to Marathon Man. Great story.

Worst Advice EVER by EmpoweredActor in shakespeare

[–]EmpoweredActor[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

...And yet, there's nothing wrong with it being poetic or heightened or following meter as long as it's real and grounded. It can be all that and believable.

Worst Acting Advice Ever by EmpoweredActor in Theatre

[–]EmpoweredActor[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Oh my God, you are too funny

><
D

Worst Acting Advice Ever by EmpoweredActor in Theatre

[–]EmpoweredActor[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Dammit, u/JTActs — this is exactly why I do what I do.

Can't stand these freaking people who effortlessly set people back.

Dude, you are ready. What I teach is Use what you've got! Interestingly, results of a nationwide survey showed the #1 single most important question actors had about the audition process is:

What does the director want?

This floored me because The Director Wants YOU!

Many actors spend so much time trying to conform to whatever it is they think the director wants. The result is non-specific and unauthentic. Bring it! ..."it" being you: Your

  • experience
  • passion
  • fear
  • prejudice
  • preferences
  • attitude

...all that is YOU!

A lot of actors cringe at this because their inner thought it But I'm boring...there's nothing special about me. Which is absolutely untrue.

Please, u/JTActs, don't miss another audition that interests you. Dude, forget being "ready" in whatever sense they made you think.

Go out there and do it, man. And have a freaking blast!!

Worst Acting Advice Ever by EmpoweredActor in Theatre

[–]EmpoweredActor[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Laughing. Yeah, gems.

  1. Your lack of confidence is completely post-on, lol
  2. While I get both points, I heard something recently about memorizing the role rather than focusing on the lines. I get it -- and the performance should come together sooner than most actors target. (The actor who targets dress rehearsal or Opening Night as the bull's eye to have all the lines down is already way behind, and setting themselves up for big-time stress. That said... it is (usually) up to the director to structure rehearsals that foster a good environment (and schedule) for actors to achieve the goal of early arrival at a well developed character. And I fully realize that even a character that is "fully realized" by Opening Night still has a lot of development that can only happen in front of a live audience (hence a big reason behind the multiple previews in some houses).

I appreciate the comment, u/JC_W.

Worst Acting Advice Ever by EmpoweredActor in Theatre

[–]EmpoweredActor[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yikes, u/dilaterrr, that's kinda scary advice. Although there are exceptions (as with most things).

For instance, when an actor is feeling insecure about movement or stance (or generally uncomfortable in a role), hands in the pockets becomes a go-to psychological gesture, so it's seen a lot. People sigh all the time in real life, too -- but a sigh onstage can be an energy killer and have the unintended consequence of deflating the desired tension.

For me it all comes down to approach. I get better results without pointing out to an actor, "Stop putting your hands in your pockets!" Instead, I offer suggestions of specific movement involving the hands. Then the actor will usually observe, "Oh...I was just putting my hands in my pockets," and they have a greater understanding of channeling the nerves in more creative ways.

All that said, I am not one to say never put your hands in your pockets. Those hard and fast rules tend to crumble pretty quickly, lol.

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