Chapter 4 Stage & School Textbook Acting Chapter 4 Stage & School Textbook

Standard & Objectives Communication Essential Standard – B.C.1 – Use movement, voice, & writing to communicate ideas & feelings. B.C.1.2 – Apply elements volume, pitch, rate, tone articulation & vocal expression. Essential Standard – B.C.2 – Use performance to communicate ideas and feelings. B.C.2.1 – Use improvisation and acting skills, such as observation, concentration, and characterization, in a variety of theatre exercises. Essential Standard – B.CU.2 – Understand the traditions, roles, and conventions of theatre as an art form. B.CU.2.1 – Illustrate appropriate theatre etiquette as a member of an audience, as a performer, and as a technician. B.CU.2.2 – Use acting conventions, such as stage presence, subtext, style and ensemble work to perform formal and informal works.

vocabulary emotional or subjective acting- When actors play their parts in such a way that they actually weep, suffer, or struggle emotionally in front of the audience. technical or objective acting – When an actor analyzes the play’s structure & the personalities of the characters. leading roles- main character in the play protagonist-solves problem that arises in the play or be defeated in the conflict antagonist-working against the protagonist supporting roles-characters that contrasts the main characters in the play straight parts-a role in which the actor and the character portrayed are similar in appearance and personality character parts-role in which an actor portrays traits that differ from his or her own to produce a desired character characterization- putting together all facets of a character to bring life and interest to that character primary source-an individual whose, posture movements, habits, voice inflections, and mannerisms are observed in order to build character

MORE VOCABULARY master gesture- a distinctive action that is repeated and serves as a clue to a characters personality, such as a peculiar laugh or walk dialect - National and regional speech patterns that are different in pronunciation and selection of words and in the inflection of sentences. pointing lines – placing emphasis on exactly the right word & timing the rate & pauses so the audience gets the full emotional impact. subtext- the meaning "between the lines" that an actor must draw from the script substitution-the use by an actor of a personal experience to relate to the experience of a character within play improvisation- the impromptu portrayal of a character or a scene without any rehearsal or preparation paraphrasing-restating lines in ones own words secondary sources-books that help in developing characterization body language-communication that uses gestures, posture, and facial expressions instead of words

Translating Shakespeare Shakespeare Line by Line –Worksheet

The Special Language of acting

More Special Language of acting

EVEN more Special language of acting

Will it ever end…Special language of acting

No!!! It will never end! Special language of acting

Ha ha! Still not done yet! Special language of acting

Questions to ask yourself about your character Questions to ask yourself about your character. (read scene 1 the good doctor, answer the following questions about cherdyakov) What is my character’s purpose? What is the character’s function in the play? Is the character the protagonist, antagonist, or foil? What does my character want? What is my character’s goal in the play? How well adjusted to others is my character? How intelligent is my character? In what ways does the environment influence my character? What are my character’s problems? How does my character react to all characters with the play?

16 keys to characterization 1. Internalizing   --Allows for deeper understanding. --Actors answer the Who? What? Why? stuff. --Actor knows how character feels. --Actor can respond to situations as character would. 2. Externalizing   --How actor projects character’s personality to the audience. --Use of interpretation (subtext), nonverbal expression (facial expressions/body language sometimes including nervous gestures/ticks), and other types of physical movement.  3. Concentrating   --Actor’s ability to direct all thoughts, energies, & skills onto & into the task at hand.  

4. Observing   --Watching and recording others to incorporate traits and mannerisms into your character to make your character more real. --Careful observation leads to the more subtle gestures and nuances in acting.  5. Emotional Memory   --Emotional/subjective technique to acting – using your (the actor’s) own real-life experiences. Then you tweak them to fit into your character. --This allows for the actor’s ability to feel and project conflicting emotions simultaneously – laughter through tears, joy when anxious….  6. Projecting   --The process of conveying emotions, energy, expression to the audience. A “reaching out” from the actor to the audience. --Can also be thought of as vocal projection – which includes, but not limited to, volume.  

7. Motivating   --The “why” of characterization. Why do you cross stage? Why do you do stage business? Why did you (the actor) do something? The answer should not be “because the director told me to.” --Motivation keys off of intent – what the character wants to do.  8. Stretching a Character   --Making the role interesting and individualized. --Making your character be distinct amongst the other characters onstage. --Not to be used to make the character unbelievable. Doesn’t have to be taken to ~. --Find the character’s key personality trait & emphasize it. Cruel? Happy? Sad?  9. Consistent Inconsistency   --Special personality traits that the actor chooses to emphasize for a character. --The inconsistency is what makes the character different from others – a dialect, limp, arrogance, a laugh. Must be kept up throughout the entire performance. --Oftentimes, can double as the master gesture.  

10. Playing the Conditions   --The character reacts to the elements of time, place, weather, objects, and the mental/physical state of the character. --Used to influence the response of an actor toward a stimulus.  11. Playing the Objectives   --The actor’s character must use all ways and means to get the character’s goal. --Could be physical – a slap, kick, a kiss. --Could be mental – a decision, strategy, assumption. --Could be an object – a key to a lock, a weapon, a code. --Could be an action – writing a letter, phoning someone.  12. Playing the Obstacles   --How the actor allows his character to deal with certain situations – tackled head on? Ignored? Denies it? Transfers it? --Actor must be familiar enough with character so that different problems are handled – differently!  

13. Playing the Object   --How the actor manipulates a prop or a costume (or the setting). --Audience learns about the character from how the character responds through preceding action (actor chooses to unbutton suit before seating), interrupted action (actor takes a pause and sips his coffee before delivering a blowing line.…and concluding action (actor slams the door on an exit).  14. Energy   --The fuel that drives both individual and group performances. --Makes the character “fresh” and allows the sparkle and spontaneity to come through. 15. Focus   --Directing the actor’s attention, action, emotion, or line to a specific target. --Can be a thought for internalization. --Can be a stage position to focus the audience on a certain part of a scene. --Having the actor draw the audience’s attention to something – a physical pain, a broken heart…. --Simultaneously includes playwright’s writing, director’s staging, and actor’s delivery.  16. Uniqueness   --You making the character “yours” -- not an imitation of someone else’s character or work.

Pledge of Allegiance – Worksheet Scoring a Script you score a script by marking the pauses, pitch levels, emphasis, speed of delivery, phrasing, pronunciation, character revelation, movement, stage business, and any given or direction might have within the context of the play. Pledge of Allegiance – Worksheet Present to the Class

Rules of stage movement

Stage Positions and Grouping Counter Cross -A movement in the opposite direction by another character Cheat Out - The actor pivots the torso and turn to face the audience Giving the Scene - The actor crosses downstage and turns slightly upstage toward the other actor Turning the Scene in -The actor shifts the angle Sharing the Scene – all actors are parallel with one another Taking yourself out of the scene – when an actor turns away from the audience to help give focus to another actor

Stage Positions Full Front Full Back Three Quarter Back One Quarter Back Profile Left & Profile Right

Stage Combat Most stage combat is non-contact, there are three stages to most combat. The Preparation - usually an action opposite to the direction of the blow, such as the drawing back of the fist. The Blow - the execution of the blow, jab, pull The Reaction – a combination of sound, physical response, and freeze. Immediately following and timed to coincide with the landing of the blow is a second sound called a knap a sliding, slapping sound or clap. The knap is usually made by the deliverer of the blow, who may hit their own chest with their free hand.

Romantic Scenes Romantic scenes require careful rehearsal They should be rehearsed privately with the director before they are attempted in rehearsals with the rest of the class. Four Key Parts of a Stage Kiss Proper foot position Correct body position Exact time count A smooth break The girl should face the audience with her feet 6 inches apart. The guy steps towards the girl on the foot closest to her, puts that foot between her feet & swings around so they end up facing each other. The Romance Scale 1 – second kiss = Sweet 2 – second kiss = Romantic 3 to 5 second kiss = Hot Romance! Anything over 5 seconds should not be attempted, because it usually causes the wrong response from the audience.

Inflections Inflection-modulation variety in pitch Rising Inflections – used to indicate questioning, shock, or surprise. Falling Inflections – Usually signals the ends of a statement Sustained Inflection – staying on the same note – suggests calmness, decisiveness, or steadiness of purpose. Circumflex Inflection – the intonation of two or more vowel sounds for what ordinarily is a single vowel sound.

The laugh curve Playing Comedy.  A. Lift the end of a punch line and leave it hanging, or play it "flat" to let the audience know to laugh.  B. Clinch the punch line with a facial or bodily reaction.  C. Topping is increasing volume, pitch, tempo, or interest to each succeeding comedy line.  D. Hold for laughs. Bring a laugh in at the top of the laugh curve by "cutting in" the line. See the laugh curve chart.

Konstantin Stanislavski Konstantin Stanislavski was a Russian stage actor and director who developed the naturalistic performance technique known as the "Stanislavsky method," or method acting. Stanislavski’s “magic if” - the word "if" can transform our thoughts, allowing us to imagine all things possible, thus allowing one to enter into the world of a character. Actors should use their full powers of concentration to ask what they would do “if” the events in the play were actually happening and they were intimately involved in these events.

Questions to answer What are the different types of roles when acting? How do you create a well developed character? Who is Konstantin Stanislavski? Explain the “magic if”. Explain method acting. What are two popular types systems for identifying areas of the stage for arena or theater-in-the round spaces? Explain each. What are some benefits to performing on a Thrust stage vs a Arena stage? List at least three rules for eating and drinking while onstage? What are the purposes of role scoring and script scoring? What advice do directors give to beginning actors? What information should be used in a character sketch? What is the different in a straight part and the character part?