Fundamentals of Acting in Musical Theatre “For many, the term acting carries connotations of pretense, posturing and artful lying. To those who practice it as a profession, it is just the opposite. It is the expression of the artist’s personal truth through the lens of a role” Deer, Vera Your goal: Create an experience for your audience that TRANSFORMS, not merely entertains Share events that may have TRANSFORMED you…

Foundations: What makes good acting? “Acting is an art, but it is also a craft that can be learned. Even the most talented individuals need to master the skills of their discipline” “You need to sing and dance well, but those abilities alone aren’t enough. Hitting a high C or doing a triple pirouette isn’t going to move the audience unless it comes from a believable character expressing a rich inner truth.” “When watching anything that is done excellently, one doesn’t notice the technique.” “Just as you can’t become a championship athlete without dedicated concentration on the fundamental skills of the sport, you won’t fulfill your potential as an artist without mastering the fundamental elements of your craft.”

Preparing to Work: It isn’t necessary to have an actual costume, but if your character would wear dress shoes, a hat or a coat and tie, etc. go ahead and work in something like that. Always keep your hair out of your face. Never wear any unnecessary accessories, piercings or jewelry (unless its part of your costume) Choose 2 contrasting songs and their accompanying script (do not write on any ORIGINAL music with a pen or highlighter; PENCIL only… copies for you to write your notes on will be provided after you have chosen your pieces)

Choose two pieces: Ballad – slow, lyrical Uptempo – comedic, intense Use the list to choose… Please write down your choices so that copies can be made or posted for you.