PREPARING A ROLE The first step in preparing a role is to read the play. This first reading tells something of the personality of the character to be undertaken and may suggest stage movement and pieces of business that will bring the play to life from the printed page. Even this first reading should put the actor’s imagination to work. The early readings are important.

At the first reading of the play one should follow the plot, enjoy the humor or suspense, and let the conflict of the play sustain interest until reaching the climax and final resolution of the story. The actor should read play again, with greater care, this time examining it’s organization, it’s style and mood, and the relation of all the characters to one another and to the play itself. It may be useful to do some preliminary thinking about the following questions during this and subsequent readings: What is the theme of the play? What is the author trying to say? Does the play have a distinctive style? Is the sequence of event clear? Why do the characters react as they do the various situations developed in the play? What is the function of the character who is to be portrayed by the reader? What is that character’s relationship to the other characters in the play?

These and other questions should be discussed with the director and cast members during the early rehearsals. This exchange of ideas will serve to put the character in proper perspective as the actor relates the part to the whole. Katharine Cornell has told that “ To understand one’s owe character thoroughly one must see in relation not only to itself but to the other characters in the play.”

ANALYZING THE CHARACTER The next step in the preparation of a role requires a thorough examination of the character. This involves a careful scrutiny of the script – a scrutiny to which the actor brings his or her accumulation of experience and observation. As the actor studies the play it is important to begin to form a solid impression about his or her character. A few simple problems need to be solved in order to provide a preliminary approach to the character.

The first step in developing a role is to understand as thoroughly as possible. Once a general picture of the character is formed, the actor begins to build from specific details and ask specific questions about the character.

Analysis chart Social Factors A. Class status:- Upper, Middle, Lower B. Occupation :- What kind of work, attitude towards the job, income, hours at work. C. Education :- Level of education, school attended, probable grade, best subjects, worst subjects. Etc… D. Home:- Single, married, divorced, orphan, living with family, living alone, kind of home, etc… H. Religion. F. Community:- Rural, suburban, city, inner-city, place in the community. G. Race, nationality, ethnic background H. Political preferences, activities, interests , etc..

Personal Factors A. Hobbies, amusements, kinds of reading, etc B. sex life, moral views and attitudes C. Ambitions D. Attitude to life. E. Mental health, complexes, neuroses, obsessions, superstitions, etc… F. Personality, introverted, extroverted. G. Dress habits. Neat, sloppy, casual, well-groomed, traditional, non-conformist, etc.. H. Talents and creativity….

Five important keys to understanding may be derived from the script The playwright's description and comments. The character’s manner of speech. How the character sees himself or herself. What others in the play say about the character. Suggested business inserted by the playwright. Distinctive changes in attitude on the part of the character throughout the play.

“W” check list Who as I? Where am I? What do I want? Why do I want it? What is preventing me from getting it? What am I willing to do to get what I want? Who do I want it from? When do I need it?

Observation and Imagination Observation may be useful also in helping to provide a clue to the handling of particularly difficult scenes or problems. The important thing to remember is that we must be receptive to the events that take place e around us and be ready to make use of them when the need arises in our role. Imagination provides the creative spark that makes meaningful and exciting the most difficult characters and scenes. When use properly imagination opens up an entire world of creative potential. It makes feasible the acting of difficult scenes and emotional climaxes which might otherwise be difficult, if not impossible. Imagination may not always provide us with the right solution to our difficulties, but it is virtually boundless in its potential.

Learning Lines The learning of lines is often the most unpleasant task with the actor’s work is a production. It is recognized as a basic responsibility in the preparation of the role. Lines may be learned by constant repetition through silent reading. The dialog may be studied line by line, or phrase by phrase, until constant exposure firmly establishes the lines and cues in the memory. This approach will be most successful for the actor having good visual memory.

2. Lines may be learned by examining their emotional and intellectual context. Rather than memorizing the lines mechanically, some actors find it useful to work for meaning of the line, striving to find vivid elements or some association of ideas that serves to establish the sense of the line in the memory. 3. Lines may be learned by relating them to the movement in the play. long speeches with little movement are clearly the most difficult to memorize in this way.