My girlfriend is the musical director for the play “Sweet Charity” (Hey, Big Spender comes from this play…) and the lead director asked if I would be willing to do a walk on role. I said “sure!”. Now it has snowballed to 9 different roles with a BUNCH of lines. Egad.
My question is: Does anyone here have experience acting? Got any tips? Stories? Do’s and don’ts?
Hoosier Daddy?!
Was a Theatre major at the University of Kentucky for a while and have four years experience as a Producer/Director/Designer/Make-up Artist/Lighting Tech with Lexington Children’s Theatre. Six productions with Phoenix Group Players, six more with Company B players, and one with the Lexington Shakespeare Festival. Also a few parts in Black Box productions with friends of mine.
All that and the only thing I can tell you is not to mention the name of “That Scottish Play” in the theatre. 
No seriously, what do you want to know? I can give you warm-ups and pointers. And I know a few tricks for memorizing lines, but that’s about all I can do from a distance.
You mention a bunch of lines. How many is a bunch?
I have never been on stage acting but have spent quite a bit of time on stage playing music… here’s a few pointers;
DO - Have a beer or other alcoholic beverage (if over 21 of course)
DO NOT - Eat Taco Bell before performance (pretty obvious outcome)
DO - Practice. The more familiar you are with the material the more comfortable you will be.
DO NOT - Picture the audience in their underwear. The only thing this acomplishes is horniness or nausea.
That’s all I can think of for now. Always works for me.
I have been onstage for a while now (amaturlly) doing musicals mainly but I have just started rehearsals for a Play, a murder mystery: Who Killed Santa Claus.
Anyway, some tips.
Enjoy yourself, that’s the reason your there right?
Learn you lines thoroughly. If you do you will be much less nervous,
Learn other peoples lines What I mean is learn the script, not the exact lines but know the plot, who says what etc.
Enjoy yourself.
I was really nervous my first time on stage, In my first main part (Ratty in Toad of Toad Hall) It was the first time any of us had been in principal roles we were all very nervous, we got thorough but ended up getting pieces of the script in the wrong order, eventually the prompt gave up because we were skipping sections and going beck to them later . . . It was good fun though and didn’t put me off, that was '97 and I’ve been on stage since.
Know your characters, and while you are on stage ACT. I know this sounds obvious but people with minor roles or not speaking often don’t act in between there lines 
If you know your part it will be easier for you if you get in to trouble miss a cue etc.
Enjoy yourself.
Break a Leg
Speaking of warm ups, the second day we were performing Toad of Toad Hall, before we went on stage we did some exercises on that helped us was just one person shouts (speaks) a line at random and then the persons who has the line after this (in the script) says theirs and the scene is spoken through. Then you start again, this helped convince that we did actually know our line and the order they were supposed to go in, the second night was a much better performance 
Make sure that you say everything clearly. This is especially hard for me, since I tend to mumble a bit. But as long as you give it a concious effort, and don’t slur your words, you should be fine.
Also, I’ll second the suggestion to actually Act while on stage. Don’t let your arms hang down by your sides, use them to establish character. Also, while you’re not speaking, use facial expressions. One thing that I found helps me with this is to give your character a “history” in your mind. Based on the script, decide what kind of a past he or she has had, and how that’s effected them. That will make it easier to portray their emotions on stage.
Speak in a loud, clear voice, and try not to bump into the furniture.
– Alfred Lunt, famous stage guy
Oh and um, breathe. My one time on stage (Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come my senior year of high school) I did my entire scene on like one breath. Almost passed out cold when I was done!
And I’ll second not walking into the furniture. I did that too.
Is your production using stage makeup? Don’t be afraid to ask for help putting on the #$@%%# eyeliner. And once your makeup is on, do not rub your eyes. Or your lips. Or the back of your hands.
What is “That Scottish Play”?
Warm ups? Pointers for memorizing?
And I am not sure on the makeup question, although I assume they are…
And I have 10-12 lines, probably, split between the 9 roles. Lots of cues. Singing. And (GASP!) dancing! (shitshitshitshit).
Phil Collins wrote a song about me, once…
Hoosier Daddy!@
I was asked to do a screen test and read for a commerical recently. It was a lot of fun. The casting director was an old pervert, but nice, nonetheless. I was told I was photogenic! Floored me :0
Main thing is to relax and be you!
Let us know when you get discovered! We can say we knew you when.
Hey, is this the TWH production? When’s it going to be on? I want to come see you!
Shakespeare’s “MacBeth” - Theatrical superstition - the name of the play brings bad luck if you say this in a theatre (unless you are actually performing the play at the time - not sure about if you are performing another play that uses “MacBeth” in a line…). Then again, I would piss people off by talking about Eugene Ionesco’s “MacBett” (with two Ts and not the same author).
Just as bad is wishing someone “good luck” when they performing in a play - by wishing good luck, you bring out the bad luck: hence the tradition of wishing someone “bad luck” (thereby ensuring “good luck”) by telling them to “break a leg”.
Anyway - where, when, and how much is this, and who do I contact for tickets? I just may make a road trip for this.
Trouble Again and screech: Yes, this is the Theatre Winter Haven production (in Winter Haven, FL, just outside of Orlando). We open on eek Friday the 13th. Talk about your wishing someone Bad Luck on the opening, eh?
I think that tickets are somewhere in the $12-15 range, and it is a small house in my opinion (but what do I know about it???). The actress doing the main role (Charity) is absolutely AWESOME!!!. She will have you rolling in the aisles. I defy anyone watching this production to NOT fall in love with her by the intermission at the VERY latest. She makes acting look SO easy. And she never misses anything that happens on stage, and totally reacts in character.
As for myself, I am 2 different cops, a singing hippie drug dealer, a doorman, an asshole and several other “Live Body” type roles. Gawd help me.
Hoosier Daddy!@
Okay, the 13th and 14th are out - any other days you folks are performing? Got a box office phone number?
It’s been awhile since I’ve been onstage, but I’d second all the advice given so far. But I’ll add:
LISTEN to what’s happening onstage, and LOOK like you’re listening (if a character is talking to you).
BE AWARE of what’s happening onstage, even if you’re in the wings.
BE PREPARED for anything! Once, alone onstage, a closet door slowly swung open. Not a problem in itself, except a body was supposed to be in the closet and said body was still backstage. What to do?!? Casually, while saying my lines, I walked over and closed the closet door again – trying to look unobtrusive as I did so.
Also, if someone “drys up”, be prepared to adlib their lines and cues. Doesn’t happen often, but it can happen.
Mostly, HAVE FUN!
I haven’t been in a bona fide theatrical production since the third grade, but I have performed at several live MSTings(*) in front of several hundred people. Since those included skits, pratfalls, and other shenanagans, I think I’m qualified.
(* = A MSTing is where you show a bad movie or video, and have a group of three wiseacres make smarmy comedic remarks about it. Inspired completely by Mystery Science Theater 3000.)
Anyway, a quick list o’ tips:
My best piece of advice is one not many people think of, but is SO important. When someone screws up (and they inevitably will) don’t stand there with your jaw on the floor saying “Oh, CRAP!” Similarly, don’t all get the giggles or say “No, you’re supposed to ____”. Basically, don’t do anything to let the audience know that there’s been a screw-up. Believe it or not, if you just continue on smoothly, in character, with no special attention-drawing techniques, THEY WILL NOT NOTICE! The audience has not spent countless hours (as you no doubt have) reading the script and rehearsing and memorizing … in short, they don’t know it as well as you do, and they won’t know something’s been missed or miffed.
The only time it’s appropriate to say the name of “That Scottish Play” (( I won’t even say it at all, or type it, even when I’m not in a theatre. )) is when you’re referring to the character Lady MacBeth.
It’s French custom to say “Merthe” to one another before a performance. ((We all know what that word means.)) And screech is right. Never ever ever wish someone “Good luck”. Not even the stage crew. Always say “Bad Luck” or “Break a leg”.
Trust me.
As for warm-ups. These are “VERY” basic, but first thing’s first. Your voice:
PuhTuhKuhs
Pick a point on a wall about ten feet away and focus your sound on that spot. Repeat the consonant sounds of P, T, and K “PUHTUHKUH” over and over again while gradually getting louder and softer. Pay attention to where your toungue is while you’re doing this and get a feel for how your mouth moves. At the softer points, your sound should just reach that wall, and at the louder points it should pierce through it.
Ya-Yo
May want to do this one with a group. The purpose of the exercise is to open up the back of your throat. Make “Ya” and “Yo” sounds with varying pitch and loudness ((not so much that you strain your voice… stay in a comfortable range)) and focus on making the inside of your mouth and the back of your throat as big as possible. Even if your lips are close together.
Now you want to work on the body:
Stretching Routine
If you exercise at all, you probably have a stretching routine that you feel really comfortable with. If not, you can find one in any fitness book or video. I’m sure someone’s got something you can borrow. Just find something that’s comfortable and not strenuous. Do this first, and at least an hour before showtime.
Loosey Goosey and the Duck Walk
This is one I taught the little kids and they loved it. It works really really well for loosening up and getting comfortable with your cast mates. Again, try to get a group of people to do this. ((It would look pretty silly otherwise.)) You’ll feel much more comfortable with each other afterwards. It goes like this, whomever the Loosey Gooseys are move around with arms and legs as wide as possible and flop and flap. However, if you touch someone else or a wall you have to Duck Walk for a count of ten. The Duck Walk consists of making yourself as small as possible, tucking everything in and getting as low to the ground as you can while still being able to walk. That’s pretty much it. You can also quack and honk, but I think that’s mostly a kid thing. 
Anyway, that’s a few things to do for warm-ups. As far as memorizing lines. One thing that I’ve found works really well is everyone sitting randomly in a circle and saying their lines in order as fast as possible. If you do it correctly, you should be stepping on cues left and right. It also works for adding a little energy to the performance, and it’s definitely good for a laugh.
To any extent, I hope I’ve helped. Break a leg!
I was involved a little bit in highschool theater, and your nervousness will be practically non-existent after a million runthroughs and a million dress rehersals, as long as you know your lines. Take rehersals seriously, have confindence in yourself and the rest of the troupe, and have fun.
Re: the scottish play
Our director did not tolerate the uttering of its name under ANY circumstances, I think he even had a little purification ritual that you had to do before he’d even let you back in. News that someone had “said it” during a production was (as rare as it was) a big deal, even though we never let it get us down. We regarding performing the play as an even greater infraction than saying its name, because it is the play itself that is cursed. The name is cursed merely by association.
askol