I used to do college and dinner theater, and have directed a children’s and high school plays. Alas, my dreams of Broadway and Hollywood glory faded in a series of tragedies.
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In other words, I had to get a real job!:mad:
Never would have thunk that ol’ Vinnie was a ham from way back, would ja? Well, it’s been ten years since the Slayer has knocked 'em dead, but I have some real good tips here for ya!
I take it that this is your first ever stage part, and I am assuming your a dude, so here goes a few:
- You will be as nervous as shit. But that is a good thing. Ask the actors how they channel that nervous energy into their character. I was nervous as hell when I did my first high school play. When I got off the stage, it was such a rush, I was stage-bit for years. It’s like the first time you ride a roller-coaster. Your scared shitless, but when you get off it, you can’t wait to ride again!
If you do the show a few times, and start to get too relaxed, look out! Find a way to get nervous again, otherwise you will end up just “walking through” the role.
- PROH-JECT. Unless you are miked, which I hate. If you are not miked, unless you have an unnaturally loud voice, you will need to actually shout your lines, loudly and slowly. It will seem weird at first, but trust me, if you forget everything else I teach you here, remember this:
You can be the best actor on God’s green Earth- but if the audience cannot hear you, they will fucking hate you with a vengeance. When the play is over, they will all go home saying, “Boy that was a good show, but that guy who had nine roles, he sucked! I couldn’t hear a godammned thing he was saying!”
Make sure the director tells you if you are loud enough. When I directed, I used to almost have my actors strangle me because I would sit at the back of the auditorium constantly yelling “I CAN’T HEAR YOU!!!” But it was true! If I couldn’t hear them, and I knew the lines, how in the hell is someone that paid $5 to see this going to hear them???
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Take care of your voice. I think booze before performing is a bad, bad idea. Drink lemon juice instead. And avoid yelling or screaming when not rehearsing.
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The avoiding taco bell-pizza thing: good idea. Eat a light salad before the show. You’ll have something healthy in your stomach, but won’t be bloated or tired. Don’t eat anything that causes indigestion.
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Make sure every single thing your character says and does has a reason for it. This is called method acting. If the script calls for your character to walk across the stage, rationalize a reason why he would do so. Just don’t block out the other actors (it’s the director’s job to make sure you don’t do this). I can’t teach you his on a thread- ask your director or other actors about this. Your library should have about 20 books on this. Try Stanislavski. Of course, you are doing a musical, but hey, it never hurts to learn now.
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Never, EVER, under any circumstances, wish another actor or stage crewmember “Good luck.” Say “Break a leg” instead. Or they will break YOUR leg.
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Improv is important. As I said before, create your character. Become your character on stage. If you do this and immerse your self in him, if someone forgets his or her line, or the unexpected happens, then it will be second nature to improvise.
Okay, your playing 9 different roles. But I’m trying to help here!
I used to do this exercise as a dress rehearsal where in secret I would give all the different actors instructions telling them to deliberately do something completely off script. This would force the other actors to improvise on the spot.
Unfortunately in one play the actors didn’t memorize their FUCKING lines, and boy, did I throw a fit (I was well respected- not well liked.)
8.And finally, dump your girlfriend. 90% of the guys in theater are gay, and if you are a halfway decent looking straight dude, you will be banging more hot actress chicks than you know what to do with (you don’t actually think the Vin Man was in it because he liked to listen to show tunes, do you???)Oh, and if your a chick, well, your just screwed. Hey! Some of them might be bi!.
BREAK A LEG! Tell us how it goes!
