Acting for the Stage

Acting for the Stage
Function of the Actor
• Take the character created by the
playwright and turn him into a living
breathing human being
Actor and Character
• Actor is the artist
• Character is the work of art
Hal Holbrook
1925-
Two Approaches
1. External: Create the character through
external signs: gestures, posture, body
language.
2. Internal: The character grows from
within the actor
Francois Delsarte
1811-1871
Delsarte System
• Created by Francois Delsarte (1811-1871)
• He believed a character’s emotions could
be projected by a formal set of gestures,
postures and physical attitudes
• Popular in the late 19th century
• Used by the American Academy of
Dramatic Arts and Emerson’s School of
Oratory
Delsarte System in Action
Constantin Stanislavski
1863-1938
• Russian Actor
• Director of the
Moscow Art Theatre
• Developer of “The
Method” approach to
actor training
• Author of four books
on acting
Eli Kazan
1909-2003
Lee Strasberg
1901-1982
American Home of the
“The Method”
•
•
•
•
The Actor’s Studio
Founded 1947 by Elia Kazan
Master Teacher: Lee Strasburg
First major Broadway production to use
“The Method:” A Streetcar Named Desire
• Directed by Elia Kazan
• Stared Marlon Brando, the Actor Studio’s
first major “star”
Marlon Brando in
Street Car Named Desire
The Stanislavskian Method
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Trained body and voice
Know stage technique
Skilled observer of life
Analyze the script
Emotionally involved with the character
Concentrate on the character
Continually work on your art
Trained Body and Voice
• Body must be able to respond to the
demands of the character
• Actor must be able to project to the
back of the house
• Acting should appear to be “effortless”
• Actor takes voice lessons
• Actor takes fencing lessons
Stage Technique
Adapting everyday life to the
conventions of the theatre
1. Opening a door
2. Pointing (gesture)
3. Making a turn
4. Talking on the phone
5. Sitting in a chair
6. Firing a gun
Skilled Observer of Life
• An actor watches people
• Observation is one of his primary research
tools
• He builds his character (external) from
these observations
Play Analysis
•
•
•
•
Text: The lines written by the playwright
Sub-text: The meaning behind those lines
Spine: The character’s major goal
Motivation (Verb): What is the character
attempting to achieve with each line of
dialogue.
• Active verbs: To belittle, To challenge, To
avoid…
Emotional Involvement
• Emotional recall: Recalling an experience
from you past.
• The “Magical If”: Asking yourself, “If I was
the character, what would I do”
Emotional Memory
Conscious
A Memory
Subconscious
Concentration
• An actor must concentrate on the
character he is creating
• He must ignore everything else that is
happening around him
• An actor must continually work on his art
Actor’s greatest challenge
• Make each performance new and fresh
• Make the audience believe that this is the
first time this event has occurred
• How? By listening and responding
honestly
Economic Reality
• You will spend much of your time
unemployed
• You will audition often
• When you do get a part, you won’t make a
lot of money
• “Scale” in New York ranges from $ 63 /
performance (small off-Broadway) to $ 188
/ performance (on Broadway)
Actor Unions
1. Actor’s Equity (AEA) – Theatre
2. Screen Actor’s Guild (SAG) – Film
3. American Federation of Radio and
Television Artists (AFTRA) – Television
4. American Guild of Musical Artists
(AGMA) – Opera, Ballet and Modern
Dance
5. American Guild of Variety Artists (AGVA)
– Show girls, Exotic dancers, Ice shows
Actor Diversity (SAG)
•
•
•
•
•
•
73% -- White
15% -- African American
5% -- Hispanic
3% -- Asian
62% -- Male (38% Female)
60% -- Under 40 (40% over 40)