Day #3 Educate on something that you know (or think you know) a lot about. ACTING 101.

So in my opinion, I think I know quite a bit about how to do shows (like plays or musicals). This opinion comes from the fact that I've been in many: Annie, The Batchelor King, Seussical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, The Musical Comedy Murder's of 1940, My Fair Lady, Alice in Wonderland, Les Miserables, and now I'm playing the lead role of Rosalind in Shakespeare's As You Like It. Basically, I  just love acting, and for anybody who's never done acting and would like to know some tips, well I've got some for you.

First thing you need to know about being an actor or actress or participating in a show: Know what you're getting INTO! I can't begin to tell you how many people I've met who audition for shows that they know nothing about. They will get their character assignment and be all "yay!" and then as soon as they watch the movie for the play or look at their script or realize who exactly they're being asked to portray, they FLIP OUT! "I have to do WHAT?! I have to say THAT?! I have to wear that OUTFIT?!" Basically, they wish they would have never tried out.  Here's my little story to go along with that: I tried out for Alice in Wonderland before even looking at the character list. At the audition the director gave me a piece of paper . I was asked to list my information along with the characters I would be willing to play. So, of COURSE because this is ALICE in Wonderland, I put down Alice. Because I didn't want to limit myself, and because it's my tradition,  I also listed a few other female parts that I knew nothing about.  Guess what? I DIDN'T GET ALICE. I ended up getting this character "The Dutchess" which was one of the unknown female parts I had listed. So at first I was like "Okay, sure. The Dutchess. I can dig that." Then I looked up the character AFTER getting assigned her and found out she was an old, ugly, crazy kook who screams at her kid until it turns into a pig. Yes, it's true. You can see for yourself here:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a4/Alice_par_John_Tenniel_21.png

Take a long, good look at the hideousness.


Anyway. So I was very angry and wished I could have gone back in time, found myself at the audition, and ripped the pen out of my hand so I could snap it before I ever wrote down "The Dutchess".   But i couldn't do that, and I ended up playing the part and having to wear this humongous blue dumb looking hat. Anyway, my suggestion? Research what you're getting into so you know what parts you want when you show up at the audition. Or else you might end up playing an ugly crazed child abuser who's kid turns into a fat pink animal for reasons unknown. 

Tip number two: When you audition, try to have a good time. It's very nerve wracking, I know! Sometimes you feel like biting off your nails, and then your fingers too while you're at it.  Anything to get out of it! "Excuse me, my fingers  seem to be off so I can't hold the script to read--GOODBYE NOW!"  Having to perform anything in front of peers can really tear up your nerves, but the number one tip I want to give people is to do your best to enjoy it. Pretend like it's you and your friend going through some lines, or, better yet, that you've already landed the part and are already at practice running lines! It calms you down, and when the director/caster sees you so comfortable in the part, he/she will be more likely to choose you. (Or if your me they might choose a part you might now want but that they think you'd be perfect to play).

Another tip: This one goes without saying. MEMORIZE YOUR LINES. Never ever ever ever ever ever EVER show up on "Off book/off script" day like "Huh? You mean I actually have to learn what i'm supposed to say and be able to flawlessly recite it back for a show that lasts two and a half hours to an audience who will be strongly judging me along with the entire cast and crew and if I screw this up I might be on my directors black list and wake up dead one morning because I ruined the entire show for everybody and drove the world into an early apocalypse?"Maybe that's a little dramatic. But still. If  you show up and don't know your lines, people might want to kill you. It is BAD WHEN PEOPLE WANT TO KILL YOU. So don’t make them want to. Learn your lines. Start learning them early. Take the script scene by scene. Force your siblings or friends to read other parts for you. DO NOT cram then all into your brain over one weekend and then assume that you’ll be able to say them all on the off script day. It will not happen. Instead of watching TV or reading a book or playing a video game, learn your lines. Once you learn a couple scenes, then indulge in doing fun things that you want to do. But remember: When you auditioned for the play you committed yourself to the show which means that you promised to memorize your lines and prevent the show  from spiraling into a  terrible  train wreck of obliviation. 

Tip #4: Acting. Basically, it’s the main point of doing a show. And there are ways to be good at it, and there are ways to not be good at it. I’m going to tell  you the ways to be good at it. As I mentioned previously, I am playing the lead role of Rosalind in my school’s Shakespeare play, As you Like It. And yes, it’s very difficult. Not only do I have an extremely vague idea on exactly what i’m saying, but Shakespeare was really cool (sarcasm) and didn’t provide any directions pertaining to how lines are supposed to be said. So how do I know how to act out his lines? I watch the show. Literally, I get on youtube and watch the scenes in question (which is all of them, I might add). It works out really great! I pull out my script and follow along while also stealing glances at the actors themselves as they act! For As You Like It I’ve been watching the Globe Theater’s version. So let’s say I needed a look at Act III scene II because I wanted to see how Rosalind convinces Orlando that she’s Ganymede (a boy she’s impersonating). I go on youtube, type it in, and then watch the scene! I pay close attention to the actress playing Rosalind, and listen to how she speaks her lines. While this is going on, I’m also HEARING the lines, and this helps me MEMORIZE them. So watching the play serves a dual purpose. Watching good actors play the parts really helps with the acting. 

Anyway, I know I'm not a professional. I'll  even admit that  sometimes I haven't even followed my own rules because I made them up after making TERRIBLE mistakes. So there’s a few tips on something I know quite a bit about!