c


Table of Contents:
ñ?  The Purpose of a Warm-Up 
ñ?  Relaxation 
ñ?  Vocal Warm-Up 
ñ?  Physical Warm-Up 
ñ?  Focusing the Mind 
ñ?  Communicating With Others 

** The Purpose of a Warm-up **

x? To d
 and relieve any Tension
2? To prepare the ½
 for speaking
3? To prepare the „  for moving
4? To get d 
½
 flowing
5? To a  your mind on the task
6? To  
 with others

** Relaxation **
Most people experience mental and physical tension and have come to accept this tension as
a part of their natural condition As people age, tension accumulates and we forget how it is
to feel relaxed Tension produces undue fatigue, breaks down concentration ability, and
makes it difficult to maintain a patient and calm exterior

Practicing relaxation, preferably at the same time every day, should be part of your Warm-up
routine

Relaxation Exercise
x ? ºie down on your back with your arms lying loosely at your sides Do a quick scan of
your body and adjust any areas of discomfort As you proceed with the exercise you
may find your thoughts wandering This is ok, just bring your thoughts back to the
task and resume concentration
2 ? ºie still and begin to concentrate on your feet Try to feel the muscles in your feet
release and relax It may help to tighten them up and let go all at once Imagine that
they feel heavy, like lead weights
3 ? Then concentrate on your calves Tighten and release Imagine their heaviness
4 ? Continue this process on each major muscle group, moving up the body Thighs,
stomach, chest, arms, hands, shoulders, neck, and face Each part relaxes completely
and feels heavy Imagine yourself sinking into the floor
5 ? Imagine a bright light around your body Think of a color that energizes you, like
white or yellow Imagine that this is the energy in your body, filling every fiber of
your being and it gets brighter and stronger as you concentrate on it
6 ?
tart to move a little bit, gently roll your head from side to side, flex your
fingers, wiggle your toes When you feel ready, sit up slowly, get onto your feet, and
slowly roll your spine up to a full standing position
7 ? As you continue with your activities, try to remember this feeling of relaxation There
should only be as much tension as is necessary to do the job at hand If you feel
 tension creeping in, stop your activity and re-establish your relaxation with some deep
breathing exercises

Ñeep Breathing Exercise

x ? Take a deep breath Concentrate on feeling the expansion in the front of the body
Continue to breath in and out slowly, focusing on the smoothness of the action and the
air filling the body cavities Feel your muscles release their tension as you breath
2 ?
tart to focus on the breath as it fills your sides Feel your body expanding on the left
and the right
3 ?
tart to focus on the breath as it fills your back If you have difficulty feeling the
breath expanding through your back, bend down on your haunches, drawing your
chest against your knees In this position, you should be able to experience this
sensation quite easily
4 ? egin to imagine a slow count as you breath Keep the inhalation and exhalation
smooth as you count
5 ? Try to extend the length of your count Inhale on a slow count from x to 5 Exhale on
a slow count from x to 5 Increase the count gradually until you can inhale and exhale
on a slow count from x to x You may not accomplish this the first time you do this
exercise e patient and practice frequently

Your breathing control is very important when you're warming up and controlling the voice

 Vocal Warm-Up 

A Vocal warm-up prepares the voice for speaking You need to warm up the vocal chords
just as you would warm up any other muscle in your body They need to be ready for long
duration of use and without proper vocal preparation, you can damage the chords

×




x
w?
tart with some deep breathing
w? Turn the breath into a sigh, expelling the air with a light sound Keep the
sound soft and relaxed Repeat as necessary
w? Turn the sigh into a hum by closing the lips Repeat as necessary
2
w? Take a deep breath and expel the air with a "sh" sound on an imaginary count
from x to 5 Repeat as necessary
w? Repeat the exercise using a "soft z" sound
3
w? Open your mouth as wide as you can and then scrunch it up as small as you
can Repeat as necessary
w? Keeping your lips loosely together, blow air through them so they flap
together (I call this 'Horse ºips')
w?
tick out your tongue and roll it around Reach up to your nose (or as close as
you can), reach down to your chin, reach out to your left ear, reach out to your
right ear
4
w? Do a few tongue twisters Focus on pronunciation and enunciation:
x ? A big blue badly bleeding blister
 2?Rubber baby buggy bumpers
3?A shifty snake selling snake skin slippers
4?The gum glue grew glum
5?Theophilus Thistle, the successful thistle sifter, in sifting a sieve full
of unsifted thistles, thrust three thousand thistles through the thick of
his thumb Now if Theophilus Thistle, the successful thistle sifter, in
sifting a sieve full of unsiftedthistles, thrust three thousand thistles
through the thick of his thumb, see that thou, in sifting a sieve full
of unsiftedthistles, thrust not three thousand thistles through the thick
of thy thumb
uccess to the successful thistle sifter
6 ? What a to-do to die today at a minute or two to two
A thing distinctly hard to say but harder still to do
For they'll beat a tattoo at twenty to two with a
rat-ta-ta, tat-ta-ta,tat-ta-ta, too
And the dragon will come when he hears the drum
At a minute or two to two today, at a minute or two to two
w? Practice reading aloud any material you want

** Physical Warm-Up **

If you've ever taken an exercise class you probably know how to warm up your body The
general idea is to get the muscles moving and the blood flowing but not to do so much that
you're exhausted by the end of it Here's a short list of some of the things I like to do:

x? asic stretches
tretch out all major muscle groups

2? umping jacks or some other cardiovascular exercise
3? Rotate arms, rotate wrists, rotate ankles, rotate shoulders
4?
mack myself all over (it gets the blood moving in the skin)
5?
hake out (go nuts)

If there's a group of you, a physical game is a great way to warm up
omething like "TV
Tag" (if you get tagged, you have to quickly say the name of a TV show or you're it) or a
game called "This is my Nose" (where two players face each other One points at their ear
and shouts, "This is my nose!" The other player then points at their nose and shouts, "This is
my foot!" The play continues as fast as possible until one of them makes a mistake, then
another player can take their place)
ee the Reading ºist for more information

** Focusing the Mind **

All the aforementioned exercises focus the mind and prepare you for your task Here are a
few other ideas to get your mind centered and your creativity flowing:

ñ? Read through your script (you can never do this enough)

ñ? ‰o over your notes from last rehearsal
ñ? ‰o over your blocking notes
ñ? reak down your script (see
cript)
ñ? Memorize lines
ñ? Review character motivation, obstacles, etc (see Character)
I recommend doing these mind centering tasks by yourself Involving the other actors can
become a big socialization party and your focus will just be scattered

** Communicating With Others **

Focusing the group energy is the last step of the warm up Most Directors have their own
method of focusing the group energy but if they don't, here are a few suggestions:

ñ? The Name ‰ame - if your group is newly formed, The Name ‰ame is a great way to
get everyone working together right away Everyone sits in a circle One person starts
the game by saying their name (first only, or both first and last if it's a small group)
The next person in the circle says the first persons name and then their own The next
person in the circle says the first persons name, the second persons name and then
their own And so on down the line
ñ? ‰roup Cheer - everyone stands in a tight huddle with their hands piled in the middle
Then just like a football cheer, you all shout, "hey, hey, hey, etc" until it's one great
cacophonous noise
ñ? ‰roup Pulse - everyone stands in a tight huddle with their arms around each other and
bent over as low as they can go They start to hum quietly Increase the pitch and
intensity of the hum while you all gradually stand erect Eventually the sound
becomes a great, open-mouthed roar
ñ? ‰roup Choral
inging - sing "Row, Row, Row Your oat" in a round If your group
knows other simple songs, you can try those too
There are a wide variety of warm-up and centering techniques Eventually, you'll pick and
choose the exercises that work best for you
?
?




Vable of Contents:

ñ?  What is a Character? 
ñ?  Character Movement 
ñ?  Vocal Characterization 
ñ?  ‰etting to Know Your Character 

** What is a Character? **
Any attribute that defines a human being can define a character For an actor, much of his/her
character definition can be found in the script Everything a character says tells the actor
something - from the things that character thinks about, to their level of intelligence or
education, their status in society, or how they feel Character choices are made by each
individual actor, which is why the same role can be interpreted many ways by different
actors Your choices are unlimited, and no choice is wrong (as long as it's not contradicted by
the script) The choices you make for your character will make it realistic and interesting
c  
 

tart with your script The playwright generally includes character description on the first few
pages The writer may give you other clues such as the setting (if the play is set in an alley,
your character may be homeless); the location (a play set in New York could give your
character a rooklyn accent); and the time period (a woman in xx2 would be remarkably
different from a woman in x)

As you read through the script, take note of specific statements made by your character or
made about your character For instance, if a character says that she's violently allergic to
nuts then that might make her very upset when another character insists that she eat some
More on exploring the script information is provided in
cript

** Character Movement **

ince an audience can only know what they see and hear about a character, your physicality -
including impairments, tics, and habits - are very important Actors frequently overlook these
traits which can easily make your character more interesting or funny



  

asic movement is body awareness through:

w? D
CE -
w? ºevels (low, medium or high)
w? Directions (forward, backward, sideways)
w? Near and far
w? Close (e g curled up) and Apart (e g stretched out - wide or narrow)
w? Direct (e g straight) and Indirect (e g twisted)
w? cEIGHV - heavy or light
w? VIME - quick or slow
w? 
c - continuous, arrested or bound

y mixing and matching the above movement definitions, you can describe any possible
human action The following eight verbs describe some resulting combinations Consider
developing a character who moves in one of these ways

w? THRU
TIN‰
w? FºOATIN‰
w? PU
HIN‰
w?
ºA
HIN‰
w? ‰ºIDIN‰
w? WRIN‰IN‰
w? DAIN‰
w? FºICKIN‰

Ú




Most people have habits or tics that they're not even aware of An example of a habit might
be a person who regularly twirls a ring, bites their fingernails, or sucks on their hair A tic is a
spasmodic twitch that commonly appears when a person is nervous If you're adding a habit
or tick to your characterization, just be careful not to overuse it

 


Nobody's perfect so you might want to consider a physical impairment as a character choice
A limp, a crooked hand, a hip that pops out of joint, or weak eyesight are all interesting
possibilities (especially if you used them all together!)

** Vocal Characterization **

Don't forget about the things the audience will HEAR from your character Does the
character speak slowly, quickly? Do they have a speech impediment? Do they stutter? Does
the person have a regional accent? Do they enunciate clearly? Do they mispronounce words?
What is their vocal quality - gravely, hoarse, squeaky, shrill? Would their voice be affected
by anything that occurs during the play (like the morning after a wild party)? Does the person
clear their throat frequently or make unusual sounds through their speech?

There are specific techniques for developing body awareness ody awareness allows you to
learn about your own movement and vocal habits - habits that without awareness, may color
every character you play
ee Reading ºist for information on the Alexander
and Feldenkrais Techniques

** Getting to Know Your Character **

ome Actors like to explore everything they could possibly know about their character The
more you know, the more precise your choices, and the more real the character will be to you
and your audience For instance, you can decide that you like dogs (a general choice) OR you
can decide that you only like 

dogs ( more specific) OR you can decide that you only
like  
(most specific) Often, an 
choice will be the most interesting For
instance, you can play a pet shop owner who loves animals or you could play a pet shop
owner who hates animals The second choice is more unusual than the first This kind of
choice could be the difference between a very dry scene and a "rolling on the floor laughing
out loud" scene! Here's a list of questions to get you thinking about your character:

x ? What is his/her name?

2 ? How old is he/she?
3 ? Does he or she appear handsome, pretty, ugly? What is the first impression one would
get from them?
4 ? Does he or she have any abnormalities?
5 ? Does he/she get along well with others?
6 ? Does he/she accept responsibility?
7 ? Does he/she have any pets?
 ? Does he/she have any hobbies?
 ? Is he/she married and what kind of relationship is it?
x ?How would this person react if they were the only witness to a murder?
xx ?Could he or she have any mental problems?
x2 ?What facial expressions does he/she most frequently use?
x3 ?Was he/she smart in school or at their place of work?
x4 ?Would you consider this person "sporty"?
x5 ?Would you consider this person to have traveled widely?
x6 ?What kind of food does this person like most and why?
x7 ?Does this person like music, and if so what kind of music in particular?
x ?Does this person drink a lot of alcohol?
x ?What do you think this person is like at home where nobody else can see him?
2 ?Does he/she believe in ‰od?
2x ?In whose company was this person most likely to be seen?
22 ?What are this person's views on war?
23 ?Is this person in any way a musician?
24 ?Does this person buy cheap or expensive things?
25 ?What kind of colors would this person wear?
26 ?What does this person think of Holidays? How would they celebrate Christmas or
Halloween?
27 ?What makes this person laugh?
2 ?Does this person have self-confidence?
2 ?Is this person clumsy?
3 ?Does this person brag?
3x ?Is he/she involved in politics? How would he/she vote?
32 ?Does this person get along with older/younger people?
33 ?Does this person speak well or poorly?
34 ?What would this person do if he/she was approached by a homeless person?
35 ?What kind of house/apartment/condo does this person live in? Does he/she rent or
own?
36 ?What kind of magazines/books would this person read?
37 ?How would this person react if caught in a severe fire, storm, etc?
3 ?What is his/her favorite TV show and movie?
3 ?Does this person live alone?
4 ?What kind of furniture does this person have?
4x ?Does this person like animals?
42 ?What kind of temper does this person have?
43 ?Is this person easily embarrassed? What embarrasses them?
44 ?What is his/her favorite season?
45 ?Is this person superstitious?
46 ?What would make this person cry?
47 ?Would others consider this person "easy-going"?
4 ?Does this person express himself/herself freely?
4 ?What would this person do if he/she won the lottery?
5 ?What would he/she do for fun? What are his/her hobbies?
5x ?Does he/she smoke? Cigarettes, cigars, pot?
52 ?Does this person like snakes, spiders, lizards, cockroaches?
53 ?What was this person like 5 years ago?
54 ?Does this person like other people?
55 ?What kind of weather does he/she like most and why?
56 ?What would this person do if stranded on a desert island? What would this person
take to occupy himself/herself?
57 ?What does this person do when they go out? Would he/she like going to a nightclub,
lounge, karoke bar?
5 ?Does this person have a computer at home? Do they surf the internet,
chat, play games?
As you can see, there are many choices one can make It's always tempting to play a part as if
your character is the coolest and most perfect person (since we're rarely able to be so
rehearsed in real life) but the 
choices are often more interesting Everybody has their
own little quirks so let your character enjoy a few too!

?
?
?



Vable of Contents:

ñ?  reaking Down the
cript 

ñ?  Memorizing ºines 

** Breaking Down the Script **

Part of the Actors job is to analyze the script and break it down into manageable parts A
great deal of your character study will happen during this procedure

A 



The five "W's" to ask about your character:

ñ? WHO am I?
ñ? WHERE am I?
ñ? WHEN am I there?
ñ? WHAT am I DOIN‰?
ñ? WHY am I doing it?
The answers to these questions are always stated or implied in the dialogue or given in the
stage directions

J

J




Once you've asked the "what am I doing" and "why am I doing it" questions, you're already
working on finding your „ 
½  What does the character want to achieve as a result of
their actions? You can have many objectives (major and minor) throughout the play, so as
you read through, ask the following questions frequently:

ñ? What do I WANT?
ñ? Why do I WANT it?

The obstacles in the play keep your character from accomplishing their objectives They are
often the cause of  a

 between characters They may also be caused by a psychological
block or internal struggle within your own character ust as there can be many objectives,
there can also be many obstacles in the play Once you know what your character wants, then
you must ask:
 ñ? What obstacles must I OVERCOME to get what I want?

An example of a character objective and obstacle can be found easily in your basic horror
movie - the character's „ 
½ is to have a peaceful existence without fear, and
their „
is the evil force or person who is frightening them Other obstacles to consider
might be:

ñ? Vime - do you have a time limit to accomplish your objective?

ñ?
bility - are you skilled at the task needed to accomplish your objective?
ñ? eelings - do you have to battle feelings of guilt or fear before you can accomplish
your objective?

On-stage, as in life, a person's character is revealed through his actions and by his reasons for
doing them y asking these questions, the Actor begins to discover who his character is

 



Consider how your character relates to the other characters in the play Does your character
like or dislike them? Do the characters share history before the time period of the play? Does
a daring character make your cautious character irritable?

How does your character relate to „  in the play? For instance, if your character is
ordered to drink a beer, his relation with that beer will be different than if he's thankfully
quenching his thirst on a hot summer day Objects become very good partners when they're
imbued with a meaningful relationship Objects can provide the same psychological stimulus
as another character can

A lot of these relationships will become evident through rehearsal but a few ideas beforehand
will make your rehearsal process more productive

|
  


Keep in mind that behind every line of text, there is
UTEXT If a character says, "It's
raining," the subtext might be one of these:

x ? We'll have to move the party indoors

2 ? Now those flowers will grow very well
3 ? No, you can't go outdoors to play
4 ? I told you you ought to get the roof fixed
5 ? I love to walk in the rain
An Actor has no right to speak a line until he has discovered the reason for saying it The
subtext colors the line of text and will influence what words you stress and what your
physical expressions are As you say the text, you must always THINK the subtext just as
clearly

   


What a character   to accomplish each minor objective is called a beat Abeat is a unit of
action and each beat is a necessary step toward the major objective For example, if your
character is a burglar, you might break the script into these beats:
 x? reak into the house
2? ºocate the wall safe
3? Open the safe
4? Remove the valuables
5? Escape from the house

An actor should always find the beats, mark the beginning and end in the script, and be able
to state the objective and obstacle for each one The actor is responsible for this work before
rehearsals begin

** Memorizing Lines **
c  c 

Many actors fail to understand why they must memorize their lines word for word as the
playwright has written them It becomes frustrating for the actor when they are faced with a
difficult speech, but there are many reasons why the actor should resist the temptation to
paraphrase:

x ? Decurity. The only way to be sure of fluidity in your speaking is to know the words
accurately One of the most frightening things an actor can ever experience on stage is
a sudden moment of forgetfulness - where your mind goes blank And nothing can kill
a punchline faster than an actor who is stumbling around because he doesn't know
exactly how the line goes
2 ? Characterization.The words of a play are music for the actors to dance to Every
word, every punctuation mark, every pause and every stage direction the playwright
includes is there for a reason Clues are given in the use of vocabulary that tell you
(and the audience) important things about a character
3 ? Integrity of the lay. The play's speed, tone and message depend on recognizing
the playwrights purpose for every scene, every line and even every word Different
characters are written to speak in different ways - fast or slow, using dialect or
regional jargon - and patterns are created from combinations or repetitions of words
Therefore changing words can affect the integrity of the whole play

Ú    

If you don't have a photographic memory then you have to work at memorizing your lines
Here are some tips that should help you:

ñ? Highlight. Emphasize your lines in the script with a highlighter or underline with a
brightly colored pen Use a different color to mark your cues (the lines or actions just
before your line) Mark stage directions with another color or don't mark them at all
ñ? Read through. ‰o over all your lines (out loud) several times
ñ? Read each line. In order, from the top of the play, read each line aloud, slowly
Concentrate on each word - especially the small words like 
d
„

a At
intervals, put the script down and check how much you remember When that line is
memorized, move onto the next until you can remember the entire speech without
looking at the script Then move onto the next speech, etc , until you've gone over
 them all As you go on, the chunks of dialogue that you practice without using the
script should get larger and larger Make sure to look up words or pronunciation that
you're not familiar with (once you learn it wrong, it's much more difficult to re-learn
it) Don't worry about interpreting, or acting, the words at this time, just put them
together in one long stream
ñ? Read with a partner. Arrange someone to read the other character's lines so you can
learn where your cues are I've found it most helpful to record the other lines into a
tape recorder, leaving silent spaces where my lines would be (hint: read the passage
silently, as slowly as you can - this will give you extra time to figure out the line when
you play the tape back) Run the tape or practice with the partner as often as possible
ñ? Italian Run. When you have a solid handle on the lines, you can practice an Italian
Run, or speak the lines out loud as fast as you can, in order, word perfect As soon as
you can do an Italian Run without stumbling, you've pretty much got it made You
can also do an Italian Run involving your practice partner or the rest of the cast
ñ? ractice, practice, practice. The more you practice, the more you'll find it easier and
easier, more fluid, and natural In rehearsal, each line will be imbued with meanings
and objectives which will also help your memory At this point, the
tage Manager
can usually keep an eye on the script and call any mistakes to your attention

?
?



 
Vable of Contents:

ñ? 
tage asics 
ñ?  The Rehearsal Process 

** Stage Basics **
Ñ  


Dtage Right - The actor's right as he stands onstage facing the audience
Dtage eft - The actor's left as he stands onstage facing the audience
Ñownstage - Toward the audience
Upstage - Away from the audience
In - Toward the center of the stage

ut - Away from the center of the stage

Dtage
reas
UR URC UC UºC Uº
R RC C ºC º
 DR DRC DC DºC Dº

U = Upstage, Ñ = Downstage, R = Right, C = Center, = ºeft

 Ñ  


nstage - The part of the stage which is visible to the audience

ffstage - The part of the stage not visible to the audience
Backstage - Usually the entire stage portion of the theatre including the wings, dressing
rooms, etc

ut front - Usually the auditorium portion of the theatre including theatre seating, lobby,
etc
cings - Offstage space at right and left of the onstage area, usually curtained off

 



pen - A body position where the actor faces or nearly faces the audience
ince the actor
must be well seen and heard, he/she should remain as open as possible To open (as a verb) is
to turn toward the audience Here are some general rules to stay open:

x ? In scenes shared with another actor, turn only slightly toward him, leaving yourself
75% open to the audience (called a Auarter osition)
2 ? Make a turn downstage
3 ? When making gestures, use the upstage arm
4 ? Kneel on the downstage knee
Closed - A body position where the actor faces away or mostly away from the audience
To close (as a verb) is to turn away from the audience

Body evels
ñ? High -
tanding on a step or increment higher than another actor
ñ? Medium -
itting, kneeling, bending over a piece of furniture, standing on a step
lower than another actor, etc
ñ? ow - Crouching, lying on the floor, etc

Vhe Vwo Ñeadly Dins of Body ositioning

x ? Upstaging - When one actor stands upstage, forcing another actor to turn his back to
the audience Avoid upstaging unless you're directed to do so
2 ? Blocking - When one actor stands directly in front of another actor Never stand in
front of another actor, unless specifically directed to do so locking can be avoided
by being aware of body levels

** The Rehearsal Process **

An actors conduct in rehearsal should display a professional attitude Even if you are
participating in an amateur production, your professionalism will be noticed and appreciated
When every actor conducts themselvesprofessionally, the work gets done faster and the
process can be more relaxed A professional attitude on your part might also incline your
Director to work with you again in the future
x  
  



x ? Do preliminary work at home (
ee
cript and Character) The rehearsal is only
productive to the extent that the actor brings something to them
2 ? Warm up before rehearsal (
ee Warm-up) The director may have a group warm up in
mind, but if not, be warm and ready to work ahead of time
3 ? Review the work covered at the last rehearsal
4 ? Commit all of your energy and attention to the work at hand
5 ? Remain experimental and flexible e ready to make changes at any time e willing
to try anything at least once
6 ? Maintain contact with other actors Acting is d 
 Make direct eye contact as
often as possible
7 ? Write down your stage directions (called blocking) Your blocking may be changed
many times over, but if you always write it down, you'll always remember where
you're supposed to be at any moment in the scene
 ? Memorize your lines about half way through the rehearsal period It's best to learn the
lines as the Playwright wrote them, word for word (
ee
cript)
 ? Outside of the directors blocking, it's the actors responsibility to come up with other
physical activity appropriate to the scene (calledbusiness) For example, your
character may be hand washing some clothes in a basin while he/she carries on light
conversation with anothercharacter Conduct activities where stated or implied in the
script and if there's little guidance provided, use your imagination to invent things the
character may be doing in the scene
x ?ºet everyone else do their own jobs Unless you're the director, it's not your
responsibility to direct the activities of any other actor or crew member ring up
concerns 
 if it directly affects your own work
xx ?No one likes a Yd

  No matter what size your part is, you are only one spoke
on a big wheel Recognize and appreciate the work of others on the team
Accept direction without explanation or excuse You may have a wonderful reason for doing
something a certain way, but if the director asks you to change it, don't waste time arguing,
just change it d your director

?

?
w? Don't a d a character onto the script What you say and do make the character and,
as long as you've done the preliminary work, the rehearsal will reveal the character
naturally Forcing a character will make your performance melodramatic
w? Achieve d
 tension, not physical tension
peed is achieved in theatre by
sustaining the audience interest, so if the actor maintains a constant state of discovery,
the audience will never feel like the time is dragging
w? Make sure to ask, c 



 instead of brushing over with emotion For
example, "I'm trying to get the guard to give me the keys to my cell" instead of "I'm
feeling claustrophobic"
w? In a serious drama, find the  d within the dilemma
w? Three definitions for the word blocking:
x ? On stage, blocking is when you're standing in front of another actor
2 ? In Improvisation, blocking is when you fail to accept a suggestion from
another improvisor
3 ? In rehearsal, blocking describes your movement around the stage
 w? At any time in the rehearsal process, you should be able to stop and state your
objective and obstacle
w? Acting is behaving d

 in a make believe situation
w? Acting is d 

w? Acting is
 d
 Really look and listen to the person you're acting with
w? ºook through the script for words that have a   For example, 'bright' should
sound bright, 'dull' should sound dull, and 'ascend' should vocally ascend
w? Auote: "The most natural, the most seemingly accidental effects come when the
working of the mind is seen before the tongue gives it words"
w? Practice reading out loud It will improve your enunciation Another method to
improve your speech habits is to put a cork between your teeth and speak around it
w? Auditioning: Auditioning can be nerve wracking but I always try to look at it as a
positive experience (if all I have is that x minutes to perform in a year, then damn it,
I'm gonna perform my heart out!) Frankly, the worst thing that can happen is that
you'll learn something about yourself Also, see the note below on stage fright
w?
tage fright can be daunting for beginning actors, so here's some tips for getting past
it:
x ?
tage fright always a
 much worse than it looks
2 ? The audience doesn't want you to fail, they're out there d
 your
success
3 ? Nervousness and excitement, physically, are very similar Focus on
being 
 
4 ? d  deeply
5 ? Forget about yourself and a  on what you have to do
e RAVE, be CONFIDANT, be HONE
T

 
?

Vable of Contents:

ñ?  Plays 
ñ?  Actors Resources 
ñ?  Technique 
ñ?  Plays 
w?
edipus Rex by
ophocles
w? Vhe Decond Dhepherds' lay by Anonymous
w? Hamlet, rince of Ñenmark by William
hakespeare
w? Vhe cild Ñuck by Henrik Ibsen
w? §Vhe Hairy
pe§ by Eugene O'Neill
w? Ñeath of a Dalesman by Arthur Miller
w? Happy Ñays by
amuel eckett
w? ool or ove by
am
hepard
w? Vhe Government Inspector by Nikolai ‰ogol
w? astrozzi by ‰eorge F Walker
w? Vhe Vhree Disters by Anton Chekhov
w? Miss Julie by
trindberg
w? chite Biting Ñog by udith Thompson
w? caiting for Godot by
amuel eckett
w? Creeps by David Freeman
w? Vhe Ecstasy of Rita Joe by ‰eorge Ryga
 w? Vhe Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde
w? Dhe Dtoops to Conquer by Oliver ‰oldsmith
w? Vhe Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams
w? Billy Bishop Goes to car by ohn ‰ray
w? Blood Relations by
haron Pollock
w? Úothing Dacred by ‰eorge F Walker

This list is by no means inclusive I have listed some of my favorites and as many classic
works as I can think of Other plays by these Authors are also recommended

** Actors Resources **
w? Vhe
ctors Durvival Kit by Miriam Newhouse & Peter Messaline
w? ÔÔÔ Monologues Ô Minutes and Under: Vhe Ultimate
udition Book by ocelyn
A eard
w? our irst ear in Hollywood by Michael
aint Nicholas
w?
cting for the Camera by Tony arr, Eric
tephan Kline, and Edward Asner

** Technique **
w?
n Method
cting by Edward Dwight Easty
w?How to earn the
lexander Vechnique:
Manual for Dtudentsby arbara &
William Conable
Awareness Heals: The Feldenkrais Method for Dynamic Health by
teven
hafarman

‰ETTIN‰
TARTED

Vable of Contents:

ñ?  ‰etting
tarted in Theatre 

ñ?  ‰etting
tarted in Film 

I've had a lot of email from people requesting information about how to get started in the
acting profession

While I can't possibly know what the theatre or film community is like where you live, I can
help with some general information

** Getting Started in Theatre **

D



I recommend taking acting classes as much as possible Classes not only help refine your
acting technique, they help you discover yourself and grow as a person It's also fun to be
with others who share your passion

If you're already in school, take drama as an option Ask your instructor if there are other
schools in your area that he/she can recommend
Open your local yellow pages In my yellow pages, acting schools are listed under

CHOOº
-PERFORMIN‰ ART

ome theatre companies offer classes too
ometimes the only way to find out if they do is to
call and ask In my yellow pages, theatre companies are listed as THEATRE
-ºIVE




If you have some experience in school or independent theatre productions, list your credits on
a neatly typed and formatted resume You may want to include information on where the
production was performed, what school or theatre company put the production on, and what
part you played


 

Every actor who's actively looking for acting work must have a resume photo When you're
first starting out, you don't have to spend hundreds of dollars As long as the photo is a good
quality xx print, black and white, shows a clear picture of your face, and the picture looks
like you (no characters), it's fine to start with

Any photo lab can do multiple copies of your photo, but they can be expensive If you find
that you're going to a lot of auditions, you'll need to do some further research to find a
company who can do prints cheap

    

Most major cities have theatre companies who put on theatre productions with volunteer
actors This is the best way for someone who's just starting out to build credits for their
resume, network with others, get some exposure to industry professionals, learn the craft, and
have fun
ome companies advertise their auditions in a local paper, but you can also phone
to enquire if a company does amateur productions and when they do auditions If they are
auditioning, make sure to ask what they require you to prepare for your audition


  



There are no hard and fast rules about when to start auditioning for professional theatre
companies If you have a good photo, a resume with at least a few credits, you've had some
positive feedback about your performances and class work, and you feel confidant, go for it

Most professional theatre companies hold a general audition once a year Call the theatre
companies in your area and ask when they'll have their general auditions and what you'll need
to prepare for it

** Getting Started in Film **

D



Classes are very important for the film actor Take them as often as possible

 
 

Keep track of your film credits on your resume If you have a lot of theatre credits, put some
on, but film directors want to see details of your film work first

Make sure your resume photo is very high quality if you're living in a large center where
there is a lot of film work Competition is huge and your presentation must be perfect

Ñ 
 c !

If you live in a city where there is a great deal of film production, independent film schools
and university film departments often need volunteer actors for student films You'll need to
find a school bulletin board for postings unless they advertise in the school or local paper

Independent film productions may advertise in a local paper when they're auditioning for
actors






Casting agencies, as opposed to Talent agencies, do not represent the individual actor, they
work for the film production Casting agents keep photographs of actors and when a director
needs an actor of a particular age or look, the casting agent goes through their books of
photos and call people in to audition

It's often easier to get involved with a casting agency because the casting agent wants to have
as many ages and looks as possible in their books A talent agent can only represent as many
people as they have time to promote and they only want to invest their time promoting actors
who get regular work

You'll usually find casting agencies in cities with a limited amount of film production and
often the casting agent casts both extras (non-speaking) and principle (speaking) roles

 



Talent agencies represent and promote the professional actor There are talent agencies that
represent extras only (non-speaking) and agencies that represent commercial, film and
television actors

When you're just starting out, doing some work as an extra will get you on set and is great
experience It's relatively easy to get signed on with an extra agency

When you're confidant and ready with some credits, you can then work on getting a principle
agent This is an agent who will promote your talents to major casting directors for
commercials, film and television roles A principle agent, if they're good, are often difficult to
get in to see Networking is super important when shopping around for a principle agent
Most often, it'll be a recommendation from someone the agent respects that will get you in
the door At that point, they may ask you to audition for them

You can usually find Talent agencies in cities where there is a lot of film production business
?