Recap: In our acting segment of class I am giving a lecture series. This is a new technique we are attempting to try to give the student a base to work off of before putting principles into action. More importantly, through their written answers, we will know if they truly understand and internalize the concepts. Last weeks lesson: losing yourself.
Part Three- Becoming A Character
Now, you have found your personal calling and conscience as a performer. You understand and are able to 'Lose Yourself'; you are ready to start becoming a character. In The Outline in "Act Baby Intro" Becoming A character is split up into 4 subsections, Today I will do 2 and then the final 2 next Tuesday!
1. Identify and interpret your character
2. Determine our characters full purpose
So you are going into an audition, you received a lead in a musical, you are an extra in a play, you are about to perform an improv skit; in every one of these situations we have a character to identify. Whether it is one we are creating or a work of another's we must delve into our first step is to identify......WHO AM I.
I'll take 2 contrasting situations to explain.
First, you have received a part with a name, Simone, and some lines in a musical....now what? (honestly you should have went pretty deep into the characters when you auditioned for the show but we'll take it from this point) Write a character sketch, a detailed one. Answer the questions Who? What? Why? When? Where? and How? for your character. Understand "Simone's" favorite color, aspirations,home life, appearance, gait, facial expressions, and more. Some of this will be given to you through a character description and within the show's, dialogue but much of the information will have to be created by you. This information should feel more like a discovery of something that already is as opposed to a creation of something new. Read the entire script methodically, everything you "discover" should be in perfect sync with "Simone's" part in the story and should contribute to the script, not be in contrast with the way the character is written to speak and act. This info should fulfill, not change, the character. Draw a picture of "Simone" now. See yourself as this image. Take all the information you now have and start to see how "Simone" would act in situations. See it come to life; see yourself bringing it to life.
In improv, auditions, and ensemble work I see, especially from beginner students, a lack of understanding of finding a character independent from ourselves. In reality each of these grant more freedom to the actor to create and it is more necessary for him to do so (no small parts only small actors). So, situation two: you are about to go up to perform in an improv class. Here you quickly do, albeit modified and more mentally than physically, everything in situation one. This can completely change your abilities to quickly think and react on your feet. You will be a dynamic performer.
This brings us to the next step, CHARACTER'S PURPOSE. When improvising this is the most important thing. You must know your end goal; comedy, drama, or suspense you will need to know where the scene is beginning, going to, and then ending. Your overall purpose is to get to each point but within that you have a particular character's purpose and this reaches across all areas of performance.
1. purpose of the show
2. author's purpose in writing the character into the show
(a) how does he move along the story, what are the consequences to his actions
(b)what was the author saying to the audience with the character
3. Your purpose in playing the character
4.Your characters purpose within the show
(a) what are the characters dreams and ambitions, why does he exist, what is his purpose to live
(b) every scene, every action
You can have every piece of the puzzle but if you don't know the purpose you are lost.
Knowing the full purpose of your character will open a new world to you. Directors will love you when you come to them to "make sure you are capturing their vision", wink wink.
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