Thursday, October 27, 2011

My Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and the Rehearsal Process

I haven't mentioned much about my OCD symptoms in the latest series of posts because, in my experience, most serious issues tend to crop up around tech week, and because I find it more universally helpful to address acting techniques than compulsive rituals.

I've been assured by other actors that having elaborate dreams about being onstage in pajamas, or without knowing my lines or queues, is entirely normal for anyone in the theater business and this phenomenon has very little to do with me, or my obsessive compulsive disorder.

However, the month (or longer) of straight rehearsal time can be hard on the nerves.

In my experience, there will be times when you feel as though you live at the theater and just visit everywhere else. With an anxiety disorder, this can be a problem.

Sunday, October 23, 2011

Rehearsals, Part Three

As I already mentioned in Part One, this will probably be the time where you'll get your chance to talk more in depth to your director about your character,and where he or she will give you specifics about how to "act."

Once you start running through the show, he or she will also start giving notes.  Since notes are a very important part of the process, I think I'll do a post completely devoted to them at a later time.

For now, I'd like to talk a little about creating your character. 

What your director tells you might be very specific.  I've known directors to help their actors build characters from the ground up.  On the other hand, I recently did a show where the only specific character note I was ever given was "Maybe he's a chromosome short."

All of this will be very dependent on your director, but also on you.

Sunday, October 16, 2011

Rehearsals, Part Two

This is a continuation of my discussion on the subject of rehearsals located here

I've talked a great deal about how important it is to memorize your lines, and since it's always a popular topic, I thought some tips on how to actually memorize lines.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Rehearsals, Part One

After the blocking (discussed here in Early Blocking and here in Secondary Blocking Tips) is finished, more specific rehearsal time can begin.

The point of blocking is to allow the director to very broadly sketch out they way he or she wants the play to look.  Now, he can put the details in.

This part of the rehearsal process can be the most fun.
 

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Secondary Blocking Tips

I've learned that blocking can, at times, seem to drag on- and what I mean by that is that it will drag on.  It really, really will.

Blocking is a very in depth process, which is basically code for a lot of work. Keeping that in mind, here are a few more of my observations.

Bear in mind that everything in the acting process is a least somewhat unique to the person.  My experiences won't necessarily reflect yours, but I'd like to share some more tips that I've found useful.

Saturday, October 1, 2011

Early Blocking

Once the play is cast and the read-through is over, blocking can begin.

This is your chance to really settle into the theater where you'll spending a lot of your time.  Depending on the play and the director, this can take anything from a week to a month (or sometimes even more).  For that reason, I'll do several sections on the subject.

Until then, here are a few tips for the beginning actor blocking for the first time.