Acting

I was 8 years old, doing Grade 3 in 1974, and my Teacher organised us to prepare for a year-end drama piece. We chose to do the "Prodigal Son," and it should be borne in mind that I had never acted before, but was eager and curious to do it as my first love was choral music. On the day of the performance, after intense rehearsals, I received a standing ovation for portraying the lead (the prodigal son). That is what inspired me at that tender age, but when I reached Higher Primary school, it was back to choral music, and when I arrived at High School, I was spotted by a poetry group that was also doing stage plays (theatre). In all the theatre productions they produced, I played the Leads. It is after this realisation that I thought that I could pursue this talent in a tertiary institution, but I had no money as my parents had divorced when I was doing my final year at High School. After high school, I auditioned with the legendary Gibson Kente Productions, who is regarded as the "Father of South African protest theatre". I was accepted and later got a scholarship to study drama and speech with the Soyikwa Institute of African Theatre

I grew up in a cultural desert in post World War II Hull, East Yorkshire. Life was in shades of grey, and the city was still straddled with bomb craters from the Nazi assaults. Then one day, I was taken for an extremely rare visit to the theatre - not to see a play, but a production of Swan Lake. I didn’t fully understand what I was watching, I just knew I wanted to be part of that magic in some form or other. I didn’t train as a dancer, but instead went to The Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London to start my journey. But that rare, precious trip to the theatre was the experience that started it all.

My inspiration happened at the age of ten. My

uncle, Don DeNatale had just returned from

Hollywood filming his first Merchant/Ivory, The Wild Party with Raquel Welch, James Coco and Perry King. He was my childhood hero along with my father and brother and my cousin. My uncle spoke of the experience and something clicked in me. Or was at that age I started to understand things and from that point on my love for acting, whether it was film, stage or television grew and grew. I am grateful for that beginning moment.

That fall, I was in my first school play. It was about the first Thanksgiving and I played the Native American Indian. I had one line. I still remember it today. It was so pure, innocent and a lot of fun to play.

Paul Robeson and James Earl Jones; Carl Anderson and the cast of JCSS which I saw several times as a child. Then Colm Wilkerson and the cast of Les Misérables in Kansas City (1987) and subsequent cities during my travels.

I really am interested in hearing the feedback on this. Directors please weigh in as well.

a great question Adriana Cannata - one way to approach the answer is to look at what an actor will do with the script and, more to your question, with a scene in the script. A LOT could be said on the subject you're bringing up, but the VERY short version:

- along with the director, the actor needs to determine the 'what,' meaning the objective in that scene. sometimes the dialogue will plainly say "I will get to the bomb before they do;" more often (hopefully) it will be more like "I will never allow anything to happen to you" for example. Takeaway: for actors, subtext is oxygen.

- maybe with the director, but also on their own, the actors will craft the 'why.' Meaning the stakes of that scene. And one way to figure it out is to ask what happens if I DO NOT reach my objective in the scene? The cool thing about that, whether anyone wants to admit it or not, is that the screenwriter could have one 'why' in mind for that character, the director decide on another one, and the actor use yet another 'why' that connect with them... and the scene will still be amazing! :) Takeaway: 'why' is only a concern between the script and the actor if the justification for the objective or the action isn't tight. Then the actor and/or director has to make it up.

So actors love subtext and a tight (meaning 'justified') narrative and emotional structure.

I think screenwriters get into most trouble with the 'how.' For actors, if the 'what' is the oxygen and the 'why' is the beating heart, the 'how' is life itself - telling an actor HOW to do something is a killer. Most often we may do it with adverbs i.e., 'she GENTLY wiped his tear from his cheek' - first, the good actor will simply ignore we ever wrote that because she'll be too busy living in the moment and reacting off her scene partner. If she is told to do it in a certain way as in the script, then we're dealing with a not so good director. IF the director wants to have it be gentle, she has to find a way to manipulate the actor to do it that way as if coming from the actor's own sense of the moment.

IF, however, it's important to the structure of the plot that the character 'blinks' (to use your example) than that's perfectly OK and it is the actor's job to make look natural for that moment.

And for the short answer haha : screenwriters, in my opinion, will serve their scripts better if they refrain from anything that comes close to telling actors 'how' to act in a specific moment, unless it is key for the plot. And I would stretch this even further and say that directors should try to do the same whenever possible.

What Sebastian Tudores said. As a theater actress, I will tell you that when doing and origianl play, all the actions you read in a play occurred from the first performance. Other than the stage directions- all the actions (she blinks tiwice, she picks up the plate of sardines) those were the choices made by the actors and the director. So as far as screenwriting goes, the only actions that should be in the script are those necessary to drive the plot forward. (she picks ups the knife and stabs him) .

The next performance of the play, the actors and director will make different choices based on their interpretation. i.e. instead of picking up the plate of sardines I may put on my hat. So again, unless you don't want to leave anything open to interpreation, then put that action in. I think Shakespeare is a good example of what actions are necessary as his plays haven't been infused with the Broadway production actions.

Stephen Olson wish I was in the East Coast so I could volunteer but far away from there.

Stephen you can post in the job section and I would also recommend Craigslist. That's always a good trade for those starting out.

This is actually amazing, especially for freshers it could be a start into the industry.I would've definitely volunteered but East Coast out of reach..

Thanks everyone for your comments, but aren't there anyone from the East Cost on here?

Hi Stephen Olson you can search for actors in your area by going to the browse tab

https://www.stage32.com/blog/how-to-successfully-navigate-the-stage-32-p...

Hi Timothy Miller I think I would find the first three as a challenge. I considre myself a dramatic actress, and when I was cast in a comedic role, it was a struggle at first. (that is what rehearsals are for!) I stopped telling myself I am not a comedic actress, I can do this. It felt unnatural at first, the over top movements, the exaggerated line readings, the more I did it, the more natural i became.

I am not sure I could play someone who is particulary or traumatized for my own mental health. It would definately be something I would need to work on with my therapist.

Suzanne Bronson that is fantastic, knowing what your limitations are will boost your performance, breaking through those limitations will make your acting even better.

This is great Laura Hammer Especially for the newbies or for those who come from the theater, a set is a whole different animal.

This will be great for all us actors to consider Laura Hammer while we remake all of those Shakespearean Stage plays, now that the real Bard has re-entered.

Andrew Horvitz you can search out actors in your area, by going to the browse tab and putting in your city. Members in your city will pop up and you can reach out to them and start cultivating those relationships. I encourage you to make connections here and Introduce Yourself lounge. I assure there are people willing to read via video calling as well.

Here is a blog that will help you: How to Successfully Navigate the Stage 32 Platform

https://www.stage32.com/blog/how-to-successfully-navigate-the-stage-32-p...

Thank you Aaron Marcus

Wow, I had no idea. Thank you so much for sharing this. Are you familiar with Good Faith Casting? I have an audition with them today. I believe they are based in AZ

Heard of them. Yes, they are here,. Would love to know you thought of them. That's all I will say here. DM me your thoughts.

What address should I use to DM you?

Just DM me through here

Tried sending you a personal note. It kept saying delivering. Let me know if you received my message.

I don't understand your question Andrew Horvitz Actors don't pitch a project unless they wrote it. Actors audition for projects that are cast by casting directors. Are you asking how to start auditioning? Or do you have a project you want to pitch? Those are two different things.