Dealing with Difficult Characters: 3 Tips for Success

Students, imagine this: You’ve been cast into a show that you know is going to be awesome. You’re in the middle of rehearsal, and your director has just asked you to do something really embarrassing. What’s an actor to do? Here’s a brief anecdote… Back in elementary school, I was cast in a production of The Taming of the Shrew. I vividly remember being really embarrassed to have to squeal in delight and hug the actor playing my husband onstage. It was the squealing that really embarrassed me—I didn’t want people to laugh at me for making a ridiculous noise. Also, I didn’t fully understand why the director wanted me to do it. I did it in rehearsal once or twice, but during the run of the show, I never actually made the noise. Looking back on it, I know now it would have been much better for the scene and for my character if I had actually committed to the direction given to me. But at the time, I was too embarrassed because I thought I’d look and sound silly. I’m a lot more confident now about looking silly onstage, but of course nobody wants to look foolish. Part of being an actor, however, is learning to really commit 100% to telling the story of the show. That might include doing embarrassing things. Still embarrassed? Let’s break it down and figure out how to deal. 1. First, figure out why you’re embarrassed.Re-read the script/scene. Reflect on the directions you’ve been given. What about it is embarrassing to you? Why are you feeling embarrassed? It may be helpful to write out how you’re feeling. 2. Speak up—sooner, rather than later.Talk to your teacher or director. If it’s something morally, ethically, or safety-related that you have an issue with, you need to talk to your director immediately—preferably before you rehearse the scene. You should never do anything you feel is morally wrong or unsafe onstage. A good director should be able to accommodate your concern and alter or adjust the scene, line, or gesture. If what you’ve been asked to do is not morally objectionable or unsafe (if it’s just embarrassing to you), then of course, still speak up! If possible, suggest alternative ways of performing the scene. This way, you are bringing solutions to the table, rather than just seeming like you’re complaining. If your director doesn’t know about your concerns, then they can’t do anything about it. And, if you wait too long to say something, it may be too late to do anything about it. The director may be able to adjust the scene, but be prepared that they may not be able or willing to. You may have to suck it up and do it—or worse, risk being removed from the scene or re-cast altogether. 3. Remember, it’s not “you.”Actors have to separate themselves from the character they are playing. It’s not “Kerry the person” up on stage, it’s “Sabine” or “Lord Lancaster” or “Bianca.” Your character is the one doing the silly or embarrassing thing. Your friends and family coming to the show are not laughing at YOU, they are laughing at the situation your character is in. Trust that your director can see what you’re doing. Even though it may feel silly or strange, it probably looks really good onstage. Teachers, this is a good talking point to discuss with your students. Have them make a list of similarities and differences between the student and the character they are playing, and how they might react differently than their character. As an exercise, students could write an alternative version of the scene, where their character reacts in a different way than what is written in the script (thus, coming up with an alternate reaction than what the student is embarrassed about). Click the link below for a reflection. 4. Think about other actors who have had to do silly or embarrassing things onstage or on screen.Your favourite actors and actresses have all had to do embarrassing things in their various roles, and on much bigger stages or screens (with the whole world watching). They survived. Just think: if they can do it, so can you! Or, talk to older students and your teachers about their experiences onstage. Listen to their stories and learn from them–they’ve been exactly where you are. 5. Above all…be brave.Actors truly are brave individuals. There are so many people who wouldn’t even dream of walking out on a stage, let alone memorize lines, sing and dance, or have to do something embarrassing. As an actor, you have already made a major achievement by putting yourself out there. So, take the next step, push yourself outside of your comfort zone, trust your director (remember: they can see what you’re doing much more easily than you can), and do your best. Believe me, you will impress everyone with your dedicated performance.

Are you playing Puck in A Midsummer Night’s Dream? One of the seven deadly sins? A banana in an improv scene? A god in a Greek myth? The Lint Roller in The Absolutely Insidious and Utterly Terrifying Truth About Cat Hair? One of the best aspects of theatre performance is that if the actors on stage believe what and who they are presenting, so will the audience. Audience members will suspend their disbelief when they see a talking cat or a piece of baloney come to life on stage. Theatre is the perfect playground for nonhuman characters. Student actors find it challenging to depict nonhuman characters because of the physical component. It’s hard for student actors to get out of their decidedly human bodies. As a result, nonhuman characters often end up looking human. Here are the top 5 tips for playing nonhuman characters:1. Find a different level 2. Find a different shape 3. Get a little uncomfortable 4. Change your natural rhythm of movement 5. Don’t neglect the character’s background 1. Find a different levelStudent actors often occupy space at a medium level. They stand and move on stage the way they do in their regular life. They don’t think about incorporating a variety of levels into their character building. A different level will help them to visually identify a nonhuman character. Ask students how their character occupies space and how it’s different from their own choices. Encourage students to explore levels outside the day to day. Have students kneel or crouch down for a medium low level, or get down flat on the floor and try to move without using arms and legs. Have them run on their tiptoes or stand on the furniture to explore a high space. Push them out of the norm and encourage them to make choices that are out of their comfort zone. 2. Find a different shapeStudents’ bodies follow pretty straight lines (albeit with a bit of a standard slouch). They keep their limbs close to their body and their legs and arms stay straight. They walk one foot after the other in a line. Get students thinking about the possibilities of different body shapes. Have them bend elbows and knees. Raise one shoulder up to their ears. What is the identifying shape for this nonhuman character? Can you you make your body a circle? A triangle? Once students have defined their character’s body shape, ask how they can incorporate shapes into their movement. Does this character roll? How can you roll with your gait? If this character’s defining shape is a triangle with the legs spread out wide, how does that affect your walk? 3. Get a little uncomfortableStanding and moving in a different shape at a different level by its nature is going to be uncomfortable for students. They’re going to want to revert back to their normal ways. Practice holding an uncomfortable stance. Have students discuss how it feels. The goal is not to shy away from new body shapes but to learn how to embrace discomfort. It could be a series of stretches afterward. It could be setting a 10 second limit for the hold and increasing the time over subsequent classes. It could be defining two poses for the character and creating a transition between the poses that releases any tension. 4. Change your natural rhythm of movementThere are so many options when creating a movement rhythm for a character. You can speed up or slow down. You can combine the two in a quick, quick, slow pattern. You can create imbalance in your rhythm by walking on the inside of the left foot and the outside of the right foot. You can drag the left leg behind in a limp. Before asking students to define a rhythm of movement for their nonhuman character, have them practice possible ways of moving. Start students moving at a 1 (where 1 is slower than a turtle and 10 is all out running) and play with speed. Have students walk on their toes, their heels, and all points in between. Get them to walk with their feet close together and far apart. Encourage students to move as differently than their natural rhythm as possible. 5. Don’t neglect character backgroundDefining the physicality for a nonhuman character doesn’t stop with the body. Character details can influence physicality. Sometimes students assume they don’t have to come up with the same details as they would with a human character. The answers certainly won’t be the same as they would be for a human character. Who would make up the family of one of the seven deadly sins? What would Greed’s pet peeve be? What would Sloth’s favourite food be? Identifying character details gives an actor more to work with and that’s essential for a nonhuman character. You don’t want to present a novelty piece. A nonhuman character needs to be as three dimensional as any other character. Once students come up with these details, ask “How can these details be incorporated into your character’s physicality?” The more they practice different physical choices, the easier it will be to create a nonhuman character.

Recently we shared a post about theatrical time management for students . However, it’s not just students who need to plan ahead and consider their schedules. Teachers and directors need to be even more organized, since they have to consider not only their schedule, but everyone in the cast and crew’s schedules! With some smart planning and clear communication, directors can keep their rehearsal and production schedule running smoothly. Here are five tips to help directors reduce scheduling issues during the rehearsal process. 1. Be upfront about your rehearsal schedule and performance dates, as well as your expectations and any rules for missing rehearsal. Let students know these dates during auditions or beforehand (if possible). It will hopefully save people from disappointment, if they’re cast and then have to drop out because of conflicts. Also, be very clear about your expectations regarding attendance and lateness. Do you have a three-strike policy? Who do students contact if they have to miss a rehearsal? When rehearsals are missed, how do students get caught up? Are technicians and crew members expected to attend all rehearsals? It should go without saying, but it is unacceptable for a student to miss a technical or dress rehearsal, or any performance dates. The only way a student could continue to participate is if there is a predetermined solution that has been approved by the director (for example: a substitute technician or available understudy). 2. Ask for conflicts from your cast and crew in advance. Get this information in writing so you can refer back to it later. Let everyone know when the cut-off date for conflicts is. After that date, no more conflicts will be allowed. This will cut down on the number of instances a student comes up to you at the end of rehearsal and says, “I won’t be here at next rehearsal. I have ________ conflict.” A technique I’ve found very useful is to take a calendar template, highlight the rehearsal dates, and mark down the names of anyone who has a previous commitment in blue pen. If someone is absent without letting us know in advance, their name goes on the calendar in red pen. If they are late, I use another colour. It’s a really simple yet effective way of keeping a visual record of attendance. 3. Make a rehearsal schedule in advance and let students know about it with plenty of time. Don’t waste students’ time by calling them to a rehearsal they’re not needed to attend. They’ll just sit there, possibly distracting the other students, and feel resentful that they’re not doing anything. Try to give at least two weeks of rehearsal schedules at a time, so students can plan ahead. Sometimes calling all students to rehearsal is necessary (even if they aren’t in every scene being rehearsed), so encourage them to bring along a book or some homework to keep them occupied and quiet during downtime. Or, even better, they could be using the time to work on learning their lines. 4. Respect everyone’s time. Don’t keep students for hours after the scheduled rehearsal time to cram in those last few notes or to run that scene “one more time.” We all know in theatre that it’s never just “one more time!” Students are so busy with homework, part-time jobs, other extracurricular activities, and are frequently at the mercy of parents and family members for rides. Get a big clock and set it up where you can see it, and end rehearsal right on time (or better yet, five minutes early, so everyone can help tidy the rehearsal space before they leave!). 5. Give clear and specific timelines to everyone involved in the show —actors, crew members, designers, technicians, etc. Let them know when you expect off-book day to be. Let your costume and props team know when you’d like to have a costume parade and when you want to start working with props. Work with your producer to find out what dates you want certain marketing to occur on. The more organized you are with your timeline, the better your show process will run.