Stage Write

…yes, this will be my second post in one night. But I put the blame on a 24-oz. energy drink & a recent onslaught of theatre-heavy conversations.

Acting. What is it anyway?
I’ve been a part of so many debates lately – both in & outside of class – pondering this exact question.

Some say it’s a process. Those in this school of thought record every minute detail of their work – from the games they play in rehearsal to the detailed hems of their costumes. They examine, deliberate, research, dissect. They seem to treat it more like an equation than an experience.

Others seem to approach it as a deeply-reflective, meditative practice. Something that requires vocal warm-ups, deep-breathing, & limbering stretches. These actors seem more intent on the rhythmic, therapeutic-like physicalities of acting.

Another method is the academic approach, the intense study of the text behind it all. Actors who work in this manner are incredibly cerebral in their preparation: scansion, operative words, etymological reasoning… Lexical motivation for their physical choice.

…I personally have no idea where I fit in in all of this.
Mind you, a.) there is no “right” or “wrong” way; it’s all preference, & b.) I’m fairly certain these aren’t actual “categories” of actor methods; these are simply my own personal observations… which really mean nothing at all.

I approach acting as, well, life.
It sounds horrifically cheesy, but to me, it’s the simplest way of putting it – because acting IS simple.
Anyone who has laughed, cried, gotten jealous, lost their tempers – anyone who has felt anything at all – can act. Because what are characters but renditions of humans? What is theatre except a mirror?

But – again, in my humble opinion – I think actors go wrong when they don’t simply… let go; when they let all the fluff & the thinking get ahead of them. They allow the processes to paralyze them. There’s nothing wrong with a systematic process so long as the emotion comes through. But I think more often than not, actors forget the one essential ingredient: heart.

I don’t know. I could be terribly wrong in this manner of thinking. And again, it all comes down to preference. No two actors work the same way (which in itself is pretty fascinating).

But this is the only way I personally know how to do it. I just… approach it instinctively. Yes, it’s rather stripped of its “craft,” but for me this is the most effective method – plus, I enjoy it more. =) I’ve always felt that a character in a play is textually-based enough as it is; why confine them to more text? Get them on their feet, let them breathe. It’s fun!

Now, don’t mistake me, this doesn’t mean I don’t put thought behind it all. Because I do. I put a lot of thought into it. But I try to put in equal amounts of thought & feeling.

But… this why I’ve always felt that theatre is the purest, most sensational art – because it draws directly from the veins of humanity. Unlike music, visual art, or writing, no prior knowledge or exposure is needed to understand its language; whether you’ve studied for years at Yale or you just crawled out of a gutter somewhere, everyone has “been there” in some way or another.

And I think that’s beautiful. =)