Getting Upstaged

Getting upstaged is a common expression in the theater. It can happen figuratively, but I'm going to talk about it figuratively.

Right here in this picture is a great example of what you SHOULD do if there is an actor downstage of you. See how the actress in blue is still visible? She knows to shift her body weight on the sofa so that the audience can still see her, even though the actress in black is downstage. (Please view my earlier post titled "Upstage, Downstage" if you're unfamiliar with these terms.)

It is important to remember that it is the upstage actor's job to make sure he can be seen. The downstage actor is probably speaking, he may be facing out to the audience, he may be reacting to something. Most assuredly, he's got his back to you people who are upstage. In that case, since he's probably busy, and doesn't have eyes in the back of his head, this is wh

y the upstage actor can't blame the downstage actor for blocking him. He can't see you! Just counter and shift naturally so that you can be seen by the audience.

Now this is a bad example. See how there's the skirt and shoes of the upstage actress, but you can't see her face? If she had just scootched left or right, she wouldn't be upstaged.

So know you know! Stay visible out there!

Stage Voices

Good day Gentle Readers,

Today's blog is a call for help. I don't have an answer for this one. But I have noticed a phenomenon of stage voices. It's when people put on a fake voice when they're onstage. And it's usually the same voice no matter what the character is.

I know two women who change their voice into this falsetto screeching. Maybe they think it's dramatic? I know two men who put on an English accent. Maybe they think they sound posh? I know another woman who puts on a baby-voice. Maybe she thinks it's sexy? I know another man whose voice turns into a nasally whine onstage. I have no idea what he thinks he's doing.

I don't know. But I know that all of these people have very normal, lovely voices during rehearsals and when I talk to them offstage. WHY do they have this affectation when onstage????

Double Trouble

A note on double-teaming. This goes for double-casting and double directing: It never works.

When you have two directors....their vision is rarely in sync, so they give conflicting notes. And like good parents, they should present a unified front to their children. The cast gets frustrated when director A tells them one thing and director B tells them something else. Also, they really should confer on their notes before they give them to the cast so they don't disagree in front of the cast. It's a little awkward.

As far as double casting goes? I'm never, ever, ever for it. Some people say you should double cast children. I say, if this is the hobby they've chosen, they should know what they're getting into. And it requires late nights and time management. If little Susie can't hack it, she needs to go to ballet instead.

So...yeah. Also, there is never enough rehearsal time. The non-doubled actors have more strain because they have had half as much time rehearsing with the doubled-actors. They never know what to expect. And the doubled-actors have to work twice as hard to catch up. Also, the rest of the cast knows who's the better of the doubled-actors so someone winds up feeling shunned. It's just never a good idea.

So I ask, why bother?!?!? It just creates more work and frustration for everyone involved.

Doors and Sardines

"If we can just get through the play once tonight - for doors and sardines. That's what it's all about, doors and sardines. Getting on, getting off. Getting the sardines on, getting the sardines off. That's farce. That's - that's the theatre. That's life." ~ Noises Off

If you're a theater person, you've probably seen Noises Off. And if you haven't, stop reading my blog and go watch it right now. It's hysterical. It's my favorite comic play. But anyway....

Sometimes directors and actors get bogged down in details. They tell you not to raise your arm, or raise your arm on THAT WORD.....making the poor actor feel like a robot instead of a person, let alone an artist.

Sometimes, it's the actors who can't see the forest for the trees.

I can't tell you how many times during the rehearsal process for the play I'm currently in I've heard "Where's the door?" And then the director will walk onto the "set" (which is really just taped off sections of the floor in the church where we rehearse) and point to where the door is on the floor......only to have the actor ask "And does it open in or out?"

Dude......wait, before I fly off the handle, let me say that I mean no disrespect, and I don't mean to sound flip but....

Aren't we all adults? Don't we walk through doors every day? Does this actor wake up in the morning and think "Oh my god, I'm going to walk through doors today and I DON"T KNOW WHICH WAY THEY OPEN RIGHT NOW!!!!!" ?

I doubt it. I bet when he comes to the door, he just opens it.

Which is why I do not understand why actors get flustered about this during rehearsals. If you're rehearsing in a church basement.....there's no door, there's probably no furniture you're really going to be using on set either, and heads up, there aren't any props, or costumes or audience.....so why would you worry about the door swinging in or out at this point? When the set gets built, you'll see the door and you'll figure out how to open it. Trust me. You're a big boy. You put your pants on every morning and you face the world. I don't think a non-existent door on a non-existent set is anything to waste the rest of the actors' time with.

Just learn your lines and focus on your character and the doors will sort themselves out when they're built.

So yeah.....everybody take a deep breath and enjoy the forest without picking on every single tree. Your cast will appreciate it.