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Ride Your Feelings with Confidence

Patty Craft — Tue, 07 May 2024 19:22:08 +0000

Feelings. They’re powerful, and as a Thespian, you probably have plenty to contend with – nerves before auditions, anxiety leading up to a performance, and the general stress of being a student.

When you successfully manage emotions, they can help you become a better actor and find more joy in your theatre journey. But how do you learn to make your feelings an advantage?

Math Matters, Here’s Why

Wait! You thought we were talking about feelings and now you see the M-word: math. Fear not, we’re only talking about the basic math of the booking ratio.

In simple terms, a booking ratio is the assumed number of auditions an actor does to get cast once (or to be booked). In the professional world of acting, agents have an expectation of how many auditions are reasonable for an actor to do before winning a part.

For example, an agent’s booking ratio may be 1:25, meaning 25 auditions should lead to one booked gig.

Both sides of this equation

First, think about the ratio from an actor’s point of view. You may need to prepare and audition for 25 different shows to get one role! That’s an average, of course, and your actual experience could be fewer or more auditions.

Understanding a booking ratio this way helps you avoid living and dying by each single audition. Prepare methodically, then show up with passion and a desire for the part. Once you’ve done what you can to stand out, trust the process.

Second, the flip side of the booking ratio from the agent’s point of view helps actors understand that it’s a realistic expectation to do 25 auditions to earn a role.

Set your own booking ratio

The professional world of acting is a much larger sphere than your high school troupe’s productions and/or community theatre opportunities combined. Yet now is a great time to set realistic goals and, again, not live or die by each audition’s results.

Know how many opportunities lie ahead in your high school and/or college theatre career. Set a goal, prepare, and trust the process. The reality of auditioning beyond your school career will seem less brutal with a realistic approach.

Audition Prep Includes Positive Thinking

A wise mentor once said: “YOU are not sad. Sadness is on you.”

Let’s back up. Imagine another audition is coming and you’re eager to get a part in the show. You’re nervous about the actual audition, happy about the opportunity, then suddenly “sadness is on you.” Those emotions of sadness may include a heaviness in your body, tears springing to your eyes, a tightness in your throat. Why? Because you remember not getting a part in the last two auditions.

Suddenly your mind thinks: “I’m not good enough to be an actor, so why am I even auditioning? I’m making a fool of myself trying out and no one is telling me how bad I am!”

Stop right there. When sadness is on you, YOU are not sad. You’re having a combination of body reactions then thoughts. Yes, it can be uncomfortable or even downright painful so go ahead and set a timer and ugly cry for five minutes. We get it.

After five minutes though, remind yourself you have power over those thoughts and stop them immediately. Take a cue from the meme that says, “You’ll talk more to yourself than anyone else in your lifetime. Talk kindly.”

Negative thoughts waste valuable prep time

If you’ve decided to audition, and you have a legitimate concern that you need to improve in a specific area, talk with your troupe director. Get input from trusted advisors on how to sharpen your skills for a better chance of winning a role. Use positive thoughts to redirect your focus on productivity that helps you grow.

Once you’ve stopped that rash of negative thoughts, ask yourself what you’ve learned since those previous auditions when you didn’t get a role. Remind yourself, for example, that you’ve learned to make better audition selections. Or remind yourself that the weight training, running, or yoga you’ve been practicing has helped you be more physically able to handle on-stage fight scenes. Even remind yourself of the booking ratio and the fact you’re not going to get every part (1:25!).

You Got the Part! Now, the Next Hurdle

Congratulations! Now let’s get ready for the rigor of rehearsals. The director’s job is to bring all the parts of a production together for a thrilling performance. Their job is, in part, to identify problems with the show and work with the team to solve them for a better outcome.

It’s important to have thick skin during rehearsals. What do we mean by “thick skin?” Train yourself to not react negatively to criticism or corrections. Learn to listen to the corrections with an open mind. Regardless of how the critique sounds, there’s goodwill behind it: the director wants to help you have your best possible performance.

Directors are only human. Like you, they’ve likely had a long day before even getting to rehearsal. And just as your personal life or your physical well-being changes from one day to the next, so does the director’s. We rarely know what others are dealing with.

Of course, if you think you’re consistently being unfairly treated by the director, make an appointment to speak with them, face to face, outside of rehearsal. Be ready to share a couple specific examples of when you felt you were treated unfairly and give them a chance to respond. Clear communication, paired with your thick skin, will go a long way. Together you’ll likely forge a stronger working relationship.

Emotions Are an Asset, Not a Lability

As a Thespian, there’s a chance emotions are even more present in your day-to-day as you step out of your comfort zone on and off the stage. The bottom line is it’s OK to feel them.

The thing to focus on is how you turn them into an asset. Whether it’s putting rejections into perspective with your booking rate, setting intentions during your audition prep, or opening yourself to feedback once you get a part, there’s plenty of strategies to try.

And if all else fails, remember, the best plays and musicals are the ones that take the audience on an emotional roller coaster – leverage yours to make it happen!

Patty Craft is a regular contributor to Dramatics.org.

The post Ride Your Feelings with Confidence appeared first on Dramatics Magazine Online.

How Theatre Prepares You for Any Job

Patty Craft — Thu, 18 Apr 2024 15:15:08 +0000

Whichever adult(s) in your world mentor you on how to succeed in life, chances are, at least one has said something like, “You can’t make a living in theatre!” As frustrating as it is to hear, let’s assume they mean well. They want you to be able to eventually support yourself in a comfortable lifestyle, and they fear a career in the arts is just too unpredictable — even though that may not actually be the case.

Let’s dispel the idea that reliable employment is only found outside the arts and remind our mentors and ourselves that fear isn’t always right.

The theatre skills you learn in school are vital to success in nearly every field of work, and when the time comes, you’ll find a way to pursue the arts out in the real world if it’s your true passion. Meanwhile, let’s do a refresher on the value of what you’re learning now.

5 Ways Your Theatre Skills Transition to the Workforce

The Bard must have seen into the future and discovered the current social media scene! Shakespeare’s line from As You Like It, “All the world’s a stage,” is embodied on social media every day. Now, you’re wise enough to know that the most effective social media feeds employ serious planning, staging, editing, and branding. Long gone is the notion that a person can simply hold up their smart phone, record themselves, and go viral with their clip!

Even beyond social media, successful entrepreneurs, teachers, doctors, lawyers, political leaders, and, yes, actors, use theatre skills daily. Not to mention there are plenty of theatre careers to consider and many ways that your theatre lessons can transfer to real-life roles. Case in point: Read our story of a self-proclaimed music kid who is now a successful sound designer.

So let’s explore the skills you already have that can help you land the perfect job.

1. Inspired public speaking can be learned.

First off, get your voice warmed up to do its job. Maybe this sounds silly, but warming up your vocal cords and preparing to enunciate so listeners can clearly hear your message is important for speakers as well as singers. Try these tongue-twisters for actors and have fun as you get ready to inspire.

Along with getting your body ready to speak, remember the power of pacing and emphasizing your words. You can partner up with another Thespian and experiment with this technique, taking turns speaking and listening. How does emphasizing too many words distract the listener? How does a slower or faster pace affect the message? Does it become more urgent if said quickly?

2. Clear communication matters everywhere.

Yes, we live in the age of text messaging and texting abbreviations abound. Maybe you’ve experienced miscommunications based on text messages that have left you laughing or crying.

Text messaging is often misinterpreted for several reasons. Perhaps the sender meant their words as a joke, for example, but the recipient couldn’t hear the laughter in their voice or see sender’s body language.

It may be trite and it’s true: An actor’s body is their instrument. The subtleties of facial expressions, hand gestures, vocal inflection, and even the direction in which an actor is speaking all tell part of the story. Try these exercises to improve your presence on stage or improve your general communication skills. You’ll find yourself giving new thought to how you walk, use your hands, and even how you use your facial expressions.

Investing in physical training is always worth the time and effort, especially when we remember how powerful our body is in communicating clearly.

3. Effective collaboration is vital to every show’s success.

We’ve all been part of a group assignment outside of theatre where some contribute more than others. And we’ve felt the resentment of having to carry other people’s loads for that assignment to succeed. Don’t be the one not contributing—you won’t learn anything from the experience, and you’ll be a burden to others in the group.

Theatre teaches collaboration intrinsically. Each member of the company—from the producer and director to all the cast members, technicians, and ushers—have a key job to do for the production to be successful. If even just one person’s job doesn’t get done, it affects the end result. Learning to understand your piece of the puzzle, own it, and execute it with commitment and authority while also leaving room for others to do the same is a valuable skill. Our directors are there to coach us when ideas abound or priorities collide, so learning to let go, readjust, and continue forward in a slightly new direction without derailing the process for everyone is also just as important in the real world as it is in the theatre.

4. Commitment to a collaborative effort includes everyone agreeing on the goal.

In theatre, one short scene in which a character’s greatest challenge is revealed can be the key to understanding their motives. Learning to work with others, whether in an acting scene or on the props crew, improves your value to a show.

When it comes to commitment, do what you say you’re going to do. For example, if you’re struggling to find a costume that’s on your list, speak up sooner rather than later. Maybe someone else on the crew knows exactly where to find that period piece of clothing.

Also, find the courage to say you can’t take on a particular assignment when you know it’s outside your ability or skill set. Perhaps offer to switch with someone who has the required skills. Saying “yes” when you know you can’t do what’s asked sets everyone up for failure. And the other person may have the desire to take on something else. Win/win!

5. Become more coachable and you’ll go far!

What does it mean to be coachable? There are a couple million results if you Google this query, but it comes down to a willingness to change. Yes, the willingness to set our egos aside and try new things that may (or may not) work. It’s an admission that your initial attempt might not be the best or only way to achieve a goal, and feeling safe enough to try a different approach that might not come as easily for you. Being adaptable to various viewpoints and experimenting to get the desired result is a highly transferable skill desired in almost every profession.

And it’s something you’re likely already doing with your castmates, director, or theatre teacher.

Being coachable means having a genuine curiosity about different techniques or beliefs. Communication coach John Millen has these six tips you can learn to be more coachable and ultimately more successful.

Success Beyond the High School Stage

Whether you’re taking on a leadership role and need to command attention on the “work stage,” are leveraging your years of script analysis to improve your written communication, or just working with new people and are looking to create healthy boundaries and collaboration, transferring the skills you’ve learned as a Thespian can go a long way toward helping you advance.

Patty Craft is a regular contributor to Dramatics.org.

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The Art of Casting

Natalie Clare — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 18:15:49 +0000

Any given production of theatre is brimming with different artistic talents. Lighting design, choreography, costume design, performance — and even casting. That’s how Stephanie Klapper views her role as a casting director for theatre, film, television, orchestras, and other streaming media.

“We’re a designer of the cast,” she says. “Our artistry is a little different to nail down, but I think that’s what we have. That’s our secret.”

Klapper and her team at Stephanie Klapper Casting (SKC) work with directors and producers to connect performers with artistic opportunities. On new pieces and musicals, her team also works closely with the playwright, composer, lyricist, and book writer. As Klapper describes, they develop a deep understanding of the stories and characters in the script, interpret the directors’ wants and needs, and locate opportunities for actors and performers to bring roles to life.

Just like the designers on any given production, their work comes to fruition on opening night when the house lights dim, and the cast takes the stage. Dramatics chatted with Klapper to explore her views on the craft, how she works with her team, and what makes her job so creatively satisfying.

The Process of Casting a Show

SKC is based in New York City. They partner with theatre artists to cast productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway, at regional theatres across the country, on stages abroad, for television and films, for web-based projects, and for audio streaming works.

When asked how many projects she and her team at SKC cast every year, Klapper says simply, “I don’t count. It’s a lot. We’re very, very fortunate, and it’s rare we’re not doing something.”

No two projects are exactly alike when it comes to casting. Sometimes the SKC team has a few months to cast and other times they have to cast on the fly if a production needs to fill or replace a role immediately. Klapper can recall many times when an actor needed to leave a production due to illness or family emergency, but the show was already running and needed a new performer to step in ASAP. She can also recall a few times when an actor was presented with another opportunity and the SKC team had mere hours left to fill the role.

Nevertheless, Klapper says their process typically unfolds as follows: a director or producer sends Klapper the script, she and the SKC team read and discuss it, they receive character descriptions and character breakdowns from the director, and they bring in actors to audition for the director.

“It’s important to know what directors are looking for, and our job is really to get inside their heads,” Klapper says. “We translate what they say and begin to understand aesthetically where they’re coming from and what the larger project is going to be like. That helps us in terms of the actors we bring in for them.”

Klapper says SKC funnels the input and character breakdown they receive from the creative team into their casting process. They consider people who they have previously worked with as well as people who are recommended by the creative team, people who are both represented and unrepresented by agents, and people whose work has been submitted to them. They keep and reference a list of actors who have auditioned for them and actors who they have been following.

SKC’s relationships with managers and agents are also instrumental to their casting process. Additionally, Klapper watches shows in New York City and around the country and works as a teaching artist and guest lecturer, helping to meet and identify emerging talent and broaden the actor pool to choose from.

Depending on the theatre and the client they’re working with, they’ll hold preliminary auditions in person or virtually, then they’ll coordinate schedules with the director for in-person callback sessions, after which the director makes the final casting choices.

Giving Performers Opportunities to Shine

Klapper says there are a few misconceptions about casting and the culture surrounding it. In particular, she says casting directors are often thought of as “the gatekeepers of the world and the people who prevent people from moving forward.” That’s not how she sees herself, her team, or her professional peers.

“I think, almost unilaterally, casting [directors] get great joy from giving people opportunities. It happens in different ways and everybody’s different in how they do that,” Klapper says. “For me, I just really love giving people the opportunity to shine.”

Being insightful is also a big part of their job. They may spot an opportunity an actor might overlook, based on their skills and talents.

“Sometimes productions are about giving people opportunities to find their talent within a role,” she says. “Maybe we’ve seen something in a performer they don’t even know yet, but they have some special ‘Spidey skill’ that we know this part will help them to shine in.”

Klapper describes the SKC team as bright, caring, respectful, and kind people who care deeply about what they do and about giving people opportunities. It’s an open-minded environment that welcomes different perspectives.

“We have great conversations about not just our profession but the world at large and what’s going on right now. I think we all come from different places of thinking, and I think we’re all very respectful of each other and we share what our insights are,” she says. “Every project we talk about, we each bring something different to the table, and I think that’s what makes us so special in what we do — there’s a lot of perspectives.”

3 Tips for a Career in Casting

We asked Klapper to offer pearls of wisdom to students and young performers. She pulled from 25+ years of experience in the industry and offered this guidance:

1. “There’s no such thing as limits.”

Especially at this time in your life—don’t limit yourself, and know that you’re invited to the table. She says, “What’s great right now, in the culture of casting, is that we’re interested in everybody, in everything, and in great discoveries. We talk more about ethnicity up front now. We talk about abilities and actors who have disabilities and how important it is that everybody’s represented on stage. It’s not just a select group of people.”

2. “Never stop learning.”

Don’t limit your potential in exploring new and different skills. Klapper says, “It only makes you a more interesting person, and ultimately, we’re casting the person — not just the best actor.”

3. “Be kind to other people, be polite, be respectful, and never be faultless.”

It’s important to remember you never know who’s going to be in your life for a very long time. You want to make sure you treat people the way you would want to be treated.

While there are plenty of theatre careers to choose from, casting director are the best of both worlds. The role allows artists an opportunity to have a meaningful impact and closeness to a production, while doing so behind the scenes. It requires fundamental theatre skills, like script analysis, but offers you the freedom to go with your gut and give your fellow actors an opportunity to find their dream roles.

Natalie Clare is a regular contributor to Dramatics, a freelance arts and culture reporter in Cincinnati, and an arts and education marketer. She has a handsome husband, an adorable baby boy, a mischievous cat, and far too many plants.

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What to Know About Theatre Fellowships

Natalie Clare — Wed, 20 Mar 2024 16:42:22 +0000

If you’re planning to pursue a career in theatre, you’ll want to know all about theatre fellowships. These professional opportunities can provide a gateway to where you want to be and are most often awarded to theatre artists who have obtained a degree or have some professional experience. Aspiring playwrights, directors, choreographers, actors, and designers alike will want to keep fellowships on their radar.

What is a Theatre Fellowship?

Generally speaking, a fellowship is a structured professional opportunity to deepen your training in a specific skill set, craft, or area of study. They’re held within a professional environment so recipients (fellows) gain in-depth, hands-on training. Fellows typically receive funding to support themselves and/or their work fully for a certain period of time.

It’s important to note: the competition for securing a fellowship is tough! ProFellow, a resource for students and professionals seeking fellowships, writes, “We define a fellowship as a short-term, funded, merit-based opportunity to do something exceptional. … Fellowships are competitive and provide an opportunity to do or create something with the financial support, resources and freedom that a typical job cannot offer. Fellowships enhance your resume and provide networking opportunities with leaders in your career field.”

In the performing arts, theatre fellowships offer the opportunity to train more intently on your artistic expertise. You may seek one out to help you develop a script, train as a director, learn from artistic leaders, or continue your training in a specialty.

Some theatre fellowships are designed for specific groups—including, but not limited to, women, people of color, and the LGBTQ+ community—to increase diversity and equity within the theatre industry. The Miranda Family Fellowship, for example, aims to “support emerging artists and arts administrators from underrepresented communities” through education, long-term support, and partnerships with industry institutions.

How Are They Different from Internships?

To the layperson, fellowship and internship may seem like interchangeable terms—but there are unique differences that set them apart.

If you’re a student or a recent graduate, you’ll want to look at an internship as a way to break into the industry. You’ll gain firsthand experience with and perspective of day-to-day life in a certain role or with a certain company. These programs or roles sometimes lead to permanent positions, but not necessarily always. An internship will give you general exposure to professional culture that you can apply to several different opportunities. Many internships in the theatre profession offer some form of compensation, but it likely won’t be enough to sustain a living. As such, many internships are structured for a finite number of hours per week (say, 20) and for a finite amount of time (a semester or 3-6 months, for instance).

If you’ve already been working in the industry and you want to go further, you may look for a fellowship so that you can focus more deeply on a subject or skill set. Let’s say you’re an emerging director and you’ve gained a few years of professional experience. A directing fellowship with a theatre company whose work you admire would accelerate your career goals. You’d widen your network, deepen your knowledge, and keep your directing chops sharp.

How Can a Theatre Fellowship Influence Your Career?

Many artists would agree in the theatre industry, training never stops. There are always more skills you can obtain, perspectives you can develop, and techniques you can master. A theatre fellowship supports these goals by immersing artists in professional spaces where “real-world” work is being created.

Similarly, in the entertainment industry at large, it’s “all about who you know.” Fellowships offer invaluable access to networking. By working directly with theatrical peers and leaders, you have the opportunity to meet many different people regularly during rehearsals, workshops, performances, and relevant events. This exposure can connect you to potential collaborators, producers, artists, leaders, and other folks in the industry who can make a big difference in your career decisions.

Having a fellowship to list on your resume really boosts your credentials, too. The application process is rigorous and competitive, and being selected as a fellow is a huge achievement. When an institution hires you as a fellow, it’s a strong vote of confidence that they believe in your work and want to support your goals.

Theatre Fellowship Examples

As you consider the many directions your theatre path may take, keep fellowships top-of-mind as an important step. You can obtain more than one fellowship, too, so don’t limit your choices! Here’s a look at some of the industry’s top programs to give you an idea what’s in store:

When looking to apply for a program, be sure to research the fellowships that pique your interest or speak to you as an artist. Even if you’re not ready to apply, it’s ideal to keep your eyes on your future and to keep yourself motivated in your goals. Finally, be sure to follow the careers of artists who have completed theatre fellowships. Many fellowship programs will list past recipients on their websites. And the next time you’re at a performance, scan the artist bios in the program or online and see if any of them have fellowship accolades. You’ll be surprised how many working professionals got their start with a well-timed fellowship!

Natalie Clare is a freelance writer and content marketer. She works with brands of all kinds to amplify their messaging and digital presence, and she writes articles about the arts and culture scene in Cincinnati, Ohio. You can view her work at nataliecwrites.com.

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Planning Your Theatre Off-Season

Dylan Malloy — Thu, 04 Jan 2024 17:15:56 +0000

Maybe you just took your final bow or finished striking the set for your school’s fall play. You’re so proud of all your hard work, but now, there are months until auditions for the spring production. While it can be easy to start focusing and working towards that next production, it’s also a great time to take a much-needed break (while still being a little productive).

Need some ideas? Here are tips to help fill the time between now and your next act.

1. Take Time to Rest

No matter how much fun you have throughout the process, working on a production is always exhausting. Late nights and long rehearsals can leave even the most seasoned professional drained. Now is a great time to catch up on homework, spend time with your family and friends, and get back into the rhythms of normal life. Even something as simple as returning to a normal sleep schedule will work wonders for your mental and physical health.

The hours after school may feel long at first without rehearsal, but by taking time to recharge and catch up on other responsibilities, you can make excellent use of the time.

When doing things you enjoy, like theatre, it can be easy to push yourself too hard without realizing it. But it’s important to take lots of time to rest after each production to recharge. It’s difficult to create art while running on empty. Spending time with other people and prioritizing sleep “fills your tank” so you’re energized for your next production.

2. Go See Other Shows

Now that you’re not working on a production, you have time to go watch other pieces of theatre in your community. First, look at other high schools. It’s easy schedule-wise to go see a show after school, and supporting your fellow Thespians makes the entire Thespian community stronger. Watching other high school students perform or do tech inspires you by showing you what is possible. Maybe a student from another school aced a challenging monologue or executed a perfect set change. You’re just as capable of doing that, too.

You might also have access to other forms of theatre in your area. Community theatres often produce familiar plays and musicals, and larger theatre companies tend to include brand-new plays in their lineups. Do some research to see what’s playing in your area. Seeing professional work teaches you about the complexity of bringing more large-scale productions to life, and you’ll likely leave with some ideas about things you can try in your next production.

3. Continue to Bond with Your Company

During a production, everyone involved in the company, both cast and crew, become very close. Bonding comes naturally when you’re rehearsing late into the night and spending all your free time on set. However, once the production ends and everyone goes back to their separate lives, it’s natural for people to drift apart. You can be a leader in your theatre company by hosting bonding events in between shows to keep the sense of community alive.

These events don’t have to be complicated. You can:

Invite people to watch a movie, such as a recording of another theatre performance, like Hamilton.
Grab scripts from your drama teacher’s collection or the library and do a read-through of a play you’ve never experienced before.
Have a brief meeting after school to check in with everyone or plan some time for coffee.

No matter what you do, be sure everyone from both the cast and crew is welcome. Sometimes, these groups feel separate, but the strongest and most unified theatre companies have lots of interaction between cast and crew.

4. Find a New Favorite Show

Even when you’re not working on a show, you can still get excited about theatre! Technology makes it easier than ever to discover musicals that are both well and lesser known. Use online music streaming services to search for public playlists full of songs from other users’ favorite musicals. Put these playlists on shuffle and you’re sure to hear musical theatre songs of all different styles and time periods.

When you find something you like, listen to the full album to begin to understand the story, and depending on the show, it might be possible to find a published version of the script to read. Try to figure out why you prefer some types of stories over others. Does the music speak to you, or the technical elements, or the characters? By identifying which stories resonate with you, you begin to define your personal taste as a theatre maker. And who knows – maybe a new show you discover will be an option for your spring production.

After you finish work on a show, it’s important to rest, reconnect with others, and find new shows to love so you can enter your next season with fresh inspiration. It might seem like a long time until you’re onstage or backstage again, but when you’re intentional about your time, you’ll step into your next production more energized than ever.

The post Planning Your Theatre Off-Season appeared first on Dramatics Magazine Online.

Dramaturgy 101: Creating an Actor Packet

Dylan Malloy — Thu, 16 Nov 2023 14:18:25 +0000

This fall, I learned about dramaturgy for the first time by serving as a dramaturg for my college theatre department’s production of Lost Girl, written and directed by Professor Kimberly Belflower. Dramaturgs perform the research and story analysis that make a play come alive for the actors and creative team. They’re also often responsible for creating the “actor packet,” a short research document with information relevant to the play.

4 Tips for Creating a Great Actor Packet

The actors use this packet to gain more context about the themes present within the script, essentially helping build the story from the inside out! While there’s plenty to learn, here are four of my biggest lessons creating my very first actor packet.

1: Read the play.

First, sit down with the play and read it thoroughly. It helps to make note of what you notice while reading. Do certain character dynamics stand out? What themes seem particularly clear? Does the ending make sense, or is it more ambiguous? Is the style realistic or not?

Once you finish reading the play, ask yourself one key question: What information do actors need to know to tell this story well?

The answer to this question can come in the form of themes, historical context, storytelling devices, information about the play’s genre – the options are endless. You’ll research many different things while working on your actor packet, but answering this question for yourself narrows your focus.

2: Research the context.

Next, begin your research into the play’s context, as this often determines so much about the story from the start. Context is the particular lens through which the author, director, and/or creative team approach the material, informing how characters relate to each other and how they interact with the setting.

For example, Cabaret is a story about a passionate love affair between a British nightclub singer and an American author. However, its context is that it’s set in Berlin on the eve of the holocaust, and this affects how the actors might portray the story. Knowing details about the world the story is set in helps you understand what different characters value.

Even if the play takes place in the present, do some broad Google searches into a play’s historical setting and geographical location. What was happening in the world at the time when the play takes place? Where is the play located in the world, and how has that location been impacted by global issues?

Make a bullet-point list of the most relevant facts that actors should know. The list doesn’t have to include everything – just enough information to provide some background. At the end of the actor packet, include some links that actors can reference if they would like more information.

Think of it like drawing: by providing historical context in the actor packet, you’re outlining the sketch. Next, you’ll focus on the smaller details of the story and add some color.

3: Explore themes and genres.

In every play, the playwright wants to communicate a message about the world. They do so by exploring conflict between characters and the world around them. You can help the actors understand the themes of the story by pointing to works with similar themes. Everything you include in the actor packet helps the actors to ground themselves within the story.

For example, if the play you’re working on is a romance that ends tragically, you can provide a list of other romances that end tragically. Actors can read or watch these stories to understand the nuances of the emotions they will portray onstage. When actors understand a play’s genre, they can also work to understand what makes this particular play different from stories of the same genre. Different themes and approaches set stories apart.

While creating the actor packet for Theater Emory’s production of Lost Girl, the dramaturgy team included information about different genres: fantasy and coming-of-age. Lost Girl is inspired by the story of Peter Pan and follows Wendy Darling after she returns home from Neverland and tries to start her life again. We wanted to have a section of the actor packet that talked about tropes commonly found in both genres so they could understand how the play works with and subverts those tropes.

4: Study the characters.

Once you’ve provided research about the context, themes, and genre of the play, shift your attention to the characters. Every character pursues different goals and experiences conflict along the way, and actors seek to find out why they act the way they do. You can help them in this process by sharing research related to psychology and behavior.

For example, if a character is grieving a loss, including a scientific article about grief makes it easier for an actor to understand the character’s emotions. While working on the production of Lost Girl, which focuses on Wendy’s heartbreak after losing Peter Pan, the dramaturgy team provided research about mental health in the actor packet to contextualize why Wendy struggles to move on.

However, always be careful that the sources you include are accurate, professional, and trustworthy. If you have any questions about whether you should include a source, be sure to ask your theatre teacher. It’s best not to try to explain the characters, but to share interesting pieces of research that empower actors to draw their own conclusions.

Once you compile all your research, you’ll have a completed actor packet ready to distribute! Your research and attention to detail will help the cast and creative team see the story in a kaleidoscope of different ways.

The post Dramaturgy 101: Creating an Actor Packet appeared first on Dramatics Magazine Online.

3 Ways to Get Your Back-to-School Theatre Goals on Track

Patty Craft — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 15:35:48 +0000

We’re well into the school year, and you’re way past prepping for back to school—you’re living the reality. Your days may seem beyond full; been there, done that. But all that business could leave you feeling like your back-to-school theatre goals have fallen by the wayside.

Luckily, there’s still plenty of time to get back on track. Here are three tips to help get organized and make time to do more theatre.

Tip 1: Learn to (Respectfully) Say No

It’s trite because it’s true: There are only so many hours in a day. While we want to spend plenty of time with our “want to” activities, like theatre, we’re often left with a lot of “have to” chores—it’s hard to enjoy anything when we’re over-committed.

We suggest you make time to talk with your theatre teacher or Thespian troupe director. Why? They want to see you succeed and have some fun doing it. Be brave enough to ask for help organizing (or reorganizing) your days so that you can balance your responsibilities with your passions.

Until you get the chance to have that important conversation with your teacher (and if no one has told you yet), it’s OK to say no.

How? Practice the pause. That is, every time you’re asked to volunteer for a cause, participate in a group project, or are invited to an event, learn to say, “Let me check my calendar and get back to you.” With a bit of time to consider the offer, ask yourself if saying yes supports your goals and passions.

It’s not too late to get your schedule under control, and honing the “just say no” skill will help you manage well in all aspects of your life.

Tip 2: Get Back to Basics

People who stand out in their chosen fields often possess a small amount of natural talent, but those who find lasting success developed discipline. They all know that practice makes progress and understand the proven value of preparation and repetition.

What that means for you: Right now is a great time to get back to basics.

With auditions in your future, you can regain a sense of control by revisiting what you’ve been taught from the very start. Audition coach Laura Enstall put together this easy-to-follow audition etiquette guide. “Act like you’re auditioning the minute you arrive,” she advises. “Maybe the stage manager is holding the door for you, or maybe you run into the choreographer in the hall. It’s important to be aware of your surroundings.”

Maybe you’re already cast in the first show of your school’s season and you have a table read coming up. Arrive well-prepared and you’ll help the entire process flow a bit more smoothly. Do you know that you should read the whole script ahead of time, and not just your parts? Plus, here’s a separate post if you’re the playwright running a table read.

Tip 3: Get Curious with a Purpose

To be the kind of actor who transforms into a character so authentic that the audience suspends disbelief, you must understand people.

And to meet a variety of people, you’re going to need to go where you don’t normally go; talk with people you may not normally talk with. Get to know people outside the theatre. Yes, the musicians, the STEM gang, the 4-H crew, the athletes, and whomever else you can interact with.

Talking with new acquaintances opens doors into worlds you’ve not explored. For example, be curious and ask the first chair trumpet player in the marching band how they honed their skills. Ask about their practice routines or performance-day rituals. Connect with students in the STEM program and listen to what motivates them to be part of those activities. Even find out how the kicker on the football team stays ready to play when they’re only on the field for a few opportunities in each game.

And when it comes to your theatre skills, now’s a great time to explore new parts of every production. Instead of auditioning for an acting role in the next production, join the tech crew and experience what goes on behind the scenes so the show can go on. You may even discover talents you haven’t tapped into yet.

Remember that it’s not too late to begin again. Schedule a meet-up with your theatre teacher. Return to the basics and practice, practice, practice. And light a fire under your curiosity so you can achieve all your theatre goals.

Patty Craft is a regular contributor to the Educational Theatre Association.

The post 3 Ways to Get Your Back-to-School Theatre Goals on Track appeared first on Dramatics Magazine Online.

From Dreams to Stage

Dylan Malloy — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 18:41:21 +0000

As a double major in playwriting and business at Emory University, seeing my work onstage is always a dream come true. This summer, my full-length play The Groundwater won the Blank Theatre’s 31st Annual Young Playwrights Festival, producing the play in Hollywood in July 2023. The play is the final installment of a five-play series about human connection and the climate crisis.

This was my second production with the Young Playwrights Festival, and it was also the company’s first in-person festival since 2019 (due to the pandemic). Any playwright between the ages of 9 and 19 can submit work to the festival, and 12 winners are chosen from the nationwide submissions every year. I can’t recommend the program highly enough!

Bringing The Groundwater to the West Coast was an exciting challenge, and while the play was first performed as a staged reading by Emory’s Oxford College theatre department in September 2022, the Blank Theatre produced the first fully staged production.

Here’s a peek into the festival experience and the playwriting lessons I learned along the way.

Mentorship and Edits

The Blank Theatre assigns every playwright a mentor as they edit their script. I worked with Aliza Goldstein, a playwright who is also an alumnus of the Young Playwrights Festival. She and I met over Zoom multiple times to reread the play and discuss how to make it stronger.

Because I tend to overwrite, this meant cutting down the script and removing unnecessary lines of dialogue. The mentorship process also gave me the opportunity to explore different facets of the characters and include an entirely new scene.

Lesson: Keep it short

From these meetings, I learned that brevity makes a script stronger and dense paragraphs of dialogue are difficult for the audience to follow. When writing, ask yourself how the characters can communicate using as few words as possible.

The Rehearsal Process

We began rehearsals in early July, where I met the cast and creative team for the first time. Madison McLaughlin (Arrow on CW, Chicago PD), Jorge-Luis Pallo (The Secret Life of the American Teenager), and David Bloom (American Born Chinese on Disney+) starred in the production. I learned so much about the craft of theatre from watching them work!

The actors all brought an incredible amount of enthusiasm, talent, and dedication to the play. As we analyzed the characters, I discovered even more about the story, which I’d been working on for two years. We all grew very close during late-night rehearsals and became fast friends. The new relationships formed over the summer are one of the most transformative parts of the Young Playwrights Festival!

Lesson: Make space for creativity and rest

Our director, Laura Stribling, wanted the actors to feel free to make bold decisions onstage, so she let them improvise certain movements to see what felt natural. From this experience, I learned that stage directions should work for the actors, not the other way around. If you’re working on an original play and notice that a certain direction is uncomfortable or unnatural for the actors, it helps to step back and see if there is another way to approach this movement.

Though we usually rehearsed at night, I spent the rest of the day working on other writing projects. It’s easy to become burnt out while juggling multiple stories. I realized that I had to make time for rest so that I could bring my best self to rehearsal. Going on long walks, spending time with family, reading, and taking naps gave me energy. If you’re working on a production and want to recharge, try setting aside time in your day when you are not doing anything creative. Spending time in silence quiets your mind and reduces stress levels.

The Finishing Touches

The production ran from July 20-23 and was performed alongside two short one-act plays written by other winning playwrights. The West Coast premiere of The Groundwater was magical, and I’m so excited to continue developing this script.

We performed in the Skylight Theatre, a gorgeous venue in Los Angeles with an actual skylight.

Lesson: Shows will always evolve

After multiple productions and performances, a play is never “done” until a playwright decides that it is. The world of your story is like a sandbox: You can build and rebuild different parts of the story for as long as you’d like.

Our director decided to introduce classical music mixed with sounds of dripping water, which formed the musical motif of the show. We loaded in furniture pieces and then experimented with different technical elements. Blue and purple light represented moments where the characters are dreaming or feeling distanced from reality. It was wonderful to learn more about how technical elements highlight the emotions of a story.

The Blank Theatre has changed the lives of countless young playwrights, and I’m forever grateful for the summers I spent with the company. Working in the theatre this summer taught me how to revise a script to make it punchier and more efficient. I also learned how to balance a demanding rehearsal schedule with time to write and work on other projects. Through the friends I made on set, I once again discovered the joy of telling stories with other people and watching their talent shine onstage.

The post From Dreams to Stage appeared first on Dramatics Magazine Online.

2023 College Guide

Jose Triana — Mon, 09 Oct 2023 21:03:33 +0000

Getting ready for college might feel overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be! Whether you’re a student exploring your options or a theatre educator looking to give your Thespians a leg up, EdTA is here to help.

Explore our 2023 College Guide for tons of helpful resources including tips to make the most of your college visits, a helpful college application timeline, and college listings for schools looking for students just like you!

The post 2023 College Guide appeared first on Dramatics Magazine Online.

5 Must-Know Musicals with Hispanic Heartbeats

Patty Craft — Mon, 09 Oct 2023 21:04:11 +0000

A willingness to remember the past, and the trailblazers who made a way for today’s Latinx artists to shine on stage, is at the core of this post celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month (NHHM) in the U.S.

In 2023, Broadway got the party started early in September with the ¡Viva! Broadway concert. It was a showcase of current Latin excellence on Broadway. Some participants were asked: “Who is a Latin performer in the industry who inspires you?”

Today’s artists provide shoutouts to some of “the five you want to know” when it comes to musicals with Hispanic heartbeats.

1. West Side Story

Yani Marin, proud daughter of Cuban immigrant parents and an actress, dancer, singer, and producer from North Bergen, NJ, named living legend Rita Moreno her inspiration. Marin said, “I am inspired by Moreno’s phenomenal career, and I pray I can still be doing what I love when I’m her age.” Moreno is 91 years old at the time of this post and most recently served as an executive producer on the 2021 remake of the film West Side Story.

Moreno is a Puerto Rican actress, dancer, and singer who has performed on stage and screen in a career that spans seven decades. She starred in the 1961 film adaptation of the 1957 musical West Side Story. The story is an updated telling of Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet – star-crossed lovers struggling in modern-day New York City.

While West Side Story was (and is) a popular production, it’s vital to note that the 1961 film in which Moreno appeared is a source of controversy because it was written by non-Latinos: the music was written by Leonard Bernstein, and the lyrics were written by Stephen Sondheim. Brown face was used on many of the actors, including Natalie Wood, who played Maria. In fact, Moreno was the only Latina involved in the production! Still, it has an enduring place in the American musical theatre cannon and more recent productions (including the 2021 film adaptation) have striven to bring a higher level of authenticity to the material.

2. In the Heights

Jaime Lozano, musical theatre composer and self-proclaimed dreamer was asked to name a Latin performer who inspires him and named Lin-Manuel Miranda. Lozano said, “Lin-Manuel has been always an inspiration and a great supporter of what we [the Viva Broadway organizers] are doing.”

Miranda made his Broadway debut in 2008 with In the Heights, for which he wrote the music and lyrics, while also starring in the leading role. The story revolves around a street corner in the Dominican Washington Heights neighborhood of Upper Manhattan in New York City, where everyone pursues their sueñitos (little dreams) for a better life.

3. Hamilton

Miranda returned to Broadway in 2015 with Hamilton, another show for which he wrote the script, music, and lyrics (sung and rapped) while assuming the lead role. Hamilton earned the Pulitzer Prize for Drama and was nominated for a record 16 Tony Awards (winning 11).

If you’re a musical theatre lover, you’d have to have been under the proverbial rock not to know that Hamilton has become a pop-culture phenom. It’s the story of U.S. founding father Alexander Hamilton’s fight for honor and love, striving to leave a legacy that helped shape a nation.

4. Kiss of the Spider Woman

Thirty years ago, Kiss of the Spider Woman ran in the West End and on Broadway. The show won the 1993 Tony Award for Best Musical. The story is based on the Manuel Puig novel El Beso de la Mujer Araña.

The story is about two prisoners in one dank cell somewhere in Latin America: A Marxist guerilla named Valentín and a gay window dresser named Molina. As the story unfolds, they learn to understand their differences and respect one another.

A movie by the same name was made in 1985 starring William Hurt and Raúl Juliá. (Yes, you may be more familiar with Juliá in his role as Gomez in the 1990s movie versions of The Addams Family!) 

5. On Your Feet

To round out “the five you need to know” when it comes to Broadway musicals with Hispanic influence, check out the 2015 jukebox musical On Your Feet. It hit Broadway at the Marquis Theatre. The story showcased the pop-music hits of Gloria Estefan, her husband, Emilio Estefan, and their group Miami Sound Machine. Give the soundtrack a listen – the rhythm is gonna get you. (Sorry, not sorry.)

The History of National Hispanic Heritage Month

In the U.S., National Hispanic Heritage Month began as National Hispanic Heritage Week in 1968. Then in 1988, the celebrations were extended to a full month running from September 15 to October 15. We’ll let you explore on your own why the festivities straddle both September and October and learn what the Cry of Dolores refers to; a phrase you may hear associated with NHHM.