high school theatre Archives - Dramatics Magazine Online

Set Strike 101

Andrew Koch — Tue, 19 Mar 2024 16:35:18 +0000

The curtains may have closed, but your work isn’t finished! The last step for most theatre productions is the set strike, where everything from the show comes down. While your theatre teacher or director will help guide you, if this is your first strike, you may have plenty of questions. Here’s what you need to know.

What is a Set Strike?

After the final performance, oftentimes the cast and crew come together to pack up everything that was created for the production. At strike, you’ll essentially return the theater to how it was before the show. This leaves a blank slate for other groups using the space, including your troupe.

According to the American Association of Community Theatre, the word “strike” has been used by theatre groups for at least 100 years. Sailors from as early as the 1300s used “strike” to mean “lower a mast or sail,” usually when preparing to drop the anchor (such as at the end of a journey).

Set strike generally takes place immediately after the final performance, but (depending on the venue and other factors, such as school schedules) it may be held a couple of days later.

What Will I Do at Strike?

Your theatre teacher will assign tasks to make sure everyone’s time is being used efficiently. A “strike plan” collects their notes in an organized document that might be shared with cast and crew before strike day. The crew will likely work in their respective departments, with cast members assigned tasks where needed.

During strike, you might:

Deconstruct set pieces.
Determine what set pieces, props, and/or costumes will be kept.
Move items into storage.
Take down lighting and sound equipment and return them to their rightful places.
Remove posters, banners, and other promotional materials.
Recycle any leftover programs, tickets, and so on.
Tidy up and sweep/vacuum the wings, green room, and any other common area (possibly including the theater’s lobby and house).
Return borrowed costume pieces.
Collect scripts/librettos to be returned to the licensing agency.

Safety is paramount! Listen carefully to instructions and be aware of your surroundings – especially around power tools, ladders, and sharp objects like loose nails and screws. Not to worry though, you’ll always have an adult nearby if you have any questions or concerns.

What Will I Need for Strike?

Because you’ll be moving around quite a bit (and likely on the ground), you’ll want to wear closed-toe shoes and comfortable clothes that you don’t mind getting dirty. Depending on the job you’ve been assigned, you’ll be provided tools (screwdrivers, drills and bits, etc.), work gloves, sewing essentials, or trash bags.

Also, be sure to bring some refreshments to stay energized and hydrated, although this will likely be coordinated by the teachers.

You’ll also need to bring any materials that you rented from the licensing company, including scripts and scores. Follow your director’s instructions on erasing any marks you’ve made from them—licensing companies may have rules about this.

What Will the Theatre Department Keep?

Your director, producer, or technical director likely has ideas about what materials should be saved for future productions and what can be discarded.

Items designed specifically for a show (say, a bejeweled handheld magic mirror from Beauty and the Beast) probably can’t be used in other shows. But they might be saved and loaned out if a nearby troupe will also be putting on that show soon.

Here are some factors your company’s decision-makers might consider:

What shows your troupe will be doing next, if known.
Other uses: Basic items like stairs, platforms, or simple furniture can easily be adapted for other shows.
The item’s condition: No need to save splintered wood, costume pieces that have holes (although your costume shop will likely want to make repairs), or paint splotches.
How difficult the item was to find or make.
How much storage space you have (and how tricky a piece is to store safely).
Your troupe’s typical budget: some troupes keep each and every screw for reuse in future productions as a way to cut costs.

The troupe will also obviously need to return anything that was borrowed from cast/crew members, costume shops, or other theatre groups.

Should I Expect to Attend Strike Even if I’m Not on Crew?

Yes! In school and community productions, strike is usually an “all call” for everyone involved: cast, crew, and directorial staff.

Even if attendance isn’t mandatory, you should help your cast and crew mates. It’s very rare that a theatre teacher will pass up unsolicited support. In addition to being the right thing to do, your enthusiastic participation will leave a lasting good impression if you want to work with the troupe again.

Plus, this will likely be your last opportunity to see most of the cast and crew in the same place. Over the course of a production, cast and crew can become a kind of family. Cherish the remaining time you have with each other.

Theatre is a team sport. Roll up your sleeves, grab a hammer or drill, and pitch in!

Andrew Koch is a writer and editor from Cincinnati.

The post Set Strike 101 appeared first on Dramatics Magazine Online.

Composing a Career in Sound Design

Natalie Clare — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 12:53:16 +0000

Many theatre artists can recall when they “caught the theatre bug.” That moment when you realize how much you love the art form and how comfortably you fit into theatrical spaces. And then the moment that follows it, when you realize you want to create a career path out of it.

Matthew M. Nielson started his theatrical career in a rather serendipitous way. He was working at Round House Theatre in Bethesda, Md., shortly after studying music and theatre at Montgomery College. He built scenery by day and worked on the run crew by night. And then one day, “they plopped me behind the soundboard, and something just clicked,” he says. “It all made sense to me without ever having really done anything with sound before. It was just instinctual, you know?”

Today, Nielson is an award-winning sound designer, composer, and audio producer. He works on stages across the country and abroad, at regional theaters and off-Broadway. He also works in film and television, on web-based projects, and in audio theatre and podcasts. He owns Curious Music Company, a production music company and music library, and he’s a resident artist with Round House.

He chatted with Dramatics to learn more about his career path and the tips he has for Thespians looking to make a career in sound design.

A Music Kid in D.C.

Growing up, Nielson was “a music kid,” as he calls it. His father was in barbershop quartets, and Nielson sang in the choir and chorus for several years. He recalls his first theatrical experience early on, and in some ways, it foreshadowed his career.

“My actual first experience with theatre was in fifth grade where my school did a very shortened version of The Taming of the Shrew,” Nielson says. “We were in D.C., and we got to perform a section of it at a festival at the Folger Theatre. I never realized the significance of that until I actually started working at the Folger Theatre.”

The Folger Theatre at Folger Shakespeare Library is one of several reputable theatres in Washington, D.C. and the surrounding region. Outside of New York City, D.C. is well regarded for its performing arts scene. It’s widely considered a top theatre city in the U.S., and it’s where Nielson developed his skills in sound and audio. After having been “plopped behind the soundboard” for a show at Round House, the direction of his theatrical career came into focus. The production was called Three Days of Rain.

“Honestly, I can’t remember a whole lot about what the show is about. But I just remember the designer picked some very lovely music for it, and the whole second act, it was supposed to be raining outside,” Nielson says, adding that what clicked with him was “just learning good ways to do rain.”

Nielson then became the in-house audio master for Round House and worked at such reputable theaters as Wolf Trap in Virginia and the Public Theater in New York. He eventually broke into sound design — also at Round House — and began working as a freelancer for theaters around the country and abroad, which he continues today.

It’s All in the Details

When he’s composing and designing sound for a scene, there’s far more intricate focus than folks may realize. A straightforward scene in which two characters are talking in can be filled with sound even if there’s only dialogue, a realization he learned while composing film.

Typically, Nielson says, while scoring a film scene, a sound designer will strip away the ambient audio, so we only hear the dialogue of the actors speaking as picked up by the microphones. Then, they’ll add back sound effects to create the ambience which gives the scene a more natural feel while elevating the sound of the dialogue. After working in film, Nielson returned to theatre with a newfound approach.

He explains, “I started to miss hearing that ambiance. So I would do just a tiny bit of audio, like traffic outside, and then add room tone inside. Is there A/C? Is there heat? Is the door we hear in the kitchen? Do we hear the fridge? Just tiny, tiny little things like that.”

Nielson has amassed an extensive library of sound effects over the years, organized into a digital database he can readily search and “audition” an effect while working on a project. If he doesn’t have the right audio file, he puts his creativity to work and records his own — and that’s often where the fun comes in.

Nielson recalls a commercial project that he worked on for Delivery.com. The main character in the narrative is frantically knitting a sweater throughout the commercial. Nielson realized he didn’t have the right sound effects to emphasize the sound of the knitting needles, so he purchased three kinds from Amazon — plastic, wooden, and metal — and “auditioned” each of them.

“I would play the commercial in my digital audio workstation where I can watch and record at the same time. So I would have my knitting needles up to the microphone, and watch, trying it with all three kinds of needles,” Nielson explains.

Years later, Nielson picked up the knitting needles again while working as sound designer on a production at Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park. The show, Summerland, was about a spirit photographer in the 19th century who claimed to take photos of the dead. Throughout the story, characters hear tapping sounds from another room (or perhaps another realm), adding to the mystery of whether the photographer could truly capture ghosts on camera.

“I was trying to get just the tapping sound that I was looking for. So I’m at my house, tapping on the coffee table with a glass surface, tapping on the kitchen table, the fridge,” Nielson explains. “I ended up using those knitting needles just to do the click, click, click, click, click, and then I would put all kinds of crazy effects on it so it would sound like these clicks were happening all over the room.”

3 Tips for a Career in Sound Design

Nielson has forged an award-winning career in sound design and composition that has spanned two decades. Here are his pearls of wisdom for students seeking a place in the sound arena of theatre:

1. “If you want to be a freelance theatre artist, you have to be adaptable.”

Nielson says when the pandemic hit in 2020, he was contracted for eight productions that were all canceled. He quickly had to pivot and utilize the knowledge and experience he gained while working in film and television so he could work on audio and sound design for web-based projects during quarantine.

2. “Really learn what it means to collaborate with your fellow artists. Be open to what’s happening around you and be available to listen and respond creatively.”

Nielson encourages rising theatre artists to take the time and initiative to understand what their collaborators actually do. What does it mean to be a lighting designer, a costume designer, an actor? He says it’s important to understand what each person goes through on stage, off stage, and behind the scenes.

Equally important is not getting caught in creative silos, and collaboration prevents that from happening. “It took a couple of years and some really persistent other designers — who are now some of my favorite collaborators — to make me realize that I had a voice in the room and that other people wanted to hear it and that it could actually be part of shaping the world [on stage],” he says.

3. “Be honest. And this is less about lying to other people as it is being honest to yourself.”

He says this is especially important if you want to be a freelance artist in theatre. He cautions against overbooking yourself and stretching yourself too thin. It’s possible to keep reaching for goals while still understanding your limitations. Lastly, it’s okay to ask for help from friends, colleagues, and theatre companies.

You can learn more about Nielson and his creative work at matthewnielson.com and curiousmusic.com.

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.

The post Composing a Career in Sound Design appeared first on Dramatics Magazine Online.

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.

Callback Audition: An Actor’s Guide

Andrew Koch — Fri, 01 Dec 2023 14:19:11 +0000

Congratulations! You made it through a nerve-racking preliminary audition. But now you’ve been asked to attend another round of evaluation: the callback audition.

If you’ve never been, callbacks can seem intimidating. Here’s what you should know ahead of time, and how you can make the most of it.

What Are Callback Auditions?

Most shows have auditions, for which actors might be asked to prepare a monologue and/or (if the show is a musical) a song. Casting directors and other members of the production team use auditions to evaluate actors’ potential and make decisions about who will fill each role.

A callback audition is a second wave of testing: an opportunity for directors to finalize a cast list. Quite literally, actors are “called back” to the audition space to continue vying for a spot in the production. For some directors, callbacks are merely a “final cut” for certain roles. Others use callbacks exclusively to fine-tune a cast list they’ve already made.

Who Gets a Callback?

Generally, actors who receive callbacks for certain roles are the finalists for those roles. However, some actors may be asked to read for multiple characters.

What Will You Be Asked to Do?

Unlike auditions, you likely won’t need to memorize any materials ahead of a callback. Most callbacks involve readings from the play or musical: You’ll be given the script and asked to perform certain scenes from the show for the production team, likely alongside other actors who have also been called back. Sometimes you’ll be given some time with the material, other times, you may receive the material at the callback and be asked to perform a “cold reading,” without much prep time at all.

Note you may be asked to read for a role you didn’t audition for. Follow the director’s request, even if you aren’t interested in that role; they may simply be experimenting, and you can always decline a role if you don’t want it. (Who knows? You might be surprised to find you like playing an unexpected character!) Mostly, you want to appear receptive to the creative process of the director, display an apt ability to make strong choices and take risks, and be game, willing, and pleasant to work with.

7 Tips for a Great Callback Audition

Much of the same audition etiquette advice also applies to callbacks. Be courteous and professional, arrive early, and bring your acting resume.

Specifically, keep these principles in mind:

A Thespian participates in Thespy adjudication at ITF 2023. Photo by David Slaughter

Carefully follow all instructions: Prepare any materials as instructed and stay active and engaged during the callback itself.
Know the show: Now that you’ll be performing lines from the show itself, it’s even more important to understand the show and your (potential) role in it. Familiarize yourself with the character(s) you’ve been asked to read for. You won’t be expected to know every nuance of a character yet, but study at least the basics: the character’s motivation, their brief biography, and their dramatic arc throughout the show. If you have time, read the whole script, or watch a recording of the performance. Of course, if the show is a brand new original work, you may not have the ability to learn much ahead of the callback. Do as much research as you can.
Be flexible: As in auditions, directors are evaluating how well you take criticism and can adapt to their vision. Listen to and incorporate their suggestions for how to read a line or approach a scene—even if you don’t necessarily agree with them. Try things various ways, if you get the opportunity to read more than once.
Support your fellow actors: If you’re asked to read with another actor, treat them courteously and respect their creative decisions. The casting director will likely be assessing how you and other actors interact—both your on-stage chemistry and your level of professionalism—so be open and respectful. (After all, they may soon be your castmate!)
A group of Thespians prepare for adjudication at ITF 2023. Photo by David Slaughter
Try not to be nervous: Receiving an invitation to a callback audition is a good sign! The director saw what they liked in your audition and wants to spend more time assessing you for a role (or multiple roles). While certainly not a guarantee you’ll be cast, a callback reflects you’ve passed the hardest part of the audition process: making a favorable impression on the casting director.
Stay true to yourself: Again, the casting director saw something they liked in your audition. Don’t suddenly present yourself differently from how you did then, and definitely don’t try to copy a famous actor’s performance of a role. (A casting director isn’t interested in your imitation of Hugh Jackman’s Harold Hill. They want your Harold Hill.)
Follow up: The production team will almost certainly confirm how they’ll inform you on their casting decisions. But if they don’t (or they haven’t contacted you in the time frame they originally announced), it’s appropriate to reach out for clarification. Just be sure to check all locations information may have been conveyed already, like a callboard or your spam folder!

What if I didn’t get a callback?

Don’t panic if you didn’t receive a callback. That doesn’t necessarily mean you won’t be cast—the director may simply feel they’ve seen enough of your performance and resume to make a casting decision. Or perhaps the callbacks are only for certain roles or ensembles rather than the full cast.

Once you’re through the callback process, learn how to prepare for a table read or handle not getting the part you wanted.

Andrew Koch is a writer and editor from Cincinnati.

The post Callback Audition: An Actor’s Guide 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.

Introducing SLShowTech

Sponsor — Wed, 18 Oct 2023 15:46:24 +0000

At SLShowTech, we have a simple yet powerful mission: to bring the magic of high-quality 3D animated scenic projections to every theater production, regardless of budget constraints. With deep roots in the theater community we understand the financial challenges that often accompany the pursuit of visual excellence. That’s why we’ve made it our pledge to offer our scenic projections at a price point that everyone can embrace – $600 or less for any show.

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Quality should never be compromised by cost. We are committed to maintaining uncompromised quality while making our projections remarkably affordable. We firmly believe that every theater deserves access to the transformative power of scenic projections.

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4. Instant Customization

We believe every show is different. With our innovative ShowOne App instantly tweak and transform scenes in real-time, allowing you to perfectly align every moment with your creative vision. It’s creativity without constraints, and it’s at your fingertips.

At SLShowTech, we’re not just about projections; we’re about empowering your creativity. We invite you to explore the endless possibilities that our 3D animated scenic projections can bring to your productions. Join us in transforming the stage, where every show finds its unique voice.

Experience the Revolution in Scenic Projections: SLShowtech.com

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