“Oh, I prefer to just experience the moment. I don’t like to be so rigid in my approach. I don’t like to be pinned down. It feels so mechanical.”
Acting teachers are never one size fits all. Actors will learn a little something from me, a little something from another, until eventually you form your personalized approach to acting. Yes, there is plenty of room for organic acting, however, I teach technique for a reason. Think of technique as a safety net. When your organic approach fails you, technique will save you. For those who are not organically gifted, technique is your bread & butter.
Having said (er… typed) that, I am a firm believer that the strongest acting is based on choices; repeatable, strong, script-based choices. Flying by the seat of your pants is exciting for you and may lead to some amazing discoveries, but when the show opens it is a nightmare for your director, fellow cast members, crew and stage manager not knowing what your performance will bring. Yes, you can rehearse organically, but at some point you need to narrow all of those choices and put on a consistent performance. Take all of your experimentation in rehearsal and CHOOSE what will appear on stage. Not only will it keep you consistent, your fellow actors and crew will know what to expect and they can be consistent as well. They will also stop gossiping about your lack of professionalism back stage (hopefully). I’ll discuss fighting boredom and burnout in a role later. It is simply not fair to throw curve balls all the time. Make your actions and delivery deliberate choices.
Choices should be based on a complete understanding of the playwright’s intention, the director’s vision, and homework.
That addresses the argument of “but I prefer to just let it happen.” The other side of this post is the ineffective or artistically paralyzed actor. Making choices is your job. When you show up to rehearsal on the very first day, you should bring choices with you. Don’t waste a single rehearsal where you are not experimenting with different choices based on your homework. A director has a hard time directing nothing. The only “wrong” choice is no choice. I can work with an actor who brings ideas. These are things we can build on. Coming to rehearsal, standing there, reading lines as yourself – that’s just a waste of time.
Don’t edit yourself. Make the bold choices. Make the weak choices. Just make a choice. Study the play, do some actual thinking about who this person is and what she thinks, and be creative. Show me something. It’s your job.
