Tuesday, September 7, 2010

The Ethical Acting Technique - Overview Pt 1

The following is a very basic overview of the technique that I teach, and this post is just part one of the overview. It is intended to give you a simple outline, and is NOT descriptive of the steps and actions. The full description and use of each step will follow in later weeks IF we get more followers, and some of you folks add a comment or two.

The overview is to be used essentially as a first, simple view, and for quick review purposes once one knows the technique. The technique has 12 steps in full. here are the first 3.

STEPS 1- 3 – YOUR WILLINGNESS TO PLAY THE ROLE

The first three steps deal directly with the actor’s WILLINGNESS to play a role. There really isn’t any point to taking on a part and doing the needed work if the actor is going to in any way resist the piece out of some essential disagreement with either the piece itself, or some of the things the actor is going to have to do or say to portray the character.

STEP ONE - FIND THE MESSAGE
- Read the piece to get the plot (“This happens, then that happens”.)
As you read, make certain you use a dictionary to define ANY words you
do not fully understand!
- Ask yourself about the play; “What does the piece make me want to DO?”
- Make THAT the message, in a single sentence.

STEP TWO – YOUR CHARACTER’S POSITION
- Decide if your character:
AGREES with the message (Protagonist)
DISAGREES with the message (Antagonist)
HAS NO OPINION regarding the message (Neutral)
- Look at the character’s actions for things you either cannot or will not do.

STEP THREE – DECIDE
- Based on the two steps above, do you agree with the message? Can you do everything the role requires, and would you? If so, then you’re WILLING to play the role. If you disagree with the message, or can’t or won’t do the things the role calls for, you must turn down the role.

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