Sometimes in Community theater, you don’t get stage ready actors. They are awkward, quiet, too over the top, or too little. You can turn anyone into a performer, no matter their skill level. It does take a lot of effort and strategic planning but in the end, it’s worth it.
Here are 5 easy steps to turn your auditioner into an onstage star.
1. Find their strong point
Every performer has something they are really passionate about and talented in. They may be a terrible dancer and an awkward actor, but they could sing with the best of them. Maybe they have a loud voice, but terrible diction. Everyone has something they are good at, so start by identifying every single one of your performers’ strengths. You will use this to
your advantage later.
2. Staging to their strengths
Now that you’ve found their talent, it’s time to apply it. Find their worst scenes and songs and find creative ways to put their talents into it. For example, if you have an actor that is terribly awkward in a scene, but great at dancing, change up the staging to make it more like a dance. If they feel in their element with movement, implicating that into their scene will make them more comfortable and can help
the scene flow better.
3. Keep the encouragement going
Working a scene over and over again can be degrading and hard on an actor. Remember, community theater is supposed to be fun! That’s why we do it! Most of the time, a performer knows when they are struggling with a specific aspect of the show. It can be hard to run it again and again, getting note after note. Make sure to tell them what you love, along with what you need to change. Keep it light and happy by making jokes and staying positive! When they change and do something
right, give them high praise! This will help
your atmosphere and your actor.
4. Be willing to cut/change a scene
Most of the time, especially as directors, we have an idea for a scene in our head. A perfect idea or interpretation, then sometimes our cast is unable to execute the dream we have in our heads. This can be incredibly frustrating when staging and working your show. Make sure you are willing to be flexible. If your original idea is simply not working, find something new. If your actor is incapable of making your dream work, remember it is not their fault. When I directed a show, one of our stars was unable to sing this one specific song. No matter how much we practiced, he sounded bad. So we decided to turn
the song into a “rhythmic monologue”.
He spoke the song with the music in the
background. While it was not the original
script or dream, it ended up making the scene way better.
Be willing to change, experiment, and deviate from the script.
5. Record, watch, do it again.
Sometimes you can tell an actor again and again what they are doing wrong, but they don’t know exactly what you are getting at. With modern technology, it is easy and efficient to record their performance. Voice record their scenes or songs, film their dancing and blocking. Let them watch and listen to you. This gives your performer the opportunity to really see what you want them to change. Seeing yourself and being able to visualize
what you look like on the stage is vital to
helping them take their note better.
Record, watch, try again, repeat.
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