how do you prepare for the evening's performance?
Wed, 1 July 2009, 11:36 pmLisa Skryp45 posts in thread
how do you prepare for the evening's performance?
Wed, 1 July 2009, 11:36 pmOK - my turn to ask a question of actors, directors & techies of all varieties - how do you prepare for the evening's performance?
I tend to have a light, not too garlicky dinner, then prepare my ever-present travel mug of coffee & head to the theatre as early as practicable. I find music that suits my character - often look for a "theme song" to get me in the right mood for my character. This time it might be something by the Kinks, but still deciding. Singing in the car is warmup part one. If the show is a musical, there will of course be a fair bit more vocal exercises.
Get to theatre; dump my gear; check/set my props/costume.
Tooth brushing, enough costume for decency, warmup (see below) then makeup/hair, if I can do it in that order. I like to be ready early enough for last-minute disasters. Then I go around stashing my water bottle(s) here & there for easy access backstage.
I enjoy group warmups that are to do with pace/group intuition, but on my own I like to do at least a little light stretching/relaxing excercises & go through my moves onstage, walking my way into character. I like to do a familiar speech (not necessarily from the current show) & work on projection & breathing. Depending on the physicality of my role I might get into a bit more of a physical warmup as well.
Think that's roughly it. Might change a bit this time - we'll see...
What's your routine?
Of course not
Thu, 2 July 2009, 10:34 amWe had the tipple after the show, I WAS approx 10 minutes late, we did arse about in rehearsing and Shakespeare sounds much funnier done as a bond villain e.g "I would I had your bond (James Bond) for I perceive a weak bond (James Bond) holds you. I'll not trust your word....Mr Bond" or "Cry havoc, and let loose the dogs of war...Mr Bond". I think it could work - take selected lines from Shakespeares plays and turn them into a bond script for stage. Anyway, I digress - Melissa loves doing vocal warm-ups which amuses the hell out of me - for an actor I'm far too self conscious to do such things, even in the company of those who shouldn't care.
I've never hidden a fellow actors gear as a jape but I'm tempted to hide Wade Ellis's trousers so that he is forced to wear that dress home.
Having observed the people in my show, most are punctual - myself being a little tardy and Mr Lindsay being pointedly late, and the majority ready themselves by either getting made up or pacing nervously and perhaps going over lines.
I'm sort of with Tim on this - although I do go over lines before performance, I suspect it does more harm than good.
Of all our cast, Murali who plays Othello is the most disciplined. He is usually the first one made-up and in costume and he meditates or does yoga to centre himself before going onstage. Unsurprisedly he gives a very powerful performance - perhaps the stand-out of our production.
Having said that, I'm there to enjoy myself and interracting with fellow cast is a great way of doing that and for me it calms any nerves.
- ···
- ···