To Prompt or Not to Prompt
Fri, 19 Nov 1999, 11:40 amLabrug18 posts in thread
To Prompt or Not to Prompt
Fri, 19 Nov 1999, 11:40 amI have never liked prompting. Ihave been in very few shows that have used such a device. The only time I welcomed a prompt was when it was used as a comical occurance throughout the show - Prompt walks on stage and bashes actor who can't get his lines right, etc.
I have recently be distracted by many things occuring in my life and recently dropped a line on stage. Fair enough, my cue line was missed or not given, but that really is not excuse. I should have been paying enough attention to the dialogue to realise what had happened. As it was, there was an uncomfortable pause before a whispered voice jolted my memory and feed me my line.
My first reaction was to quickly pick-up where'd I had left off, but I was resentful that I had needed prompt, then I mental-bashed myself for being so distracted.
It was later, after the show that I realised that I had become lazy by the very fact that there was a prompt there. I have missed cues before in other plays but have always been able to improvise a quick come-back and get myself back on track. In these shows, we had not prompt and we knew we had to rely on ourselves.
Can it be that the knowledge that a prompt is present (stage left) will encourage laziness in the performers?
Jeff "Missed" Watkins
I have recently be distracted by many things occuring in my life and recently dropped a line on stage. Fair enough, my cue line was missed or not given, but that really is not excuse. I should have been paying enough attention to the dialogue to realise what had happened. As it was, there was an uncomfortable pause before a whispered voice jolted my memory and feed me my line.
My first reaction was to quickly pick-up where'd I had left off, but I was resentful that I had needed prompt, then I mental-bashed myself for being so distracted.
It was later, after the show that I realised that I had become lazy by the very fact that there was a prompt there. I have missed cues before in other plays but have always been able to improvise a quick come-back and get myself back on track. In these shows, we had not prompt and we knew we had to rely on ourselves.
Can it be that the knowledge that a prompt is present (stage left) will encourage laziness in the performers?
Jeff "Missed" Watkins
"No prompt required"
Thu, 2 Dec 1999, 02:53 pmEspecailly in those plays where there are only a couple of cues per act - As every one knows, we, who do It in the dark, are highly trained to control and overcome situations that arise (which of course is very rare for us to have problems) calmly and without any dramatic tantrums.
Thus, once again, bringing about the perfect and yet impossible delivered each time - while doing everthing with nothing.
How many times do we have to instantly improvise and re-organise cues to accomodate some warm props re-arrangement of the script, considering in a lot of case we are afforded only a tech 'quicky' (cue to cue is only a bonus sparing experianced) to get it on the boards in the first place.
Maybe it is because we do it with soul instead of just ego?
However, I don't agree with the Tech who suggested "that the infamous 'BOOTH' should have shot the actor instead" - even if this may have been the high light of the SM's and Crews career, at least it I would know what show was being performed when 'Lincoln' got his last comp ticket - can any one help out with this info???
Maybe we should have a 'Auto-Cue' prompter machine set in to the edge of the apron, as though it was part of 'floats' (footlights) or like the old 'shell' masked souffle (DSC) prompt position - then actors would have no excuse for fluffed lines.........
there again this would be another job for the overworked SM and/or crew ........
Naaar, let them flounder they need the practice anyway and as you said it - IT is more fun to watch!
Therefore - NO PROMPT REQUIRED - should be the catch cry to foster in our play box!!!!!!
Joe McCabe
Thus, once again, bringing about the perfect and yet impossible delivered each time - while doing everthing with nothing.
How many times do we have to instantly improvise and re-organise cues to accomodate some warm props re-arrangement of the script, considering in a lot of case we are afforded only a tech 'quicky' (cue to cue is only a bonus sparing experianced) to get it on the boards in the first place.
Maybe it is because we do it with soul instead of just ego?
However, I don't agree with the Tech who suggested "that the infamous 'BOOTH' should have shot the actor instead" - even if this may have been the high light of the SM's and Crews career, at least it I would know what show was being performed when 'Lincoln' got his last comp ticket - can any one help out with this info???
Maybe we should have a 'Auto-Cue' prompter machine set in to the edge of the apron, as though it was part of 'floats' (footlights) or like the old 'shell' masked souffle (DSC) prompt position - then actors would have no excuse for fluffed lines.........
there again this would be another job for the overworked SM and/or crew ........
Naaar, let them flounder they need the practice anyway and as you said it - IT is more fun to watch!
Therefore - NO PROMPT REQUIRED - should be the catch cry to foster in our play box!!!!!!
Joe McCabe
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