The most attractive performances are refreshing, original and daring. They take risks. They are nuanced. Similarly, the most watchable actors are those who embrace the subtleties in their characters. They…
We’ve said quite a bit about letting yourself be your character. To act as they do and think as they do. There is a lot of study involved in this, and…
The hallmark of a good actor comes with the ability to make everything seem easy. So easy, in fact, that it seems like they are walking, breathing and living the…
Have you ever watched a performance where actors mope around on stage looking as if they would rather be taking a nap? And have you ever, as rehearsing actors, received countless…
Ah. That ever-popular advice again, “be in the moment”. “But how?” you ask. Being in the moment truly is one of the most elusive feats an actor can accomplish. It…
So you walk into an audition room feeling confident about the monologue you have just prepared. You smile at the casting director. S/he smiles back. You psyche yourself up to…
Do not lie on your resume. The industry is smaller than you think. Be confident. Self-consciousness is crippling and inhibits your performance. Know yourself. Your headshots are important and they…
1. The 15-second rule Your monologue should tell the audience the ‘who, why, what, when, and where’ of the story 15 seconds in. A typical monologue is 1-2 minutes long. The…
There is no doubt about it – a career in acting is unpredictable and difficult, to say the least. The actor’s job is highly competitive and demanding. In an industry where skill…
Things have changed now. In the past, writers stuck exclusively to penning material. Producers managed shows and actors auditioned for roles. Not that there weren’t any brilliant individuals with enough…
Billy Merritt, the founder of The Smokes, which is one of the veteran improv comedy teams in America, has a theory on improv performers. His theory is that there are…
Say “improv” and the first thing that comes to mind is ‘Whose Line Is It Anyway?’. That show, with its series of short and fun improv games, has probably given…