Essential Theatre Disciplines for Actors

Simon Dunmore's Essential Theatre Disciplines for Actors

Any production can be made or broken by details. Part of those 'details' are the following important disciplines.

AT ALL TIMES:

Time-keeping & Scheduling	It is very important that you are not just in the room but ready to start at your 'call' time - any hold up to find your script or pencil, go to the loo, change, etc., etc., wastes everybody else's time and can create bad feeling. Also, it is often the case that the time wasted by lateness cannot be made up at the end of the session. (NB This also includes wardrobe calls.) Only the most extreme circumstances should prevent your presence if called. If these occur, it is very important that you tell the Director as early as possible so that (s)he can re-plan and, if appropriate, call other actors. Please, don't make unalterable arrangements for a possible rehearsal time - a professional actor can be called with only 12 hours notice. It is important to tell the Director - as far in advance as possible - about any conflicts which may arise due to work or other important commitments.
Personal Problems	It is essential that you do not let personal problems interfere with your or anybody else's work toward the production. A 'problem' that is 'extreme' should be discussed rationally with the Director (or whoever appropriate) to decide on appropriate action to minimise damage to the overall production.
Injury & Illness	For the sake of the overall production and the other people in it, it is your responsibility to keep as fit and healthy as possible.
Rehearsal Room Etiquette	Rehearsals (and performances) need great concentration and it is important that distractions are minimised. There should be minimal extraneous noise in the proximity of the rehearsal and performance areas - remember that the smallest whisper can carry far more easily than most people realise and hard shoes can be noisy on hard surfaces, many doors have to be restrained in order to close quietly, etc., etc. (Mobile phones going off are particularly distracting - these should be switched off before entering the building.) At the end of your scene(s) don't let the euphoria of success (or the misery of self-perceived failure) come out in any form of overt (and distracting) demonstration - talking, running, laughing (or cursing), etc. If you dry, stay calm, and in character, and say 'line' or whatever is appropriate to your company. Do not curse or otherwise indulge in destructive behaviour.
Your Hair	If you are thinking of radically changing your hairstyle then check with the costume designer first. It could be what you're proposing won't fit within the period/style of the production and real-looking wigs are far too expensive for all but the biggest production budgets.
Preparation	Concentrate on the character you're about to bring on stage for a sufficient time beforehand. It is essential that you work on your part outside official rehearsal times.
Director's Notes	It is very important that you remember notes given to you - valuable time is wasted by unnecessary repetition. It is a good idea to write them down. Listen to notes given by the Director to other people - they may affect you. Don't indulge in private conversations during Director's notes (even about the production) as they can easily be very distracting.
Personal Responsibilities	It is your responsibility to check that you know the locations of your personal props and costumes. For everyone's sake keep the rehearsal space clean and tidy. Stay within earshot of what's going on at all times unless an official break is called - and make sure that you are back, ready to start, at the appointed time. Your script is your responsibility. If it is the case that you are providing any props and costumes, it is important that you bring all of them in for vetting by Director and Designer(s) as early as possible. Any ideas you have about the production, designs, other performances, etc. should be channelled through the Director.
Finishing	Never presume that you've finished, the Director may need to go back on something that involves you. Don't leave a rehearsal until the Director has made it clear that you are no longer required in this session or that you won't be needed again until a specified time.

IN THE TECHNICAL REHEARSAL:

Description This will usually involve only the beginnings and endings of scenes and sound, lighting and any other relationships between actors and technicalities. It is the one time that the technical team get to rehearse their input to what the actors have been working on for weeks - and it takes much longer than you might imagine to organise everything so that the show runs efficiently. The whole process involves a lot of waiting and a lot of repetition - the reasons for both will probably only be readily apparent to Director and/or Stage Manager, who usually won't have time to explain why. Some (sometimes apparently trivial) things can take an apparently inordinate amount of time to sort out.

Arrival It is important that you are in the building by the 'half', and are ready in costume and makeup ready for 'beginners'. (Any exceptions to this must be agreed with the Stage Manager beforehand.)

Stage Manager S/he is in charge of everything and everybody backstage and onstage - all technical problems should be channelled through her/him at appropriate moments.

Acting Level There will be very little attention to the artistic aspects of acting - much more about how it inter-relates with all the technical aspects, but it is important that you perform with the same energy and commitment you would give to an actual performance as technical timings can depend on it.

Stopping Once started nobody can stop a technical rehearsal except the Director or Stage Manager.

Watching During the technical and dress rehearsals check with the Director and Stage Manager whether you are allowed to come round to watch - providing you are absolutely sure that you've got plenty of time before your next entrance. AND when entering or leaving the auditorium make sure you don't get in the way of anyone else.

Costumes, etc. Wear all of your costume including shoes and have your hair and makeup as you intend to have it in performance.

Before Entrances When waiting offstage for your entrance make sure that the audience cannot see any part of you. If you can see them, they can see you - sometimes through the smallest of cracks. AND an extended leg or arm can easily stick out into the audience's view in an unthinking moment.
If there's a small wing-space, only people in the next scene should wait there.

Whilst Waiting It is essential that you remain within earshot of the activity onstage - you never know when you might be needed. Any time wasted through having to find missing people is more destructive than you can ever imagine.

Restarting Before starting again after a stop in the technical rehearsal you should be given a line to start from by the Stage Manager. S/he will then give you a signal actually to restart when s/he has established that everybody else is ready - not just the other actors, but also (often unseen) technical staff.

Questions Don't ask Director/Stage Manager/Musical Director/Choreographer/Designer(s) inessential questions during the action - he/she/they have to concentrate extremely hard throughout all of the action.

Costumes If you intend to eat, drink or smoke you must first ensure that there is no danger of (temporary or permanent) damage to costumes - there often isn't sufficient time to organise cleaning/repair before next usage.
You must make sure that your costume(s) and props are neatly stowed in their appropriate place(s) at the end of each and every session.
It is important to report damage to costumes (and props) as soon as possible so that there is sufficient time for repairs to be carried out.

Curtain Call Bear in mind that the last thing to be rehearsed at a 'technical' will be the curtain call - you will have to wait around for that even if your last scene is long before the end. There are exceptions to this, but they have to be agreed by both Stage Manager and Director.

IN THE DRESS REHEARSAL:

General All the above apply.

Prompts THERE WILL BE NO PROMPTS - if you get into line trouble you (and your partner(s)) have to get yourselves out of that trouble.

IN THE PERFORMANCES:

General All the above apply.

Also Stay in the backstage areas from the 'half', through the interval and until you are changed back into 'mufti'.

And There should be no fraternisation with the audience from the 'half' until after the performance has finished.

I wrote this for Equity (U.K.) in 1996.

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Description	This will usually involve only the beginnings and endings of scenes and sound, lighting and any other relationships between actors and technicalities. It is the one time that the technical team get to rehearse their input to what the actors have been working on for weeks - and it takes much longer than you might imagine to organise everything so that the show runs efficiently. The whole process involves a lot of waiting and a lot of repetition - the reasons for both will probably only be readily apparent to Director and/or Stage Manager, who usually won't have time to explain why. Some (sometimes apparently trivial) things can take an apparently inordinate amount of time to sort out.
Arrival	It is important that you are in the building by the 'half', and are ready in costume and makeup ready for 'beginners'. (Any exceptions to this must be agreed with the Stage Manager beforehand.)
Stage Manager	S/he is in charge of everything and everybody backstage and onstage - all technical problems should be channelled through her/him at appropriate moments.
Acting Level	There will be very little attention to the artistic aspects of acting - much more about how it inter-relates with all the technical aspects, but it is important that you perform with the same energy and commitment you would give to an actual performance as technical timings can depend on it.
Stopping	Once started nobody can stop a technical rehearsal except the Director or Stage Manager.
Watching	During the technical and dress rehearsals check with the Director and Stage Manager whether you are allowed to come round to watch - providing you are absolutely sure that you've got plenty of time before your next entrance. AND when entering or leaving the auditorium make sure you don't get in the way of anyone else.
Costumes, etc.	Wear all of your costume including shoes and have your hair and makeup as you intend to have it in performance.
Before Entrances	When waiting offstage for your entrance make sure that the audience cannot see any part of you. If you can see them, they can see you - sometimes through the smallest of cracks. AND an extended leg or arm can easily stick out into the audience's view in an unthinking moment. If there's a small wing-space, only people in the next scene should wait there.
Whilst Waiting	It is essential that you remain within earshot of the activity onstage - you never know when you might be needed. Any time wasted through having to find missing people is more destructive than you can ever imagine.
Restarting	Before starting again after a stop in the technical rehearsal you should be given a line to start from by the Stage Manager. S/he will then give you a signal actually to restart when s/he has established that everybody else is ready - not just the other actors, but also (often unseen) technical staff.
Questions	Don't ask Director/Stage Manager/Musical Director/Choreographer/Designer(s) inessential questions during the action - he/she/they have to concentrate extremely hard throughout all of the action.
Costumes	If you intend to eat, drink or smoke you must first ensure that there is no danger of (temporary or permanent) damage to costumes - there often isn't sufficient time to organise cleaning/repair before next usage. You must make sure that your costume(s) and props are neatly stowed in their appropriate place(s) at the end of each and every session. It is important to report damage to costumes (and props) as soon as possible so that there is sufficient time for repairs to be carried out.
Curtain Call	Bear in mind that the last thing to be rehearsed at a 'technical' will be the curtain call - you will have to wait around for that even if your last scene is long before the end. There are exceptions to this, but they have to be agreed by both Stage Manager and Director.

General	All the above apply.
Prompts	THERE WILL BE NO PROMPTS - if you get into line trouble you (and your partner(s)) have to get yourselves out of that trouble.

General	All the above apply.
Also	Stay in the backstage areas from the 'half', through the interval and until you are changed back into 'mufti'.
And	There should be no fraternisation with the audience from the 'half' until after the performance has finished.