The Green Room - Over Rehearsing

Mar 25^th, 2010 at 10:39am

Swami Offline
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I've had some recent experiences and insights into this and wanted to solicit other people's opinions on this matter...

Richard Scott, who just directed Eurydice for the Grand Theatre, said he had to cut rehearsals back because his cast was so good, he didn't want them to peak early. In my last show, I was ready (it felt like) faster than some of the cast, and hit a point where I was over-rehearsed. I realized this when an auditor told my director that my only natural character moment was when I demanded a prop that wasn't out for the rehearsal, and that the rest of my performance seemed "put-on." Made me glad the auditor was there, as I was able to see what I was doing to myself, how wound up I was getting over nothing, and was able to relax and pull myself out of it.

What do you do when you hit the point of over-rehearsal for yourself, but know the schedule can't lighten up because other members of the cast need every second of rehearsal they can get?

As a director, what do you do when you see a cast member hit that point of over-rehearsed but need them there to bring along the other cast members who need the rehearsal?

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Reply #1 - Mar 25^th, 2010 at 10:51am

Silent Knight Offline
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I personally have nver experienced the "over-rehearsed" phenomenon. I have seen people become lethargic during the run, but most of the shows I've been in have been seriously UNDER rehearsed to the point of needing two weeks to settle in.

Personally, just myself, instead of getting bored when it alll becomes second nature, I always found that was wehn my actng was by far at it's best, because the familiarirty made the character just feel more natural and real.

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Reply #2 - Mar 25^th, 2010 at 11:14am

spiker Offline
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I have that problem as an actor in long rehearsal processes (6 weeks). I usually have to dial it back a little in the week before tech. Or go out of my way to explore different choices at that point to see if there's anything valuable that I haven't found yet. And yet, no matter how over-rehearsed I've felt in a show, everything is brought back to life when the audience is there for the first time. They add a new element to react to and play off of and I always appreciate that.

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Reply #3 - Mar 28^th, 2010 at 9:32pm

Toddy Offline
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spiker wrote on Mar 25^th, 2010 at 11:14am:

I have that problem as an actor in long rehearsal processes (6 weeks).� I usually have to dial it back a little in the week before tech.� Or go out of my way to explore different choices at that point to see if there's anything valuable that I haven't found yet.� And yet, no matter how over-rehearsed I've felt in a show, everything is brought back to life when the audience is there for the first time.� They add a new element to react to and play off of and I always appreciate that.

I totally agree with Spiker. We have rehearsed "A Doll House" for six weeks and we were more than ready for an audience. We just got to the point that we just concentrated on exploring more and finding new things. It was an amazing rehearsal process.

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Reply #4 - Mar 29^th, 2010 at 9:02am

gem2477 Offline
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Silent Knight wrote on Mar 25^th, 2010 at 10:51am:

I personally have nver experienced the "over-rehearsed" phenomenon. I have seen people become lethargic during the run, but most of the shows I've been in have been seriously UNDER rehearsed to the point of needing two weeks to settle in.

Personally, just myself, instead of getting bored when it alll becomes second nature, I always found that was when my actng was by far at it's best, because the familiarirty made the character just feel more natural and real.

In my experience, the plays that I am in either seem under rehearsed (not that they are, they just seem like it) or seem just right to me. Personally, I like when we get two or three dress rehearsals that are like regular performances.

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Reply #5 - Mar 29^th, 2010 at 5:04pm

Captain Malcolm Reynolds Offline
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Swami wrote on Mar 25^th, 2010 at 10:39am:

What do you do when you hit the point of over-rehearsal for yourself, but know the schedule can't lighten up because other members of the cast need every second of rehearsal they can get?

Swami, my dear friend, when you find yourself in such a pickle, just remember the famous words of Shakespeare's Henry V, "Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more!"

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Reply #6 - Mar 29^th, 2010 at 11:03pm

kitchensinger Offline
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I've never really felt "over-rehearsed" because I've never been totally satisfied with my performance...even if it's at the end of a 7-week run.� I feel there's always something to improve upon.� But in particular, when things don't seem "fresh" anymore or may seem "over-rehearsed," I think it's as important as ever to make a determined effort to stay in the moment...not anticipating your lines and doing/thinking/acting as the character would at any given point in the play.� Helps keep it fresh and new and allows for opportunity to find new choices, as mentioned by many of the other comments.� I think there's a wonderful opportunity to really grow as an actor when you feel like you've got the role down so well that you have to really work to make it even better in honesty and believability.

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Reply #7 - Mar 30^th, 2010 at 10:29am

mr. spiker Offline
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I think, quite often, it's not an issue of Over-Reharsing, as it is Over-Running. Brecht rehearsed for 18 months ...

But many directors (and actors) do not know how to really work a scene, and tend to simply run and run and run. I've done shows where we've never done anything but run/notes. And that can really wear people down, in my opinion.

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Reply #8 - Mar 30^th, 2010 at 11:32pm