BackStage Utah

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?

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.

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


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.

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.

mr. spiker wrote on Mar 30^th, 2010 at 10:29am:


This.

Can you explain what you mean by "working" a scene? I think I know what y'all mean, but I'm curious to hear how you explain it.

Cheeky Monkey wrote on Mar 31^st, 2010 at 12:40pm:


There are some basic things a Director should do:

• Block so that the story is told and actors do not get in the way of one another.
• Review that blocking enough times that the actors are familiar with one another's paths across the stage
• Present any lighting and set needs to actors and include those needs in the blocking so that tech rehearsal stress is lessened

To me, this is where most Actors get 'over-rehearsed'. Because these things can be time-consuming, many rehearsals get hung up on the nitty gritty of whether or not an actor should go step this way or that. Some actors (particularly beginners) are not so good with the learning physical movement and spacing.

Working a scene in a group context includes all that. But the movement must be generated from the objectives and tactics of the characters, which is part of an actor's preparation. I divide "working a scene" into two categories: One, the actor's preparation. Two, the group preparation rehearsal provides.

To use a metaphor: The actor prepares on his/her own and this is a skeleton of the character. At rehearsal, the director challenges this in order to build and add muscle to the skeleton. Working the objectives and tactics with the rest of the cast is the tendon and joint work, navigating how one character will play off another. To complete it all, a costumer and technical crew add the skin, which also plays into the original objectives.

When a director is only focusing on the skin, an actor can grow weary because there is no framework to support the whole system. However, when an actor prepares the framework in advance, everything else works together, no matter how long something is rehearsed.

Working the scene in the context of solo preparation is different for everyone. I like to read the scenes I am in at least 5 times. First, to find the events. Second, to find the objectives of my character. Third, to find the tactics my character will use and possible counter tactics/objectives of other characters. Fourth, to find the love. And fifth, to solidify the information. I follow that up by reading the entire text of the piece with the newly-acquired-knowledge about my character.

As a director, I've made a lot of mistakes trying to get to a systematic approach to 'working the scene' in the context of group work. Out of these mistakes, I've found that asking lots and lots of questions works best. I see my job as director as similar to the sport Curling - I sweep in front of the actor where I think they should go, but I mostly let them do the moving. A really good question can spark an amazing objective or a really incredible moment. That's not just the director, though. Those moments don't come without the actor preparing before rehearsal and attending rehearsal with the desire to find more (and sometimes new) connections to the character and to the other characters.

None of this takes into account the fail of a director who is either mistaken in approach or just not doing appropriate scene work or an actor who lazily expects the rehearsal period to fit her/his own lack of preparation. Those are different aspects of scene work and require a different approach altogether.

Great stuff guys.

Rosie, what do you mean by "find the love?"

That makes a lot of sense! Especially the fact that the people we hurt most are usually the people we love most.