Zaryo - Actors THEATRE ACTORS

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Ahh, the stage: to stand on stage and feel the heat of the lights, to feel your heart beat and the adrenalin rushing through your veins. Feel the audience's excitement and yours with them, and at the end a huge round of enthusiastic applause.

Theatre Actor

Posted by Katriona on 01-11-2011

The Guide for the Beginner Theatre Actor
Appearing on the stage, whether in a large theatre or in a tiny basement venue, is by far a once in a life time experience for every actor. It's completely different from acting on-camera. It's no wonder that so many successful film and TV stars are just waiting for their chance to return to the stage and perform as theatre actors.

Theatre Acting Ability

Presence and charisma, diction and sensitivity... Those are just some of the qualities required from the stage actor. Presence and charisma are so much more important on the stage then on camera. Basically, it's about the same profession and the same requirements: acting talent, expertise and timing. But in the cinema, the audience's attention is drawn artificially, by showing close-ups or slowly moving the camera towards the actor. On the theatre stage, it's all up to the actor to draw attention to himself.

Presence is something that the theatre actor needs to prove. A theatre actor needs to know how to say his line in a clear voice, with the proper diction and accent. A stage actor must understand what he says, because, after all, the theatre actor is a story-teller and his character's role is different from his own personal character. A theatre actor needs to be able to express the proper sentiment at the proper time.

Actors in the Theatre Industry
Each theatre has it's own style But most of the performances are based on the following schedule: rehearsals, dress rehearsal, debut and regularly scheduled performances in front of the general public. Rehearsals are the longest stage and may last a few weeks to a few months; two months is the regular length of time it takes to put on a theatrical play.

In all, there are two kinds of directors: those that work from the inside out and those who work from the outside in. The first type will start by analysing the theatre play, the characters, their traits and desires, and only then will they start to place the actors on the stage. The other type will do a rough version on the stage and only then will they start analysing the details.

In professional theatre, it is surmised that you know how to develop the character on your own and that you do so in your own time. Analyse the play, build the character emotionally and physically, learn the text and even do warm up exercises before getting on the stage.

After the stage rehearsals, it is customary to do a dress rehearsal in front of audiences from small towns, schools, etc. to see how the play works and whether any changes should be made. Here, the theatre actors will get their chance to do everything right before the debut. Only then will the play appear before the general public. From here on, the stage actor is on his own, without the director telling him what to do.

Job Hunting for the Stage Actor

A theatre actor needs to enrol with an acting agency and take into consideration that not all roles will be referred to agencies. Keep your eyes and ears open, make connect ions and keep them.

It's really important that a theatre actor has good contacts with professionals. Casting in fringe theatre, for instance, usually goes through personal contacts and not through agencies. Participating in a well-regarded school play will open doors since it will be seen by people from the theatre industry.

Also, if you're creative at production, you could try to put on a production of your own at a fringe theatre. Recruit some actors and do your own, or get a producer to help out. One of the advantages of theatre over cinema and TV is that putting on a stage production doesn't have to involve a huge budget, professional technicians and sophisticated equipment. All you really need is a couple of talented theatrical actors and a good director.

Other Work Options for Theatre Actors
Theatre actors today are also interested in appearing on the screen, and it comes highly recommended. Acting on camera for TV or cinematic production, in student movies and advertisements, can all add to pursuing your career as a theatre actor.

Theatre Acting in School Productions
Acting in school productions is an important thing to consider. It is an actual appearance on the stage, it draws audience and it is good acting experience. There are schools whose audience is loyal and they buy tickets to every production. Good schools put on professional shows, with good directors that run for many performances and get good reviews. Those are professional theatre roles in every sense.

Performing in Children's Productions
Many beginning theatre actors perform in children plays. That market is wide open and includes many kinds of productions: short plays that are put on in parks and in schools, middle-length productions that are put on in schools and in small theatre as well as huge musical shows that play in large theatres for hundreds of thousand of children and their parents. The small and middle-sized productions usually look for theatre actors who aren't too well-known and pay lower salaries; that's why it's easier to be accepted to them. Even if those productions are less attractive, remember that it's really important to appear on stage and also remember that an audience of children is one of a kind: if you want to know what an audience really thinks - this is the perfect opportunity.

Fringe Theatre
On the outskirts of regular commercial theatres where most of the real money is, there is another type of theatre. Here the accent is on smaller ensemble theatres that have a loyal following. The productions are one of a kind and draw a high-quality audience. Fringe theatre is all about lower-budgets and alternative styles of theatre. Usually fringe casts of actors are smaller and there is much less scenery on the stage. The quality is high; the directors are talented and the audience is often made up of connoisseurs of good theatre.

Developing a Career as a Theatre Actor
Most theatre actors are in a position of constantly being on the lookout for their next role, their next appearance on stage. Even successful, well-known actors don't earn their fortune only from appearing on stage; for beginning actors it's almost certain that they'll have to hold on to another job including teaching theatre.

The work hours at the theatre are in a different category than anywhere else: rehearsals may be in the mornings, but the performances are in the evening, especially over the weekend - when everyone else is resting, or going to see a good play. Lots of plays go on the road to appear different locations and even different countries. This is a wonderful opportunity to see the world, visit new places and meet new people. But it is a hard to lead a normal life and hold on to a stable job.

In repertoire theatre the work is more or less constant. Theatres usually keep a group of actors who receive a regular salary and play in all the performances. They sign a contract with the theatre group for a year or more, promising the actor lots of work. The actors promise, in return, is to appear only in those theatres' productions for the entire term of the contract, and that they will act in any role asked. They may end up acting as a tree at some point even if they've already appeared as Hamlet in a previous production. In addition, outside of the regular theatre circle, there are many ensembles: theatre groups, where the group of actors is permanent, led by a director or producer. Sometimes actors who are well-known and are the big draw for the audience, don't bother signing with a specific theatre, and so remain free to act where they choose.

The actor's work is never easy; keep looking for new challenges and keep up your motivation and Good Luck!

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