REHEARSAL EXPECTATIONS

 

ATTENDANCE and PUNCTUALITY- 

•If you HAVE to miss a rehearsal, it is YOUR responsibility to get any missed information from the SM BEFORE the next rehearsal.

•Too many missed rehearsals can seriously jeopardize a production FOR EVERYONE, therefore, missing 3 rehearsal in the first 3 weeks MAY result in an actor losing their role.

•We will start promptly at 3:30 every day.  Be WARMED UP and ready.

•You must bring your SCRIPT and a PENCIL every day… even through the run.

 

REHEARSAL PREPARATION-

•Use your Calendar and know what is being worked on every day.

•ON BOOK- Review your lines and be VERY prepared for that day’s scenes with your GIVEN CIRCUMSTANCES (WHO you are, WHERE you are, WHAT YOU ARE DOING!!!), WHAT you are saying, WHO you are saying it to, and WHY you are saying it.

•OFF BOOK- CONTINUE reviewing your text for CUES and REACTIONS to other’s lines.  Plan SEVERAL CHOICES for all your moments in a scene, both on your lines and reactions to other’s lines and moments.

 

YOUR DIRECTOR’S JOB-

•Provide a concept and setting that will allow actors to PLAY!

•Provide basic blocking (like chess pieces on a chess board).

•A Director should not necessarily give the motivation for any of this basic blocking.  That is…

 

THE ACTOR’S JOB-

•LEARN YOUR LINES by (BEFORE!) the deadlines set.  Words cannot express how important this is.  Very little can be done in terms of action and reaction until you know and are comfortable with your lines AND CUES.

•The actor needs to supply the motivation… the WHY for every line and action (blocking).

•CONNECT everything to the text by reviewing the script DAILY.

•WRITE DOWN everything the director says about your scenes and review those notes before any future rehearsal of those scenes.  The goal is to always move forward.  Directors HATE to repeat a note.

•ASK QUESTIONS!  This is not easy.  If there is anything you do not fully understand, ASK THE DIRECTOR.  Assuming that it will just come to you eventually, or that it must not be that important is incredibly damaging to you and a production.  IT IS YOUR JOB TO KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER, PLACE and LINES!

 

YOUR STAGE MANAGER’S JOB

•The stage manager has the actual lines and blocking in their script.  If you miss any time, you need to get the missed blocking, etc. from them.

•The stage manager keeps track of missed lines during off book runs and should tell you if you miss any lines… your appropriate response to this is always, “Thank you.”

•The stage manager will convey all times, places etc. to you, sometimes through a Backstage Manager.  Your appropriate response to this is always, “Thank you ___ (the time given).”

 

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE “WORKING” IN REHEARSAL?

•Constant focus on-stage… NOT bursting into conversation at every break.

•Finding connected activity for your eyes and hands.

•Knowing lines and cues.  Understanding your who, where, and what.  Know where the focus should be and reacting actively to it.

•Focusing on your work and not other’s work… Actors NEVER tell other actors what to do.

•Write everything down on your time.  Review script daily.

•MAKE CHOICES!!!!!

 

WHAT IS A “CHOICE” AND HOW DO YOU MAKE ONE?

•A Choice is HOW you say a line, react to another’s line, or how you do a piece of blocking.  It can be pure pauses and emphasis, gestures, attitude, or even a choreographed bit with another character.  Choices are NOT just voices and poses.

•There are thousands of RIGHT ways to create any given moment on stage, so it is a crime not to try multiple approaches at every opportunity.

•Choices are made by scouring your script, and knowing exactly where a line or piece of blocking COMES FROM, then deciding how your character would logically respond to that, then try different physical and vocal ways of SHOWING how your character FEELS about the moment.

•Some choices are made right on stage, and are often called DISCOVERIES.  These happen when an actor is really looking and listening in a scene.  These are wonderful and can transform a show, BUT THEY CAN ONLY HAPPEN WHEN YOU ARE VERY COMFORTABLE WITH YOUR LINES AND BLOCKING.  Otherwise you are too worried about your lines and cues to be AWARE of things happening on stage.  These discoveries are best when they happen a few weeks before opening, so the proper focus can be given to them.

 

GETTING OFF-BOOK

•Nothing is more important than getting off-book.  Start on day one by highlighting your lines, asking for help with meaning, and knowing what you are responding to.

•Use technology!  Record your scenes with gaps for your lines, then play the scene and fill in your lines!

 

FOCUS AND BEATS

•Everything in the theatre is based on Focus and Beats.  The focus travels around the stage as pinpricks on beats.  Understand them.  Find them.  Feel them.  Confused?  ASK!

 

ENSEMBLE

•We succeed and fail as an ENSEMBLE.

•Consider the entire group in all of your decisions, from absences to disruptions and even in choices… ARE YOU SERVING THE SHOW?

•It is sooooo hard to have fun… by yourself.  You will simply enjoy this process much more if you treat each other fairly, with respect, and even joy.  BE AN ENSEMBLE!