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One of the joys of being an actor is the process of creating a character. Here are some common elements that help to define who a character is.
Life without relationships is like solitary confinement. We’re hard-wired to connect with each other, even when we play in fiction. We engage in make believe the same way we do in life—through relationships.
When I studied acting in college, I tried to get my performances “just right” by making lots of little choices and adjustments. As a result, I was frequently stuck in my head, unable to feel impulses. Then I became a clown with the circus. Suddenly my choices needed to be larger than life. Playing BIG left no room for me to get stuck in my head. After a season with the circus, I returned to the stage. To my surprise, I discovered that I could let go and feel impulses with ease, even when playing in a realistic fashion.
When improvising a scene, sometimes the internal question of “What’s next?” arises. At times like this, it’s tempting to look for something new—a new idea, a new action, a new scene. The problem with looking for something new is that it puts you outside the story. You’re no longer living as the character, you’re thinking as an author. This disconnects you from the present moment, and worse, disconnects you from the spect.
A character is grilled by an interrogator about the character’s perspectives and details from the character’s life. Questions come hard and fast. Answers are given immediately without allowing time to think.
Players choose an animal to become. They move about the room, embodying the animal with their bodies, voices, and attitudes. They begin as 100% animal. After fully inhabiting the animal, players become 80% animal, and 20% human. They move around in this state for a while. Then they become 60% animal and 40% human. The process continues until the players are 100% human, while still embodying the essence of the animal.