Becoming An Actor: Performance Skills

"The audience is the most revered member of the theater. Without an audience, there is no theater. Everything done is ultimately for the enjoyment of the audience. They are our guests, fellow players, and the last spoke in the wheel which can then begin to roll. They make the performance meaningful." - Viola Spolin

"Robert Cohen says, 'all people, and all characters in plays, think about their situation more than about their own personality or character.' This is almost always true about people, and is certainly the way actors should think during a performance. But actors, off the stage, must think about their own personality and character. If you do not know who you are, if your instrument is not limber and under your control for the most part, you will never be a great actor. Master actors cultivate effortless and automatic control of their instruments."

Truthful performance skills come from in-class exercises and scene study and through actual experiences. Once you have developed the capacity to create a character and rehearse, you must learn how to mentally and physically prepare yourself before a performance. It is important to show up plenty of time before curtain in order to mentally prepare your character. Once onstage, establishing a communion with your audience is paramount. It is very important not to break the fourth wall, however, you must engage the audience in every word you say. You must have the skills to maintain and control impulse, energy, and various tempo-rhythms. Once you are on the stage you are your character and you are in the story. Your personal being is still there but you can not react as yourself. Finally you must know how to focus your stage energy and how to capture and repeat an inspired portrayal as if your character were living the events of the play for the first time you put on your character's clothing. you have already had plenty of weeks of rehearsal and now you have multiple shows ahead of you. Every show has to be opening night.