Dr. Marc Reynolds Performing Arts Studio
Sing Easier - Perform Like A Pro
Day 7 Topic 1
In this section, we will discuss basic stagecraft knowledge. Many singers get a good deal of training with their voices but can feel out of place on the stage. Let’s discuss some of the most important things you need to know so you can step out onto the stage with confidence.
[Read more…] about Basic Stage CraftDay 7 Topic 6
Knowing when you are the center of attention or the focal point of the scene and when you are not is crucial for anyone stepping onto the stage.
In general, when you are supposed to be the center of attention the best place to be is upstage of whoever you are singing to. You might think that the closer you are to the audience the stronger your position is. The problem with this thinking is that, at least when we are performing on a proscenium stage, the downstage person is always in a weaker position. They either have their back to the other singer which puts them in a visually vulnerable position or they have to turn upstage to relate to the other characters which makes them draw even less attention from the audience.
There are many ways someone can “take the stage” or become the focal point for the audience. Anything you can do to set yourself apart from the rest of the people on stage will make you stand out. Standing on a higher level, wearing a brighter or more saturated color, moving more or less than the people around you can all make you pop out from the crowd.
What we will focus on here though is getting you to build the basic instinct to get upstage before you have to sing or become the focal point. If you do that, then you will find yourself in the right position the majority of the time.
As we learned we have to keep our face between “10 & 2” at least when we are singing opera. Even when we are singing different genres that is still the best place to have your face if you want the audience to engage with what you are saying.
The problem with that is that to keep your face between “10 & 2” while getting upstage becomes very difficult. You have three options to get upstage. You can back up, turn around and walk upstage, or do and “RSB” or “LSB” maneuver (see below). Backing up is clumsy and dangerous and should be used sparingly and only when you know exactly where everything is around you. Turning around and walking upstage breaks the rule of 10& 2 so we are left with “RSB” and “LSB” while we are singing and trying to get upstage at the same time.
To get upstage when you aren’t singing is easy. Just walk to where you need to go like any normal person would. Look to where you want to go, turn your body and walk. Don’t try to sidestep, walk in slow motion or consistently even steps, or any other kind of un-natural walk unless that is the specific request of the director or the unique to the character. Just walk like a real person would who is saying and doing what your character is saying and doing.
If you are singing to someone next to you or on the same horizontal plane of the stage where neither of you is significantly upstage or downstage then you aren’t in a good position. If I need to sing to someone who is directly staging right of me and I am supposed to sing as I cross to talk to them I need to get up stage before I cross so that I can sing at a downstage angle to that person. The movement pattern would be similar to what is drawn below here. This lets you keep the “10 & 2” rule, allows you to connect with the conductor, and is visually more appealing.
The process of doing a right shoulder back is this:
Thank you to Richard Crittenden. The terms RSB and LSB was taken from his workshop and teachings and are used with his blessing.
Let’s dive a little deeper into the idea of giving ourself permission to act on the impulse. An impulse is defined as
impulse
noun
im·pulse | \ ˈim-ˌpəlshttps://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/impulse
1a: INSPIRATION, MOTIVATIONb: a force so communicated as to produce motion suddenlyc: INCENTIVE
2a: the act of driving onward with sudden force : IMPULSIONb: motion produced by such an impulsion : IMPETUSc: a wave of excitation transmitted through tissues and especially nerve fibers and muscles that results in physiological activity or inhibition— see NERVE IMPULSE
3a: a sudden spontaneous inclination or incitement to some usually unpremeditated actionb: a propensity or natural tendency usually other than rational
What makes the difference between a believable action and an action that reads a false or contrived on stage is the ability of an actress or actor creating the illusion of it being an authentic impulse or reaction to external or internal stimuli. The trouble is the most authentic and believable aspect of body language is the gestures that come without conscious thought. It happens faster than conscious thought. It starts faster than we can control it. We can shut it down and change it once we identify it but usually, the damage is already done with whomever we are communicating with. They can sense the deception because they saw you shut down a limbic response. This is why you will hear political commentators talking about “micro-gestures” concerning whether or not a candidate in a debate is telling the truth or not. The brain and especially the subconscious part of our brain is extremely sensitive to seeing gestures that come from the limbic response.
[Read more…] about The Truth Behind What Our Body is Saying – The Limbic ResponseThere is nothing more beautiful and captivating than a person who has chosen to be vulnerable. There is no greater honor than the trust given by someone choosing to be vulnerable with you. If I look at the type of moments in real life that I want to recreate for an audience on stage they usually are not moments of extreme action or spectacle. I love spectacle and action but what I think about for weeks afterward and can remember with clarity for years afterward are not the moments of spectacle and action but connection and shared vulnerability.
[Read more…] about VulnerabilityThe individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe. If you try it, you will be lonely often, and sometimes frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself.
— Friedrich Nietzsch
“ Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter don’t mind.”
– Bernard M. Maruch
“ Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius and it’s better to be absolutely ridiculous than absolutely boring.”
– Marilyn Monroe
What the audience wants to see on stage isn’t a person “acting” like someone else. The audience wants to see the actor being someone else for the time they are on the stage. We want to see what a real person would do if they were in the situations dictated by the dramatic work they are living through on stage. In a live performance that includes music, we want to see the music become a natural part of a real person’s world.
“ I find the best way to love someone is not to change them, but instead, help them reveal the greatest version of themselves.”
– Steve Maraboli
This may seem like a very “self-help” kind of topic. It might seem soft, abstract, or theoretical and a as a topic “nice” but not necessary. In my experience trying to help young performers unlock their abilities and become excellent actors and actresses I have found that until these core issues we will discuss in this topic are addressed and worked on the performers progress will be stunted. It is necessary if the goal is to reveal truth the the process of acting. I have come to see these concept to be very practical and concrete both in application and results.