{"id":906,"date":"2016-08-03T19:55:32","date_gmt":"2016-08-03T19:55:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mgs.performerstuff.com\/?p=906"},"modified":"2019-06-21T19:15:31","modified_gmt":"2019-06-21T19:15:31","slug":"10-ways-to-make-your-life-as-an-actor-easier","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/10-ways-to-make-your-life-as-an-actor-easier\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Ways to Make Your Life as an Actor Easier"},"content":{"rendered":"

10 Ways to Make Your Life as an Actor Easier<\/h3>\n \"\"<\/a><\/span>

Written by Ashleigh Gardner<\/p>\n

August 4, 2016<\/p>\n<\/font>

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Want some tips on how to make your life as an actor a little better and less stressful? Check out our quick list of tips that apply to every actor of every age.<\/p>\n

10.\u00a0Have an audition package.<\/h4>\n
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Have at least two dramatic and comedic monologues of varying length and at least three songs that show off your vocal stylings and range. There\u2019s nothing worse than seeing an audition posting and not having enough time to prep an audition piece. Always be prepared with material so you can audition when you want!<\/span><\/p>\n

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9.\u00a0Don\u2019t let a bad audition define you.<\/h4>\n
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Everyone has a bad day, and every actor has had a poor audition. Don\u2019t let one audition out of many deter you from seeking out work continuously. If you allow a fluke to control your drive and passion for acting; you\u2019ll only fall behind in your goals.<\/span><\/p>\n

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8.\u00a0Read the play before rehearsals get started.<\/h4>\n
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When you are cast in that show, read the script! There\u2019s nothing worse than walking into a rehearsal without knowing what\u2019s going on in the story. Make sure you understand your own character so that, if your director starts rehearsals with table work, you can have a conversation about your character\u2019s motivations and desires. <\/span><\/p>\n

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7.\u00a0Plan ahead for arriving on time.<\/h4>\n
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Respect your director, stage manager, and castmates by planning ahead for travel and any obstacles you may face on your way to rehearsals and performances. If you leave early, you may get there before others do, but you\u2019ll show your commitment to the show — and your respect for everyone else\u2019s time.<\/span><\/p>\n

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6.\u00a0Be off-book as soon as you can.<\/h4>\n
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Nothing is worse than trying to act with a cumbersome book in your hands. When you aren\u2019t holding onto a script, you\u2019ll naturally feel more free to act in the moment, the way every scene should be performed. You\u2019ll be present with your fellow actors, and they\u2019ll thank you for it.<\/span><\/p>\n

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5.\u00a0Write down notes and blocking.<\/h4>\n
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If you want to remember your blocking or any notes your director gives you (which you do) — WRITE. THEM. DOWN. Always carry a pencil with you so you can erase and re-record if you make a mistake in your script.<\/span><\/p>\n

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4.\u00a0When dress rehearsals start, be in-costume and ready to go.<\/h4>\n
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Show the director and the rest of the cast that you\u2019re serious about the show. Treat a dress rehearsal like you would a show with an audience, and be dressed, warmed up, and in places when your SM gives you the call. There\u2019s nothing more embarrassing than being the one the rest of the cast is waiting on.<\/span><\/p>\n

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3.\u00a0Have a prep routine for every show.<\/h4>\n
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What do you do to get ready for a performance? Listen to music? Do some yoga? Spread out your entire makeup bag and apply your makeup the same way every time? Great! When you\u2019ve got a routine, it makes it easier for you to become focused for a performance. Just make sure that routine includes a few minutes when you…<\/span><\/p>\n

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2.\u00a0Warm up!<\/h4>\n
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Even if you only sing for 5 minutes, even if you only have 10 lines, warming up your voice is essential to being heard on stage. Successful actors know the value of vocal warm-ups, diction exercises, and physical warm-ups. When you warm up your voice and your body, you\u2019re prepping yourself so that you don\u2019t damage your voice or pull a muscle during a dance number. Do yourself a favor and warm up!<\/span><\/p>\n

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1.\u00a0Don\u2019t slander other performers.<\/h4>\n
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Last and certainly not least, never <\/span>ever <\/span><\/i>talk trash about other performers, whether you\u2019ve worked with them or not, and whether you like them or not. It may ruin their reputation, but what\u2019s worse for you, it shows that you can\u2019t be trusted to work with anyone without causing drama. If you don\u2019t like working with someone, that\u2019s okay. Just remember the way you act and what you say is a reflection of your integrity as a performer and a person.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Ashleigh Gardner<\/strong>\u00a0received her AA in Theatre\/Drama\/Dramatic Arts\u00a0from Valencia College and\u00a0her Bachelors Degree in English Literature and\u00a0Masters Degree in Literary, Cultural, and Textual Studies from\u00a0the University of Central Florida. She is a playwright and an actor.<\/em><\/h5>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" [...]","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":7024,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[261,470,258],"tags":[6,271,50,304,115,14,114,347],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/906"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=906"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/906\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/7024"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=906"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=906"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=906"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}