BWW Blog: Performance from a New Perspective

Throughout my theatre, music, and dance training, I have constantly had to adapt to new teachers and their own unique styles. While it can be quite a challenge, it is a useful exercise in adaptability, a transferrable skill for the professional world. Viewing your work through different lenses gives greater perspective on the art.

In my acting classes, we are doing tactic play with our assigned scenes. Using Uta Hagen's methods, we "unit" the scenes, splitting them up into distinct sections. Each time the train of the thought changes, that is a separate unit of the scene. We assign each unit a tactic to help our character earn their overall objective.

Choosing tactics has been difficult for me and my classmates. The idea behind the tactics is that they must be action verbs that go through our scene partners. Tactics cannot be being verbs; they must directly involve the other person. When performing a scene, the instinct for students is to decide the emotions that motivate their character. They try to "become" their character and act the way their character feels.

The challenging fact that I have had to learn is that you can never really "become" a character and leave behind who you are. As the actor, you must dig deep inside and use your real-life experiences to apply them to the character. By relating to the character in this way, you keep the work grounded and truthful. While not all characters will have similarities to you and your own life, using active tactics can help extend the text to actions that you are familiar with.

This isn't to say that you can't adopt your character's mannerisms and vocal qualities, but it is imperative to devote attention to playing tactics and working towards your objective. Objectives give the scene purpose and keep actors present in the scene without anticipating what will happen next. Trusting your scene partner is a major factor in scene success, as you must be able to try different tactics to see which ones are most effective.

This is just one method of acting, and it can be used in conjunction with other techniques. As a performer, dedicating time to educate yourself and improve your craft is essential to success. I feel much more connected to scenes and monologues when I have spent hours analyzing the context from different angles. As an artist, feeling truly invested in what you are doing is beyond rewarding.