New to Acting? Start here!

If you're new to acting, or perhaps just need a refresher or inspiration, I hope this page can be helpful for you! Acting can be daunting. Putting yourself in a position where others are watching you can feel unnerving, and the rehearsal process can feel scary especially when you've never been in one and don't know what to expect.

 

The Role of the Actor

The actor embodies the character in the script! Details like the way this character walk, talk and move give physical flavour to the character, while understanding the Whys, Hows, and Whats of the character give it depth and soul. In the professional setting, actors are expected to know their lines and blocking by memory. However, Match & Make is a lot more casual and relaxed! You're welcome to ask your director if they prefer you to be off book (that means having your lines memorised!), but if you don't have the time to do so, don't feel pressured to. You can hold your script while performing, and focus on getting familiar with the lines and blocking instead!

The Role of the Director

Each director might have a different philosophy on their role, and therefore varying degrees of control over the team of actors. That being said, it is typically understood that the director guides the moving parts in the play to achieve their vision of the script. That might mean having a say on things like technical movements and character descriptions. Have a chat with your director to find out more about what they envision for the play!

First Few Steps

1. Read The Script. 

I recommend reading it a few times to gain a deeper understanding of the text. In your first read, simply take in the general plot and characters involved in the scene. In the second read, try and have a deeper read into the characters, themes, and shape of the play. Identify the significant changes amongst the characters' relationship or circumstance. Where is the climax of the scene?

2. Study Your Character. 

If casting is left open, have a pick at the character you'd like to play! If casting has already been decided for you, or once you've chosen your character, you can move on to developing your character further. Certain things can be fun to think about at the start, like what school they went to, what their favourite food is, where they live, etc. I personally enjoy doing this for the characters I play, even if they may not make a difference in my performance. But you might find that questions about the present life of the character to be more valuable for the scene, such as;

        What is my character's relationship and impression towards the other characters?

        What is their main objective in this scene?

        How are they trying to achieve that objective?

        What is in their way?

If you'd also like to play with interesting physical bodies, try asking yourself questions like;

        How do they walk?

        What is their internal rhythm? (some move faster by default, some move slower)

        What accent might they have?

        What are they wearing?

An actor will usually have suggestions and ideas for their own character, but the director might also want to explore different variations of the character, so try and stay flexible!

3. Learn Your Lines!

Take some time to analyse your lines. Look up words you're not 100% certain of and find out how they're pronounced if needed. It's also fun to try saying the lines in different ways. The actor might read a line in a certain way by default, but maybe the character might say it differently! Play around with it and see what you find.

Although it's not compulsory for Match & Make, I always recommend going off book as it gives you the freedom to fully play and have fun! Your hands are free, and you'll find moving around much easier without a device or piece of paper.

Final Remarks

Apart from just doing it, there is very little else you can do to build confidence acting. Ask any working actor and they will tell you that they grow through doing, making mistakes, embarrassing themselves, and just trying again. So much of it is experimentation, and it might not come naturally to you at first!

We hope that Match & Make can be one of the spaces for you to go in wholeheartedly, expecting to fail and make mistakes, while also having fun! Experiment and experiment again! There is no other way :)

All the best!