Once, I was at an audition and the director asked me a question I had never thought much about.
"In what order are you an Actor, Singer, and dancer?"
I quickly answered, "Actor first, then singer and dancer."
It was a pretty simple response for me. As a singer, isn't your first and foremost job to tell a story? It is theater, after all. Any performance requires a cohesive narrative.
As I've gotten older, I've found that it's not always easy to communicate a story through song. Sometimes I become hung up on little mistakes or details. A lot of people will say that the trick to combat this "autopilot" is to simply stay present; which is vital, of course. I would argue, though, that it all comes down to how well you understand your character.
In all of my recent plays and musicals, I've found that I really enjoy writing out something called character analysis. It's essentially a list of questions asking about your character's motive, objective, circumstances, and little details. My directors have given me a number of different analysis sheets over the years. The questions range from "What is your character's biggest fear" to "What is their favorite food". The purpose of all these seemingly silly questions is solely for you and your own understanding. The more grounded and rooted in this person you are, the better you can convey their story. Here are some sample questions to think about:
1) What is your character's reason for getting up every morning?
2) What do they want most?
3) What is at stake for them?
4) How urgent are the words they're saying?
5) How old are they? Where are they from?
In the future, I may post an entire character analysis sheet for you all to use.
Now, despite what I may believe, your character and your development of their story are completely up to you. If the analysis in this form doesn't help in the slightest, don't do it. I have just found that it severely improves my performance. Analysis can take other forms besides a bunch of questions, as well. Immersing yourselves in the character is a very fun way to approach it. Go to a museum they might've found interesting. Listen to music you imagine they'd like. Write a diary from their perspective. It's all up to you, the actor.
Analysis keeps you in the zone. Truly, acting is not about becoming someone else- it's about being someone else. That's the best and most fun part. With that, it can also be the most challenging. Do your homework and research on your person. It makes for a much better experience!
This week's #Songforthesoul is "Love Songs for No One" by Austin Weber. My friend introduced me to this artist a couple of months ago. I love his unique sound and tone. Evidently, he did Mama Mia in Japan!
Thanks,
Arden