Tuesday, January 15, 2013

"Get Out Of My Shower!" - How To Be Private In Public

Did anyone else scream that, whiles playing on a swing-set with friends?  I know I did.  What's that got to do with acting?  Everything.  When people are looking at you, you take notice.  When you're onstage, people are looking at you.  And with Public Speaking as the #1 Fear for most Americans, how can actors get their attention off of the audience and into the story?

Supposing the piece is Realistic in nature (which has become the standard onstage), we have to behave as though there is an imaginary "4th Wall" at the end of the stage, right?  How?  In our recent post on "Diminishing Stage Customs", we made a correlation between this concept and Public Privacy.  In layman's terms, these two ideas have something to do with one another.  In reality, they don't.

This may seem obvious, but it seems important to point out:  The "4th Wall" does not exist.  It is something that occurs in imagination.  Therefore, if the actor is not actively imagining the 4th Wall, it disappears.

People like to talk about the Proscenium Arch (the area of the theater that surrounds the opening of the stage) as being the World's Largest Keyhole - as though the audience is witnessing the kind of event that only happens behind closed doors, in secret, when nobody is looking.  The only problem with that concept is the fact that at home, you literally can't see the guy looking through the peephole.  That being said, what is to keep an actor's attention on the stage when she knows she's being watched?

David Gideon, a wonderful teacher of Lee Strasberg's work (and my mentor), recalls a time in class, where a student told Strasberg that she had "Stage Fright".  As the story goes, Strasberg responded, "Who ever told you you had "Stage Fright".  What you have is Sensitivity To Your Surroundings.  Give me an actor, who doesn't have that kind of sensitivity, and I can't work with that actor!"  Why?  Because they're dead.  We need actors to be the lifeblood of society.  We go to the theater for a chance to see the things we all experience, expressed.  Otherwise, we can people-watch at the mall. 

As David constantly points out, "Actors, by nature, are passionate people.  Take any animal and put it in a room by itself for long enough, and it will get comfortable.  Remove one wall to reveal 1,000 people staring, and that animal is guaranteed to run in the opposite direction."

It's completely unnatural for us to open up and express.  We're taught to be social, instead.  And unfortunately, those habits tend to carry over to the stage.  And so frequently, we can see the actor's split attention between the audience and the story when we go to see the theater.  It seems that many actors understand the basic idea that they need to keep their attention on the other actors - or at the very least, their attention should remain behind the footlights.  But fortunately, most actors are not psychotic.  Most actors are aware that they are being watched.  And that knowledge overwhelms many of us and shuts us down.  Try showering without posturing when someone is watching.  It's not an easy time.  In terms of Expression, actors are just as naked on stage. 

So, what do we do?  As explained by Lee Strasberg, "The 4th Wall does not give us privacy.  Only our concentration on the 4th Wall can do that."  Concentration is the key.  It doesn't much matter what we're concentrating on, so long as the actor's attention is preoccupied with something other than performing.

Some people suggest that they BECOME THEIR CHARACTERS.  That's a load of malarchy.  Or maybe they need to be committed.  One of the two.  But for the practical actors in the world, we need to get our attention where it will serve us.  So, depending on your approach to acting, that might be on some creative element (creating a place, creating a substitution for a particular relationship onstage, etc), or it might be as simple as concentrating on your fellow actors - or even on your physical tasks on the stage.  You might even focus on the exploring the actual 4th Wall you've imagined.  But whatever you do, the likelihood is that the audience is sure to be a less powerful force as you put your attention somewhere else.

Notice the last statement.  You can't NOT pay attention to the audience.  We cannot actually DO a negative.  We have to intentionally put our attention somewhere else.  For instance, if you've tried to quit smoking, it's much harder to not smoke than it is to have a piece of gum instead.

I am constantly surprised to see actors that are shying away from the audience in an effort to concentrate on their work.  But no amount of avoiding the audience will help.  It takes a lot of time to learn how to tax your concentration in the kind of way that will serve acting.  And the more talented the actor, the more difficult the task.  It's taken me a long time to learn how to be private in public, and I still struggle with it on a daily basis - as do we all in this theater company.  We create fly-on-the-wall theater.  It's something that has become a cornerstone of what we strive for at The Seeing Place - most notably in our most recent productions of Love Song and our Off-Broadway debut of Danny and the Deep Blue Sea.

A trick in Public Speaking is to keep your attention on what you are trying to say, rather than how it is being received.  And that's exactly what we need to do as actors.  We need to keep our attention grounded to the stories we tell, rather than the entertainment level of today's performance.  An "unresponsive crowd" can only get a lesser show if you don't share your story. 

How have you battled these demons in your acting career?  Or do you have a story regarding privacy (or the lack thereof) in a piece of theater that you've seen?  Please share your thoughts with us as well.  We write these blogs to stir up conversation.  

18 comments:

  1. I am an actor that has paradoxically shied away from attention (or avoided it as much as possible)much more than I have sought it out. I have a strong dislike for being the center of attention (I sure know how to pick a career then, right?)but found solace on stage for the reason of public solitude. When I focused on a task or what I was doing and just being in the moment everything melted away. In classes at the William Esper Studio I was really able to work on this and see my classmates grow with it as well. Ernest focus on being in the moment adds so much more to any piece that is worked on. It is essential to story telling and our work as actors. Otherwise we are just trying to "show" something which doesn't end up serving the story quite as well. I think this is a great post with a really important point. Thanks for sharing, Brandon:)

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    1. Thanks, Gabrielle. I am also quite shy. In fact, the first time I was onstage in 4th grade, I peed myself and then ran offstage to puke. I was so embarrassed that I changed schools. But then I caught pneumonia and was forced into the class production of JULIUS CAESAR in 5th grade, because I wasn't in class enough to receive individual instruction for the alternative humanities credit. Throughout the year, we studied the crap out of the Romans and the play, and by the end of the year, I was so engrossed in the story that my "Stage Fright" just didn't matter. In fact, I begged for a bigger role. But it was too late. So, I caught the acting bug as Flavius (one of the senators in the first scene, who gets immediately beheaded).

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    2. Thanks for sharing, guys! I think, in fact, that many actors (including many great ones) are very shy people. I am as well, and have always felt more comfortable playing a role onstage than "being myself" in a recital or concert, for example. It is a relief for us to "hide behind" a character, another person, and not have to be just ourselves onstage. But "hiding behind" isn't really the right term: it is about concentration, belief, and attention to the person you are interacting with onstage. Losing yourself in the moment, in someone else's reality.

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  2. Concentration. Yes! And being present in the moment, moment after moment. And relaxation, physically and otherwise. And in the end, being truth-tellers. And yes, to those people who are watching us across the 4th wall. Sharing the experience with them. The reason we act.

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    1. It's really great that you make a distinction between concentration AND being present in the moment. They're both so important. Thanks, Alan!

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  3. I had a conversation with my friend Edward Morgan once, when he was directing me in CHRISTMAS CAROL at The Clarence Brown Theater in Knoxville, TN. I was describing to him how I was very affected by audience energy night to night, in a detrimental way; I found it difficult to do my work as an actor if it was a small or low energy audience - I became more self-conscious and unfocused, and my performance would flatten out and get cold. He said, "That may be because your primary relationship is with the audience, and not the other actor on stage with you. And that is the difference between performing and acting." Which blew my freakin' mind, because he was totally right. One of my traps as an actor is to perform an outward set of attitudes and movements, as opposed to live out a real moment in a real relationship with the person on stage with me. And when you are performing, your attention is primarily what effect you are having on the audience, like a stand-up comedian or slam poet or karaoke singer or clown. When you are acting, your attention is what you want from the other person, and what is stopping you from getting it.

    Edward's comment made me realize the difference between acting and performing and that I like both of them. Acting is way, way harder for me, which is why I love it. But I also love getting a roomful of people to react the way I want.

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    1. Well said. To be fair, it's always easier to do our work when people like us. And I go into major downward spirals when people don't. But I've learned to cultivate the skill of keeping that energy off of the stage - as best as anyone can, at least. And that's a lot harder said than done...as you know.

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  4. Great article! And, thank you for bringing this up. For me, shyness and awkwardness are a daily battle. However, I realize, as an actor, we have to get out of our own way and just let "it" happen. My first thought was to specify myself as "a theatre actor," though now that I'm giving it even more thought, I think that what you're referring to applies to any actor- across the board (I personally find this topic way more difficult from a film actor's perspective... The thought of having a camera magnifying my... everything... just seems so much more terrifying to me). In any case, I agree with you that the art of exposing ourselves honestly, while including any one is a difficult task.

    It brings to mind an exercise I was led through by Terry Schreiber... We were working on a "Private Moment" from the character's perspective of Miss Julie. Terrific exercise. However, I specifically recall Terry guiding me through how to use the 4th wall by way of focusing on the aisle in between the house seats. While I have great peripherals, and don't forget, am as shy as all get out, I was led to use the top of that passageway as a mirror. Therefore, I was able to see all around me and incorporate my surroundings. For me, there was something so strong in that exercise... This is what I try to concentrate on now, during those exposed, emotional scenes. I absorb what's around me. That place, I suppose, of where the light meets the magic....

    Lastly, and most importantly (I think), there's trust in your scene partner. I always trust that, not matter what, my scene partner(s) will be there to help me through a vulnerable moment. However, I quite often believe that the audience plays just that, and, if not, more, significant role. What's becoming one of my most favorite example's of this is during The Seeing Place Theater's last production of "Love Song." I was lucky enough to play such a journeyed and really, exposed person.... One of the things I learned was that I tended to listen to and feel the audience, which gave me (o shy one) freedom to give over and honestly portray this lovely character.

    Great lesson. And, as always, great article! Thank you!

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    1. Thanks, Marnie. And I totally agree. There are so many actors on screen that are camera aware. It is just as difficult a skill to cultivate. And honestly, film is probably harder in a sense, because at least you can live through an event on stage, rather than stopping and starting. But then again, you also have an editor on film. That always helps.

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  5. I think there's a very fine line in allowing the audience into one's performance as an actor. The audience is, of course, an integral part of theatre as a whole. As actors, we must always be aware and receptive of an audience's energy, but not the audience themselves. Are they collectively yawning as we near the end of Act One? Well, what can we do as a cast to turn that around? What have we been doing that they are yawning? That type of thinking is what a professor referred to as "The Actor Brain." The Character Brain, on the other hand, must never think that way. The Character Brain only knows what is going on at the moment in the play and how their words are affecting the others.

    I think it is an invaluable tool to be able to come off stage and be able to say, they laughed when I said this BECAUSE I did this. It is a system of self checks and balances, which allows actors to strengthen their craft on their own. But when the actor is so aware of the audience that it becomes detrimental to the performance, that does no one any good, including the audience. Chances are, they wil have seen this and enjoyed the performance less.

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    1. Whether or not the audience has enjoyed the performance less, we know for a fact that the actor did. And ultimately, that's what we're after. Ultimately, it is called a PLAY. Whether or not we're great at what we do, if there is joy in our art, it will catch on. It's contagious in that way. :O)

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  6. I find that the hardest time I have keeping my mind off the audience is when I'm way downstage with an audience member 3 feet away from me (which is common in the space we rent.) It's so tempting to start schmacting to show them how good I can really be. :) And then I catch myself and start judging my need to be liked, which destroys the 4th wall even more. Vicious cycle, I tell you...

    I'm so thankful to have a rehearsal process that helps us develop ways to keep our concentration on our work. It's really made a huge impact on me as an actor - especially when nerves are flying (family or reviewers in the audience, something going "wrong" onstage, etc.)

    I'm loving all of the comments being left on this post - what a feeling of community!

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    1. Yeah...reviewers, family, and friends are my kryptonite, too.

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  7. At times I shake uncontrollably on stage. It happens when I become acutely aware of my surroundings. This use to cause a great deal of fear in me. As if repeating a mantra in my head I would say things like, "Oh my God, can people see me shaking? They can! Oh God I'm embarrassed. Now I'm shaking even more. This is going terribly". Of course, my work suffered. Finally, a mentor of mine asked me what was going on. With my hat in my hand I begrudgingly admitted that the only thing I could concentrate on was shaking and trembling. She giggled and said, "I don't care that you shake, and neither should you. It means you're alive, and we love to see life". After this, I was no longer concerned about my shaking. I was freed to concentrate on the life I was creating.

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  8. And one more thing. All actors should take at least one clown class. Believe me, they will gain a new appreciation for their poublic.

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  9. Great topic. I definitely relate to Gabrielle in that I am not crazy about attention. I would much rather run and hide after a performance then have anything to do with a curtain call. What has always worked for me on stage, and in many many other theatrical ventures, is to simply put my concentration, or the majority of my focus on my partner. I boil most things down to sports metaphors or analogies, and acting is no different. I rely on my partner or teammate when I hit the stage, and hope they are relying on me. Putting my focus there has not served me wrong yet, and I don't expect it to anytime soon.

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  10. It might also be interesting to divide this discussion into performing drama versus performing comedy. I find that in comedy, I am much more aware of audience reaction; there is a real danger in getting used to having laughs at certain places, and then, suddenly one night, there is no laugh. Or laughs in (what you might consider) inappropriate places. These can really deflect your attention from where it should be.
    And it is much harder not to make the audience a partner in comedy, to stick with what the character is actually doing and feeling, and not try to BE funny.

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  11. I can certainly relate to what everyone has said. I was very very shy and for years loved acting as a way to express since I felt uncomfortable expressing myself. And aside from hiding in a character costume, the more over the top or character-like my role was, (or how I made it) the better. For some reason, it made it easier to deal with that 4th wall probably because I was so worried about how the audience was reacting and judging. We do want them to be happy, right? Therefore, I was too aware of the audience and would try to adjust my performance based on how I "perceived" the audience was feeling. We can naturally be affected by the energy that surrounds us which is natural, but what I had to learn was how to adjust based on how I had lost focus, not how to please the audience. As an audience member, I am well aware of levels of audience response and low energy doesn't always mean boredom. Yet as an actor, I'm suddenly exposed in that shower and the shower curtain is see-through. AAAAAHHH! Bad dream. It took awhile, but I am better at refocusing. I still need to work on it especially in today's world where there can be a lot of audience distractions. Although if we really want to be "in the moment" then I think every stage needs a cell phone handy so we can text back to the audience member who is texting and respond, "OMG get out of my shower". Thanks for the discussion.

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