So, You Want to be an Actor?

The lure of the stage lights calls to us and draws us! The reaction of a live audience. is incredible. There is nothing like it! So, how do you prepare yourself for the stage? How do you start?

Go in with realistic expectations about the amount of work that stage requires. Of course, everyone wants the prestige and that gorgeous lead, but stage means memorizing not just your role, but the lines and reactions of all our scene partners.

The first year, especially the first show will be an adjustment. In a good acting program, the learning curve is high. You will be learning a whole new language and way of thinking. Just like you would train for a marathon; you must train your body, brain, and attention span to last an entire performance. Always be prepared for each and every performance. So be ready to work and prove yourself. And focus on being kind to yourself. Understand that this is a process. Pace yourself.

If you miss a rehearsal, ensure you are caught up on any stage blocking and notes you missed so YOU are not making the cast wait for you to catch up. Stay humble.

Drink in the teachable moments. Seek out every cast member that has a deeper understanding of acting. Then, listen to the director with any suggestions that are given. “Takes direction well” is one of the best compliments you can receive… and puts you in a great place for future leads. Take notes so you can step in as an understudy.

Have fun with the process. Then, when the curtain opens, the end result is pure magic, for there is truly nothing like putting on a show! And always practice, Progress, not perfection!

Something to Percolate:

Talk to a director. Find out how they mentor and train students that are new. How do they invest in their growth?

Developing Charisma on Stage – Acting with Intent

You finally get to a Broadway show… and there is one actor who the audience loves and reacts to… the second they come on stage; you get excited. And you just “know” that in every role they have ever played, they have this special something that flows out of them. Charisma. Charisma is… well…. Magic on stage. Charisma is hard to define. Is it stage presence? Power? Warmth? Your passion and energy on stage? So, how do you develop it? This “je ne sais quoi”… this elusive pleasing quality?

On stage, you send subtle signals on stage that you are inviting the audience into your world. Your use of space, animation, energy, pushing or pulling a  line for just. A second. Longer Showing your thought process on the stage makes all the difference. Your animation and authentic energy speak volumes.

I was taught that “the eyes are windows to the soul”. And any opera singer or ballet dancer will share with you the importance of using warmth and thought, through the medium of the eyes, to form a bond with the audience while not breaking the wall. While not breaking character. Being present in your moment in the character arc.

Regarding stage charisma, it is so important about bringing out the push and pull of the scene. The interrelationships, conflicts, and alliances with your fellow cast members. The more you become an active scene partner and value the action and reaction of your cast, the more charisma you have radiating from you on stage.

Challenges to Percolate:

Think back to your best past scene partners. What aspects of charisma did they bring to the stage. What did they do to heighten the scene quality?

WHAT MAKES LATTE CHICAGO’S TEEN ACTING CHOICE

The LATTE Theater Acting Program stems from the conviction that Teen Actors can be trained with similar rigor and discipline as adults. As teens establish internal stage discipline (while having fun), they also are taught emotional wellness tools to allow them a healthy self-awareness as they are developing their stage characters to protect the psyche.

This acting training technique is specifically designed for young people’s personal triumph on and off the stage. The Pfluger Empathy Movement Method focuses on spherical growth in all aspects of character building, physicality and stage interrelationships , commanding voice and speech intonations, muscle activation, micro-expressions, and improvisation… all while developing personal stamina and directing skills.  Curiosity and questions are encouraged for collaborative growth. Teens are included in the dramaturgy process and given a voice from the start of the acting intensive to the final curtain call.

Coaching for healthy stage intimacy and interrelationship creates a holistic stagecraft approach where teens are not only acquainted with the core elements of acting training, but actively mentored from a cultural, historical, literary, and psychological basis. Exploration of character interrelationships allow each teen to gain healthy insight as an actor or actress – for through stage we celebrate our humanity, challenge ourselves, find comfort… create healthy opportunities to learn and make lasting memories.

For more information on our Teen Acting Program, Auditions, Acting Workshops, Summer Teen Camp, Acting School, LATTE Theater Performances, and Acting Intensives, please contact us at 708-655-0989 or email lattetheater@gmail.com.

THE JAVA JIVE: Acting Means Inspiration!

You are surrounded by “Inspiration” every day. And that inspiration, channeled, can make you INCREDIBLE on stage. Inspiration is the “verb” of Inspiring. It’s NOT the idle dream of making it big. It’s the lifeblood that allows you to craft your character and bring it to life with nuance, honesty – creating magic.

INSPIRATION allows you to eloquently craft a story as a stage ensemble, because you are developing a wholistic micro and macro world view – not drawing from a single source, but from an ocean of learning and understanding. In short, inspiration EMPOWERS you to be a spherical, unlimited powerhouse.  

Rule Two – Where’s Your Inspiration?

So, how do you get IT? Don’t rush it. Give yourself permission to disconnect from tech as you know it and connect to life differently. Immerse yourself in every art form. Explore an art museum or different cultures. Maybe attend a music concert or a dance form that is unique to you? You will find inspiration in HOW to move differently in character. Explore nature, a zoo, or a National Geographic video. Asking how creatures interact or fight SHAPES our character portrayals.

People-watch, take pics or sketch in public. Take in a nature walk and listen to how your breathing changes. BECOME a student of the world and cultures – in a Museum. Be aware and inspired by the “different”.

Immerse yourself in different perspectives as to NOT lose your perspective. This INSPIRATION will inspire countless people to become their best selves.

Challenges to Percolate:

Devote ten minutes to nurture yourself by:

  • Thinking HOW you would describe your world and story to someone from a different time or culture.
  • Do something different.
  • Read and ACT a classic poem.
  • Make a pact with a friend to share your “people watching” stories.
  • Listen to a This American Life in podcast.
  • Think how art shapes a culture or society or how it reflects it!

© The Pfluger Empathy Movement Method

Winter Acting Training Workshops – Gone Virtual!

ACTING TRAINING

At LATTE Theater, we continue to supply quality acting experiences no matter what the world throws at us! The safety and well-being of our students, faculty, staff, volunteers, guests, and the entire community are always our first priority. As the COVID-19 pandemic evolves, we continue to follow recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization, and the Illinois Department of Health and Human Services

Please remember the 3W’s so we can perform and practice in person sooner!  Wear, Wait and Wash. https://covid19.ncdhhs.gov/materials-resources/know-your-ws-wear-wait-wash

We will still have fun with LATTE’s acting training program!  Our Winter/Spring programs include our Uncommon Grounds Master Class Series, runs from January – May on the second Saturdays of the month from 11 – 12.