I’m playing Jimmy Ray in a community production of bright star and I’ve found that it’s much more difficult to play my older self. I’m currently 17 so I am the age he is at the beginning but I find it hard to become more wise and just act older in general. By the end of the show, I’m supposed to act like I’m in my early to mid 40’s but I just don’t know how. Any tips?
AT 40 you'll still feel like you are young. You'll still feel like hanging out with the younger generations. You'll probably feel the weight of a little more gravity. You won't have as much energy. You may have some sort of injury or bad knees or a sore back. So maybe pick something like that. Don't play it up too much, just give yourself a reason to move a little slower. As far as wisdom, it's not that you're wiser (some 40 year olds are dumb as a rock). It's that you have more experience. You've had relationships and they've gone wrong (although I forget the specifics of your character in Bright Star. I've only heard the score once). The real trick is you play the character the same as you are now but just with a few more conditions added. Maybe your more skeptical of people. Maybe you're really cautious about falling in love because you've been burned a few times (check the script for details about what's happened to you in that time and lean on those). If all else fails, go sit in public somewhere and observe people who are in their forties and notice how they move, speak, the things they talk about. Find someone in your family or friends who is around that age and model some of your character from them (obviously try to find someone who reminds you of the character). Imitation and mimicry of others is a tool you can use. Hope this helps. Break legs in the role. That's a fun show!
Hi I am looking to audition for A White Christmas at a local community theatre in a few months, trying to scope out opportunities really. All roles in the show are meant to be played by adults except for one role, Susan Waverly. She is supposed to appear around the age of 9-12. I (16 F) am wondering if it is a possibility for me to realistically audition for this part, it is in my vocal range and I'm only 5' 2", not growing anymore and not exactly a curvy lady (honestly pretty petite overall). I've gotten some mixed results when I've asked people and I haven't worked with this theatre yet, but I have connections there and I'm going to do another show for them before White Christmas as they are having a summer teen production of Little Women (I'm going out for one of the March sisters) I'm really asking if this would make sense for me to pursue and if so, what I should do?
It's always worth a shot. In situations like this, it's usually up to the director to decide if they want to see only younger children or if they would prefer to use someone a bit older who can play younger. I know certain roles (like red riding hood in Into the woods) are often cast with young adults as the demands of the role are bigger. So it's worth pursuing and you really don't have any control over whether they will see you or not or cast you/or not. So if they don't want to see or cast you, don't take it personally, it's something you have no control over. But I say pursue it, because sometime you may convince them to cast you even if they were originally considering a child actor.
Sir I am 24 and am playing Gregory Smearnov from the Bear who is a middle aged retired artillery lieutenant.... I really need your help about how to approach the character... According to the director I'm being unable to portray the correct age of the character as the character is much older than me what should I do?
Most of the advice I have to offer is in this video. But if you are still struggling, don't think so much about playing age, think more about the physicality of the character. When you are in your 50s and 60s you are moving a lot slower, your attitude is a lot more solidified. You have less energy, you are stuck in your ways, your posture is compromised due to injuries, aches and pains. Also ask the director if they can be specific in telling you what doesn't feel older to them. Is it your voice, your posture, etc? The only other thing I would suggest is finding someone in your life who is around that age and observe how they talk and move (even if it's a character from a movie. Compare Sylvester Stalone now to how he was in Rocky for example). But make sure the person you are observing is around the same age as Gregory Smearnov. If all else fails, just mimic how this person walks and talks and try to give an honest portrayal of them. Pretend you are that person playing the same role instead of playing it like you currently are. That should at least help a little bit in getting you looking and sounding older.
You would just play your own age at the point where it is accurate and then adjust as you get older or younger. The same tips would be used to portray younger and then older. Makeup and costume changes might also help with that. But it's really about finding the honesty in the age you are playing. And playing the conditions the character has at that time and not so much trying to "Act" younger or older.
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I’m playing Jimmy Ray in a community production of bright star and I’ve found that it’s much more difficult to play my older self. I’m currently 17 so I am the age he is at the beginning but I find it hard to become more wise and just act older in general. By the end of the show, I’m supposed to act like I’m in my early to mid 40’s but I just don’t know how. Any tips?
AT 40 you'll still feel like you are young. You'll still feel like hanging out with the younger generations. You'll probably feel the weight of a little more gravity. You won't have as much energy. You may have some sort of injury or bad knees or a sore back. So maybe pick something like that. Don't play it up too much, just give yourself a reason to move a little slower. As far as wisdom, it's not that you're wiser (some 40 year olds are dumb as a rock). It's that you have more experience. You've had relationships and they've gone wrong (although I forget the specifics of your character in Bright Star. I've only heard the score once). The real trick is you play the character the same as you are now but just with a few more conditions added. Maybe your more skeptical of people. Maybe you're really cautious about falling in love because you've been burned a few times (check the script for details about what's happened to you in that time and lean on those). If all else fails, go sit in public somewhere and observe people who are in their forties and notice how they move, speak, the things they talk about. Find someone in your family or friends who is around that age and model some of your character from them (obviously try to find someone who reminds you of the character). Imitation and mimicry of others is a tool you can use. Hope this helps. Break legs in the role. That's a fun show!
Hi I am looking to audition for A White Christmas at a local community theatre in a few months, trying to scope out opportunities really. All roles in the show are meant to be played by adults except for one role, Susan Waverly. She is supposed to appear around the age of 9-12. I (16 F) am wondering if it is a possibility for me to realistically audition for this part, it is in my vocal range and I'm only 5' 2", not growing anymore and not exactly a curvy lady (honestly pretty petite overall). I've gotten some mixed results when I've asked people and I haven't worked with this theatre yet, but I have connections there and I'm going to do another show for them before White Christmas as they are having a summer teen production of Little Women (I'm going out for one of the March sisters)
I'm really asking if this would make sense for me to pursue and if so, what I should do?
It's always worth a shot. In situations like this, it's usually up to the director to decide if they want to see only younger children or if they would prefer to use someone a bit older who can play younger. I know certain roles (like red riding hood in Into the woods) are often cast with young adults as the demands of the role are bigger. So it's worth pursuing and you really don't have any control over whether they will see you or not or cast you/or not. So if they don't want to see or cast you, don't take it personally, it's something you have no control over. But I say pursue it, because sometime you may convince them to cast you even if they were originally considering a child actor.
Sir I am 24 and am playing Gregory Smearnov from the Bear who is a middle aged retired artillery lieutenant.... I really need your help about how to approach the character... According to the director I'm being unable to portray the correct age of the character as the character is much older than me what should I do?
Most of the advice I have to offer is in this video. But if you are still struggling, don't think so much about playing age, think more about the physicality of the character. When you are in your 50s and 60s you are moving a lot slower, your attitude is a lot more solidified. You have less energy, you are stuck in your ways, your posture is compromised due to injuries, aches and pains. Also ask the director if they can be specific in telling you what doesn't feel older to them. Is it your voice, your posture, etc? The only other thing I would suggest is finding someone in your life who is around that age and observe how they talk and move (even if it's a character from a movie. Compare Sylvester Stalone now to how he was in Rocky for example). But make sure the person you are observing is around the same age as Gregory Smearnov. If all else fails, just mimic how this person walks and talks and try to give an honest portrayal of them. Pretend you are that person playing the same role instead of playing it like you currently are. That should at least help a little bit in getting you looking and sounding older.
@@AugmentedActor thank you so much ... This will help me greatly in my preparation for the role
What if a character age changes over the course of the play
You would just play your own age at the point where it is accurate and then adjust as you get older or younger. The same tips would be used to portray younger and then older. Makeup and costume changes might also help with that. But it's really about finding the honesty in the age you are playing. And playing the conditions the character has at that time and not so much trying to "Act" younger or older.
I will learn English in this video
super. What is your native language?
@@AugmentedActor My native language is Vietnamese
"Your channel is very informative, but subtitles would make it more perfect. Can you add subtitles to your videos?"
@@JonhWick-m1f there are now subtitles