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There’s a classic saying in theater, “acting is reacting”, meaning it’s not about reciting lines, it’s about listening to your fellow performers, and making your lines a response to the other characters. Which is all great advice – but what if you’re doing a monologue and you have no one to react to? Does that mean monologues aren’t really ‘acting’?  Fortunately, there are a few warmups and tips you can utilize to make your monologues just as believable, character-driven,

Actors often draw their audience in through strong and seemingly authentic emotions.  Perhaps you watched a particularly emotional scene in a movie or play and wondered to yourself whether or not the emotion the actor was showing was truthful.  Perhaps they were crying and you could see the tears falling.  Are those real tears?  The answer is, probably, yes. Crying on command is tricky business and like everything else, takes preparation and practice. However, there are some tips and tri

If you’ve ever been in a play or musical you will be familiar with the term ‘stage directions’. For those who don’t know, stage directions are,  “an instruction in the text of a play, especially one indicating the movement, position, or tone of an actor.” Stage directions can also be instructions for the director, such as the way the stage should be lit or what kind of sound effect could be used.  Stage directions can also tell an actor how to deliver a line— pace of speech, emot

So you want to know how to get into voice acting? I was in that exact same position myself. When I was a kid, Batman: The Animated series was easily my favorite show. I didn’t know why it held my attention so well, I just knew that it did. Years later, as I began to pay attention to actors I revisited my childhood heroes and I was surprised at how well the show holds up to the test of time, some of the other shows of my childhood weren’t so lucky. Kevin Conroy will always be Batman and

Actors make money off of their voices. In some places, outdoor theaters, small houses where microphones aren’t an option, etc.., it becomes necessary to project the voice. There is definitely a right and a wrong way to do that. The right way can lead to a prolonged performance career. The wrong way WILL lead to vocal tension and, possibly, permanent vocal damage. In this article I will tell you exactly what you need to know to avoid vocal tension, and create relaxed and rewarding vocal project

Becoming an actor takes hard work, dedication, passion, and drive. For high school students thinking seriously about a career in acting, now is the time to prepare for the training you will need to help you succeed. After all, high school is a time when you have opportunities that may be harder to find or simply will not exist later on. Most of the actors you see on television, film, and even the stage have gone through years of education and training, and getting into one of the best acting s

Performing a monologue is much different from acting as part of an ensemble! Make sure you're ahead of the pack with these tips from New York City actor and teaching artist Jasmine B...   We all want to be that actor that everyone wants to work with. I’ve been in quite a few ensembles (one I’ve had the pleasure of being in for four years!) and have found some keys to working well with others and producing quality work. Here are a few simple ways to improve your ensemble acting an

Like all genres of the performing arts, voice acting or - voice over work - as it is often referred to, is its own beast. There are actors who devote their entire careers to voice over work and teachers that exclusively teach the subject. If you’re looking for acting jobs, searching for voice acting auditions is a great way to enter the field. Voice acting is unique because (as the name implies) one only uses the speaking voice to act, you do not see the performer. Actors who pursue careers

The job of an actor is to tell a story. Generally, that story is about the journey of a specific character with the confines of a larger story. So, how do we do that? How do actors feel the moment? How do we take a moment that was conceived in a writer’s head and make an audience feel that it is alive? Let's Look at an Example from "A Chorus Line" There is a song in the musical, A Chorus Line about this. The character, Diana Morales, is in an acting class and the teacher asks her what she is

So, you want to be an actor. Perhaps you’ve taken the plunge and moved to a new city with a bustling acting industry. Maybe you just graduated school, where you majored in the performing arts. You might even have attended your first open call audition. If any of these are true, you will realize very quickly that you will need a talent agent. For the actor, one of the most important relationships you will cultivate is with your talent agent. This is why it is vital that you find an agent that y