Acting & Stage Terminology: Essential Concepts
Posted by Anonymous and classified in Arts and Humanities
Written on in 
English with a size of 7.83 KB
Acting Terminology: Core Concepts
Acting – The art of bringing a script to life through performance.
Playwright – The author who writes the script for a play.
Representational Style – A style of acting that aims to create the illusion of reality, where actors do not acknowledge the audience (e.g., no direct eye contact).
Presentational Style – A style of acting where actors directly address or acknowledge the audience, breaking the fourth wall.
Fourth Wall – The imaginary, invisible wall that separates the actors and the stage from the audience.
Character – The specific role or persona portrayed by an actor in a performance.
Audition – A competitive process where actors perform for a role to demonstrate their suitability.
Characterization – The process of developing and portraying a distinct personality for a character.
Subtext – The unspoken or implied meaning, thoughts, and motivations beneath the spoken lines of dialogue.
Historical Character – A character based on a real person from history.
Advanced Acting Concepts & Stage Terms
Classical Play – A play considered timeless due to its enduring themes, literary merit, and historical significance.
Emotional Acting (Method Acting) – An approach where actors delve into their own emotions and experiences to connect with and portray a character's feelings.
Method Acting – A system of acting developed by Konstantin Stanislavski, emphasizing psychological realism and emotional recall.
Konstantin Stanislavski – Influential Russian theater practitioner who developed the "Magic If" concept.
Magic If – A Stanislavski technique where an actor asks, "What if I were in this character's situation?" to stimulate imagination and emotional truth.
Technical Acting – An approach to acting that focuses on external techniques, precise movements, and vocal control, often based on intellectual analysis rather than emotional immersion.
Conditions – The specific environmental and situational details of a scene, such as weather, time of day, or location, that influence a character's actions.
Obstacles – The challenges, conflicts, or barriers that prevent a character from achieving their objectives.
Objectives – What a character wants to achieve or gain in a scene or play; their driving goals.
Production Schedule – A detailed calendar outlining rehearsals, technical setups, and performance dates for a theatrical production.
Wings – The offstage areas to the left and right of the acting area, hidden from the audience's view.
"PLACES!" – A verbal cue given by the stage manager to actors, signaling them to get into their starting positions for a scene or act.
"CUT!" – A command given by the director to immediately stop the action of a scene or rehearsal.
Mime and Pantomime Essentials
Basics of Mime
Mime – The art of acting or conveying a story using only body movements, gestures, and facial expressions, without speech.
Pantomime – A complete theatrical scene or performance conveyed entirely through mime.
Goal: To create a believable, invisible world and interact with imaginary objects and environments.
Benefits: Enhances an actor's control, timing, coordination, and nonverbal communication skills.
Fundamental Principles of Mime
Hand Mime Techniques
Object Interaction: Clearly pick up, manipulate, and put away imaginary objects.
Weight and Resistance: Convey the weight, texture, and resistance of imaginary objects through physical effort and struggle.
Object Permanence: Once an imaginary object is established, it must remain in its perceived location and not vanish.
Precision and Pace: Movements should be slow, deliberate, and accurate to define the invisible space and objects.
Consistency: Maintain consistent size, shape, and location of imaginary objects throughout the performance.
Facial Expressions in Mime
Exaggeration: Facial expressions must always be exaggerated to convey emotions clearly to the audience.
Variety: Utilize a wide range of expressions to communicate different feelings and reactions.
Constant Expression: Avoid a blank or neutral face; maintain an expressive countenance at all times.
Stage Movement & Physicality
Objectives of Stage Movement
Build confidence and awareness of one's own body in space.
Express ideas, moods, and emotions effectively through physical actions.
Respond creatively to music, literature, and images through physical interpretation.
Importance of Movement in Acting
Reinforces the principle that "actions speak louder than words" in storytelling.
Contributes to a stronger character portrayal and a more compelling narrative.
Enhances mood, interest, and excitement within a performance.
Key Movement Terminology
Blocking – The precise staging of actors' movements on a stage to ensure visibility and effective storytelling, avoiding obscuring other actors.
Levels – The use of different heights (low, medium, high) on stage to create visual variety and emphasize relationships or status.
Stage Business – Small, often subtle, actions performed by an actor (e.g., knitting, pouring a drink) that reveal character traits, emotions, or advance the plot.
Gestures – Deliberate, expressive movements of the body or limbs (e.g., a shrug, a wave) used to convey meaning or emotion. Should be clear and purposeful, avoiding half-hearted or overly exaggerated movements unless intended.
Four Core Movement Techniques
Fast Motion – Performing an entire scene or sequence at an accelerated pace.
Slow Motion – Performing an entire scene or sequence at a significantly reduced speed.
Exaggerated Movement – Performing actions with amplified, dramatic, or larger-than-life movements for comedic or stylistic effect.
Synchronized Movement – Performing movements in unison with other actors, matching their timing and actions precisely.
Collapsing vs. Relaxing: Key Distinctions
Collapsing – A complete release of muscle tension, resulting in a limp, uncontrolled fall, similar to fainting.
Relaxing – A state of controlled looseness where muscles are free from unnecessary tension but remain ready for immediate action, akin to tree branches swaying gently in the wind.