Theatre Educators--- Help Create Actors, Not Parrots!

Greetings, and welcome to Theater is a Sport.  My name is Bobby Keniston, and I am an actor, director, playwright, and theater educator.   I feel lucky to be all of these things.

There are a great many misconceptions when it comes to the idea of theater education, particularly at a high school level. While many people would recognize that it is not a visual arts teacher's job to tell a child, "This is how you draw a sun, and this is the only way to draw a sun," these same people may expect that when directing students in a play, or teaching a high school acting class, that you tell the students how to act. "Read the lines this way, with a big smile on your face, then when he yells at you, act sad by sticking your lower lip out and lowering your head. Listen to how I say the line and then do it like that." This is simply not true. Or, at least, I believe it goes against every little thing theater education should be about.

As a director, I try to NEVER give line readings (having people imitate how I would say a line). To me, that is akin to a visual arts teacher saying, "You can only draw that this way." The only time I will do this, the only, only time, is if I have a really little kid who cannot think critically about what they are doing, and, only then will I do that in a production that people are paying money to see. I don't even like to do it then. Even when directing "Annie, Jr." and "Anne of Green Gables" at the Center Theatre, I didn't do this unless absolutely necessary, and never with anyone over the age of five. Why, Bobby, you may ask.  The answer is simple.  I feel my primary role as an educator is to create actors and not parrots. It is my job to teach young people about MAKING CHOICES. That is perhaps the number one job of an actor--- it is what they bring to the table as an artist.

I do my best to give all cast members or students tools toward building a character, understanding a script, and discussing with them how they help to tell the overall story. From time to time, I will have a students ask me in a rehearsal or class, "How should I say that line?" I always answer that question with another question: "Where is your character at?" or "What are they thinking?" or, most often, "What does your character want?  What is their objective for speaking this line?"

In this way, I am helping to create actors, and actors who can analyze a script critically.  If I tell them exactly how to do something, I cease being an educator or a director, and I become a pirate trying to train his parrots.

A director's job is to put everything together to create an experience that is magical coming from the work of many, and not just myself. 

My job with high school students or even younger actors is to facilitate them finding the answers for themselves, guiding them to create something which comes from their unique perspective, and discussing changes if I don't agree with their interpretations, or don't believe it fits within the world of the play.  This is an important job. 

You see, this is what happens in real life, in the real world of theatre. Actors make choices. They are not told exactly how to say a line. And I will not condescend to my students by expecting less of them than I would of adult actors.

 

If  a student registers for my class, or signs up for my plays, regardless of talent, I do my best to bring the best out of them.  This, of course, has varying results.  But by doing so, I am providing a richer experience for this student, and giving them a richer education. 

 

I do not, at the high school level, believe in asking the weaker singers to only mouth the words, or the weaker actors to stand in the background like props or furniture.  If I do this, then I fail as a teacher and as a director.  When it comes to theatre education, it is just as much about the journey as the final result. 

 

So I want my final result to be spectacular?  Of course I do.  Is that always going to happen.  Of course it isn't. 

 

But what can always happen, if I do my job, is that students can learn to think differently, use their minds more creatively and critically.  And that is what makes a win in my humble opinion. 

I do not create parrots. I assist young people in realizing they are actors.

 

Thanks for reading theater is a sport.  See you next time. 

MY PROM DATE WAS A FELON, featured play in this month's Brooklyn Publishers' Newsletter!

Greetings, loyal readers of my blog!

I wanted to let you all know that my play, My Prom Date Was a Felon, is the featured play in Brooklyn Publishers' October newsletter.  If you click HERE, it will take you directly to the newsletter where you can read a new essay I wrote about the play called How This Playwright Finally Went to the Prom (all about how I can live vicariously through my characters), and, until OCTOBER 9TH, you can download a FREE perusal e-script of the play!

As many of you regular readers already know, this is a play that I am very proud of, and I am so excited that this newsletter is giving people a chance to learn more about it and to even read it for free!

I would be remiss if I did not mention that this newsletter also has information and synopses of many other great plays for schools and community theaters, including plays by some of my playwriting pals.  In fact, I'd recommend signing up for the newsletter so you can always see the great stuff that's coming out from the many talented folks at Brooklyn Publishers (who published my very first play and got me started in this business!)

All righty.  I guess that's it.  Again, you can follow the link above, or, hey, I'll make it simple, and say that you can just click HERE!

TIPS FOR ACTORS ON PREPARING A MONOLOGUE

Greetings, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to theater is a sport. 

I don't know about you, but I love performing monologues (I also like writing them very much, but today's post is about acting).  They're juicy, aren't they?  Not only that, it gives an actor the opportunity to have the undivided attention of an audience for a little while, and to challenge themselves to be as engaging as possible for two, ten, or even twenty or more minutes. 

And, of course, monologues are often used in acting classes and for audition purposes.  I remember nervously learning my monologues when I was auditioning for acting schools, working them until they felt like they were a part of me. 

Below are a few guidelines for student and community theatre actors about preparing a monologue, whether it is for an audition or a performance, a stand alone piece, or part of play. 

MAKE SURE YOU KNOW THE PLAY
If you have taken a monologue from a play for an audition or acting class purposes, make sure you have read the ENTIRE play before performing the monologue.  This is vital in understanding where the character is, what there goals are, what they have done so far to achieve them, what obstacles are in their way... all these great questions you need to know the answer to in order to create a compelling performance. 

DEVELOP YOUR CHARACTER
Again, if you are doing a monologue for an audition or for an acting class, you need to develop a character just as you would for an entire play.  You need to develop an appropriate voice, walk, physicality, motivation... in short, all the stuff you would for a standard play. 

WHO IS YOUR CHARACTER TALKING TO?
Obviously, this is important.  Is your character talking to an unseen character?  Are they breaking the fourth wall and talking directly to the audience?  Are they talking to an unseen video camera for a documentary?  Are they talking to themselves, thinking and feeling out loud?  You need to know who you're talking to in order to sharpen your character's intentions. 

WHERE IS YOUR CHARACTER?
Obviously, this is very important as well.  People behave differently when in a library than when in a grocery store.  Or in a bedroom or in a Laundromat, etc., etc. 

WHAT DOES YOUR CHARACTER WANT?
This is a question that an actor should be aware of always, monologue or not, because a character is a collection of wants, and the actions they perform to achieve what they want.   In a monologue when it is just you speaking, it is so important to be precise in what your character wants.  Otherwise, why bother even have a monologue?  Your character needs to earn their speeches, remember.

BE CONFIDENT IN YOUR MEMORIZATION
You may not believe what I'm about to tell you.  In fact, you might be thinking, "Bobby, you're crazy."  But I have found, in my experience, that memorizing a monologue is actually quite a bit easier than memorizing little tiny lines that pop in here and there throughout a play.  Having said this, it is important to be confident in your knowledge of the piece.  The last thing you want when trying to engage an audience, teacher, or casting director, is to be thinking..."Oh, no, what's my next line".  You want to know your monologue cold, so that you can stay in the moment as much as possible.  I have always found it helpful to test my memorization by writing out the monologue... more than once.  And, of course, you should be running through it a great deal... a very great deal.  Over and over and over.

And most importantly...

YOU ARE NOT ALONE WHEN YOU ARE PERFORMING A MONOLOGUE!
Just because you are acting by yourself, it doesn't mean that you are not connected to others... your AUDIENCE is your scene partner.  You can play off of their energy as you would another actor onstage.

I hope you have found these tips somewhat helpful.  I know, from my experience, that they have always helped me. 

Until next time, please remember... Theater is a Sport.  Sometimes even a solo sport.

To learn more about my work, please click HERE, or HERE, or HERE, or HERE.

BREAK A LEG!: A look at this Theater Superstition

Note:  I am in no way affiliated with HBO or "Game of Thrones".... a wonderful student named Claire Hamlin sent this along to me!

Greetings, ladies and gentlemen!  Let's talk superstition, shall we?

There are MANY superstitions involved with the theater, but today I'm going to talk about what I believe to be the most common--- saying "break a leg" as opposed to "good luck".  As most people who have been in  a play know, it is supposedly bad luck to say "good luck" to a performer.  Instead, the term you use is "Break a leg."  (Mel Brooks has an entire song dedicated to this superstition in his musical, The Producers).

Indeed, in my experience with theater, I know people who are truly HORRIFIED if someone tells them good luck.  I have never been the type to be overly superstitious (not really--- I have my own superstitions and rituals I like to perform for myself, but I don't freak out over too many of the traditional superstitions).  Nonetheless, I do not ever tell my fellow cast members "good luck"--- I obey the terms as set down by history.

The questions then becomes this:  where did "break a leg" come from?

Interestingly enough, I have found several explanations for this expression, and the actual answer is not truly known.  Like all things that have a certain mythology around them, the true origin will most likely remain obscure. 

But here are some thoughts:

1.  In Ancient Greece, it is said that, instead of applauding, audience members would stomp their feet.  The more they enjoyed a performance, the harder they stomped.  Thus, if they stomped hard enough, they would break a leg.  So, really, perhaps what we're telling actors is to do a good enough job to hurt someone who paid money to see the show.

1A.  This one is close to the Ancient Greece explanation:  in Elizabethan times, they say audiences, instead of applauding, they would stomp their chair legs... if they liked the show a lot , they might break the chair leg. 

2.  In Ancient Rome, during the gladiator days, they supposedly had a term that the audience would shout out to a gladiator they liked, wishing them to merely be crippled as opposed to being killed.

3.  Some say it has to do with bowing.  Bowing, traditionally, consisted of putting one leg behind the other and giving a little kneel, thereby, "breaking the line in the leg".  Hence, breaking a leg. 

4. The answer I always heard growing up was something completely different, but, for the life of me, I can't find any written documentation of it.  It was told to me by an elder actor, and, I have since told it to many people.  But, in doing my research for this post, I could not find it written anywhere.  Nonetheless, I will tell you, because I am quite fond of this explanation:
I was told that the expression came from raked stages, where upstage really went up, like a little hill.  Thus, if you were standing right on the steepest area of the stage as it moved up, you would have to "brake" your leg to keep from losing your balance ("brake" in this case being like a car "brake" as opposed to a "break").  Over the years, I was told, the expression, which started as "brake a leg", became "break a leg". 

In any case, the expression did not become popular until the 1920s, and was never mentioned in print until the 1940s.  In this regard, it is still rather a young superstition. 

However young it may be, it is highly respected, and I would say to all you laypeople who have loved ones about to perform in a show:  never say good luck.  Break a leg, break a leg, break a leg.  It might seem silly, but theater is a world of pretend, and in this world of pretend, superstition can become very, very real. 

Until next time, thanks for reading this post.  To all my performer friends out there:  break a leg, and remember--- theater is a sport.  So try to avoid any real injury. 

Free Excerpt from "AEROPLANE OVER THE SEA" For Two Males and One Female, for Auditions or Class Work!

Script Cover For my play, Aeroplane Over the Sea

Today at Theater is a Sport, I would like to offer a free excerpt from my play Aeroplane Over the Sea, a one act drama available from Brooklyn Publishers, for the use of auditions or drama class scene work.  Or, if you just like reading excerpts of plays, of course!

I am very fond of this play.  The title comes from a great song by Neutral Milk Hotel called In An Aeroplane Over the Sea.  I tried to write a play that would make people feel the way that song makes me feel. 

The play takes place in an Unnamed Country.  A Good Doctor from America has arrived to help people.  Unfortunately, the political climate is not very friendly toward Americans.  In particular, the Peacemaker hates all Americans.  In this scene, the Doctor has been arrested after a bombing in the streets.  He did not commit this act, but has been arrested for it.  Now, he must face the Interrogator.  The Interrogator is a pretty blond woman, who has VERY unorthodox methods of interrogation. 

If you want to read more of the play, or order it for a production, you can do so by CLICKING HERE.  If using this scene for classwork or audition purposes, please give the play and the writer (me, Bobby Keniston) credit, okay? 

So, without further ado, here's the scene:

Aeroplane Over the Sea – Page 15

 

SCENE THREE

SETTING: The Interrogation room. It is simply a room without

much light. There is a table with a chair behind it. About five feet

away from this table, there is another chair.

 

AT RISE: The DOCTOR is in the chair away from the desk. There is

a burlap bag over his head and his hands are bound. The

PEACEMAKER stands behind him with his club out. HE takes the

bag off the DOCTOR’s head. The DOCTOR gasps.

 

PEACEMAKER: Be ready, Doctor. The Chief Interrogator will be here in

a moment, and you will stand out of respect. Is that understood?

DOCTOR: Yes.

PEACEMAKER: Good. (HE calls out) The American is ready!

(PEACEMAKER roughly pulls the DOCTOR to his feet. The

INTERROGATOR enters. SHE is blonde, pretty, wearing an American-style

businesswoman suit with a skirt. SHE carries a clipboard/folder

that SHE sets on the table. SHE has a big smile as SHE faces the

DOCTOR. SHE crosses to him. When SHE speaks, SHE sounds

American, no different than the DOCTOR in syntax or accent.)

 

INTERROGATOR: The Good Doctor! Such a pleasure to meet you.

Out of respect, I will give you the highest greeting we possess in thiscountry. (SHE leans in kisses the DOCTOR’s left cheek and then his
right.) Are you comfortable, Doctor? Peacemaker, you may free his
hands. I don’t think the Doctor is going to give us any danger, are
you?

(PEACEMAKER frees the DOCTOR’s hands.)

You may sit, doctor, take a load off, as they say. You’ll pardon me if

I walk around a bit. I’ve been sitting all day.

(The PEACEMAKER pushes the DOCTOR roughly into the chair.)

Now, Peacemaker no need to be so rough. I’m sorry, Doctor, but the

poor Peacemaker has such a stressful job. I’m afraid it has madehim a bit of a sourpuss. (Playful) You are much younger than I
expected, Doctor! I’m happy to have you hear. It gives me an
opportunity to speak in a manner I became accustomed to when I
was living in America. (The DOCTOR reacts.)

Aeroplane Over the Sea – Page 16

Are you surprised? It’s true, I lived all over America… Los Angeles,

Texas, Detroit, and even some time in New York City. I’m quite fond
of America, really.

DOCTOR: (With a hint of rancor) But not Americans, I take it?

INTERROGATOR: Nothing could be further from the truth! I have
nothing but the highest respect for Americans, particularly those in
the medical field. No, Doctor, I have nothing against Americans.
After all, I once imagined I might become one. My problem is with
terrorists.

DOCTOR: Then you should have no problem with me.

INTERROGATOR: That is what we’re here to figure out. Isn’t this some

situation we find ourselves in together? Perhaps had we met when I
was in your country under different circumstances, we might have
been friends. So why don’t we try being friends now.

DOCTOR: You want to be my friend?

INTERROGATOR: At the very least, friendly acquaintances. After all, I

have job to do, and you can’t fault someone for doing their job, now
can you? Especially when the job is trying to put an end to violence
in the streets.

DOCTOR: I came here to help people.

INTERROGATOR: I have no doubt. And what more noble purpose is

there than that? (SHE leans over and points to a place on her leg)

This here, Doctor. Do you see this spot on my leg? I’ve been
wondering if I should have it looked at or not? Can you see it?Should I be concerned? (Slight pause) Don’t be shy, Doctor.
Please, do me this personal favor.
 

(The DOCTOR leans over and takes a quick look at her leg, and then

sits back up.)

DOCTOR: It looks like a freckle.

INTERROGATOR: A freckle? A simple freckle? Are you sure?

DOCTOR: I believe so. It’s impossible to say for certain in this light, but

I am fairly sure it is a simple freckle.

INTERROGATOR: What a relief! How about that, Doctor? You came

here to help people, and you’ve already helped me. You’ve
accomplished your goal. Congratulations.

DOCTOR: Don’t mention it.

INTERROGATOR: How much do I owe you? An arm and a leg? (SHE

laughs) Don’t you enjoy expressions that employ body parts for
imagery? An arm and a leg, give you ahand, have a heart, off with
his head… although, that last one is moreof a French expressionthan American, isn’t it? Off with his head. (SHE smiles) Would you

Aeroplane Over the Sea – Page 17

like a drink of water, Doctor? Perhaps some Coca-Cola? Americans

love Coca-Cola, don’t you?

DOCTOR: I’m fine, thank you.

INTERROGATOR: Such nice manners. Tell me, do I remind you of your

dead wife? She had blonde hair, didn’t she? I’ve seen her picture.
It’s right here in the file. So pretty, your dead wife. Tell me about
her.

DOCTOR: No.

INTERROGATOR: I beg your pardon?

DOCTOR: I will not discuss my wife with you.

INTERROGATOR: (playfully pouty) Oh, but why? I would love to hear

about her… what her secret was for capturing your heart!

DOCTOR: Some things belong to me, and only to me.

(The PEACEMAKER hits him open-handed across the back of the head.)

INTERROGATOR: Now, Peacemaker, let’s be civil.

PEACEMAKER: I’m sorry, Chief Interrogator.

INTERROGATOR: If the Good Doctor does not wish to tell me about his

wife, I won’t be crude enough to pry. (to the DOCTOR) I see you

can be very strong-willed. While I find that an admirable quality in a
person, it makes my job a bit more difficult.

DOCTOR: Sorry.

INTERROGATOR: (dismissive wave of the hand) No need to apologize,

Good Doctor. (slight beat) Everyone can be broken. Are you sure
you wouldn’t like a glass of water?

DOCTOR: No. Thank you.

INTERROGATOR: As you wish. (SHE looks into the folder for a

moment) You’ve worked hard all of your life, haven’t you Doctor?
Jumping from home to home growing up. It says here that you even
paid your own way through college. That is quite an achievement.

DOCTOR: I suppose.

INTERROGATOR: You worked for a construction company during your

college breaks, didn’t you? That’s not easy labor. You know how to
really work.

DOCTOR: Being a Doctor is real work.

INTERROGATOR: Of course it is, but let’s not pick nitties, Doctor. I

believe you know what I mean. I’m talking about the difference
between an educated man and unskilled labor.

DOCTOR: I would not describe my construction work as unskilled.

INTERROGATOR: No? What area of construction did you work in,

Doctor? (SHE smiles a very big smile) What skills did you develop

while working construction?
 

Aeroplane Over the Sea – Page 18

(The DOCTOR says nothing. The INTERROGATOR looks at the

PEACEMAKER and gives him a slight nod. The PEACEMAKER grabs

the DOCTOR by his hair and pulls his head back. HE takes his club and

places it across the DOCTOR’s neck, choking him. After a moment, the

INTERROGATOR holds up her hand and the PEACEMAKER stops.)

Peacemaker, what am I going to do with you? Tch, tch, tch. So

rough. How is the Doctor going to answer my questions if he can’tbreathe? (back to the DOCTOR) Let’s see here. (looking at file)
Apparently you worked with the demolition department in your
construction job. Would it be safe to say you learned a great deal
about explosives in that line of work?

DOCTOR: I was never in charge of…

 

INTERROGATOR: (cutting him off) The question was not about being in

charge. The question, good sir, was whether you learned about

explosives.

DOCTOR: Working in the demolition department taught me a small

amount about explosives in regards to their purpose with
construction sites, but…

INTERROGATOR: Thank you, Doctor. It is so much easier this way

when you cooperate, isn’t it? (beat) Did you cry when your wife

died?

(No response)

You must have. I would guess you cried buckets and buckets. Her

dying like that, leaving you all alone. Your unborn daughter dying
with her. It must have been quite a waterfall of tears, never being
able to hold your child. Did you resent the doctors who let them die?
 

DOCTOR: (fierce) Shut up.

INTERROGATOR: Or did you rage against the Universe itself? Are you
an angry man, Doctor?

DOCTOR: No. I am not.

INTERROGATOR: Not even when those you called friends

disappeared? Those same friends who always secretly wondered to
themselves after a dinner party, ‘what does she see in him? Nice
enough guy, sure, but why him? What’s his secret? How did he get
her?’

DOCTOR: My wife loved me.

INTERROGATOR: Of course. But it’s true your friends all disappeared,

isn’t it? Perhaps they couldn’t understand why it had to be her who
died and not you. Have you ever wondered that? Have you ever
wished it was you who died, Doctor?

DOCTOR: (quietly) Yes.

Aeroplane Over the Sea – Page 19

INTERROGATOR: (with faux sympathy) Perfectly natural. To blame

yourself. (beat) After such an emotional trauma, many might wish to
have revenge. Retribution. Is that why you came here? To find
your revenge?

(No response.)

I’m trying to help you.

DOCTOR: Help me how?

INTERROGATOR: Why, to help you clear your conscience of course.

To help you save your soul.

DOCTOR: From what I understand, there have been bombings here

long before I ever arrived. Some group that calls themselves the
Resistance…
 

INTERROGATOR: (snapping a little) That’s enough! (composing

herself) The idea of any “resistance” is a nothing but a fairy tale. And
it suggests, Doctor, that our people are not happy here. Suchsuggestions are not very polite. (beat) Violence in our country
comes from outsiders. And you, sir, are an outsider.

DOCTOR: I’ve done nothing wrong.

INTERROGATOR: If you say so. (SHE sighs) I suppose that is enough

for now. You will be our guest here, Doctor, until we decide your

case. I thank you for diagnosing my freckle. We’ll talk again
tomorrow. Perhaps you shall find me prettier then.
 

(SHE leans over and kisses the DOCTOR on his left cheek and then his

right cheek. SHE stands, looks at the PEACEMAKER and nods. The

PEACEMAKER puts the burlap bag back on the DOCTOR’s head.

Blackout.)  Again, you can order the play by CLICKING HERE.  I hope you enjoyed this excerpt from what I consider to be a fairy tale for older audiences.

Until next time, always be braking your legs, and remember--- theater is a sport.

Free Scene For Student Actor Auditions!

Welcome to Theater is a Sport.  My name is Bobby Keniston, and I love writing plays, acting in plays, and talking about theater. Today, I wanted to offer you all a free scene to use for audition purposes, or for classroom exercises.  If you are a student or community theatre actor, feel free to use this brief excerpt with a partner for an audition or for a class involving scene work. 

This scene is for 1 male and 1 female.  It is from my play, Avoiding The Pitfalls of High School Dating, available from Eldridge Publishing.  You can order a copy or license a production by CLICKING HERE

So, here goes (Note--- Lucky is written as male, Starry as female):

AVOIDING THE PITFALLS OF HIGH SCHOOL DATING

By Bobby Keniston

(Excerpt may be used royalty free for auditions.)

(In this mini-scene, LUCKY DAYE and STARRY KNIGHT,

charismatic characters dressed in flashy clothes, are on
stage and address the audience directly, as though talking to
a live studio audience. They are both “dating experts,” and
are plugging their new system about avoiding the pitfalls of
high school dating.)

STARRY: Dating isn’t easy.

LUCKY: That’s right. And neither is high school.

STARRY: So imagine how hard it can be to combine the

two!
 LUCKY: And yet, high school dating is perhaps the most
important time in one’s life to develop socially.
 

STARRY: Yes! High school dating is the training grounds for

building successful, adult relationships in years to come.
 

LUCKY: And while I don’t have any (Makes “air quotes” with

fingers.) “statistics” or any actual (Once again.) “scientific
proof,” I think it’s safe to say that if you don’t master the art
of high school dating, you will probably never get married
and most likely wind up dying alone.
 

STARRY: That’s right, Lucky. With an unhealthy number of

cats and ceramic figurines, I might add.
 

LUCKY: But if you’re in high school and have never been on

a date, don’t despair! Help is on the way!
 

STARRY: Tonight, Lucky and I are going to teach you the

ins and outs of navigating the rough waters of teenage
relationships with our amazing new system…
 

LUCKY AND STARRY: “Avoiding the Pitfalls of High School

Dating!” (Encourage audience to applaud.)

LUCKY: If you follow our FIVE simple rules, you will be well

on your way to landing the girl or guy of your dreams.
 

STARRY: And best of all, you’ll be doing so in a safe and

responsible manner.

LUCKY: That’s very important.

STARRY: I know, Lucky. That’s why I said it.

LUCKY: Ha-ha. Right. (Beat.) Once you master these easy-to-

follow rules, you will understand what it means to be
popular…
STARRY: Confident…

LUCKY: Attractive…

STARRY: Well-liked. And oh-so…

LUCKY and STARRY: Dateable!

LUCKY: Even if you have never been on a date in your life,

you will find success with our program! It’s so simple…

LUCKY and STARRY: Even a child could do it!!!

(Pause.)

STARRY: Not that children should be dating.

LUCKY: Of course not!

STARRY: Wait until high school, kids!

LUCKY: That goes without saying.

STARRY: Not according to our lawyers, Lucky.

LUCKY: Right. (Slight pause. Big smile.) Well, let’s get

started, shall we? Who would like to see a demonstration
of our program in action?
 

From: Avoiding the Pitfalls of High School Dating - By Bobby

Keniston

Published by: Eldridge Publishing Co.

 http://www.histage.com/playdetails.asp?PID=2533

All right, hope you enjoyed this free scene, and have fun with it.  Please feel free to order the whole play if you're of the mind, and have a wonderful day.

Until next time, please remember--- theater is a sport.

Let's Hear it for the Ladies: 10 Great Playwrights Who Happen to be Women

Greetings ladies and gentlemen.  My name is Bobby Keniston, and I would like to welcome you to Theater is a Sport, where I talk about all things theatre-related. 

I am a playwright, actor, director, and drama teacher.  One of the classes I teach is an introduction to playwriting class.  This year, each semester, my class has been entirely made up of female students, which has been an incredible experience for me.  They have all worked on (or are currently working on) very interesting pieces, and they are all a joy to have as students. 

Unfortunately, when you look at a list of great plays or great playwrights, all too often, if you're like me, you notice a distinct absence of women writers listed.  Does this mean that there are no great female playwrights out there? 

Absolutely not.  In fact, some of the most exciting work in American theatre being written today is being written by female playwrights.

I decided to compile a list of some playwrights I admire to share with my female students, and I will share it with you all now.  However, these fiercely talented women should not only be known as "women playwrights".  They are, in actuality, great playwrights, who just happen to be women.  I will share a little bit about them, and you can decide for yourself after reading or seeing their work if you like them the same way I do.  This list is in no particular order, they just happen to be how I list them.
Oh, and to be clear--- this is certainly not a "definitive" or "complete" list.  I've tried to pick some diverse playwrights for my students, and, are all playwrights whose work I am very familiar with, and love.  Please feel free to share your favorite great playwrights who happen to be women in the comments section below.

(By the way--- I feel it is almost sad that I have to write an post like this... I do so, to prove to my female playwriting students that there are many greats who have come before them... they tend to only ever hear of male playwrights.  Let's all try to change that.)

LILLIAN HELLMAN, American (1905-1984).  Notable works:  The Children's Hour, Little Foxes, "Toys in the Attic"  Lillian Hellman was also a writer of screenplays and memoir.  She was nominated for an Academy Award for the adaptation of her play Little Foxes (which happens to be my personal favorite of hers)  In the 1950s, she was called to testify for the House Un-American Activities Committee, and would only speak for herself and not mention anyone else's name.  Good for her.

TINA HOWE (1937-), known for her plays Painting Churches, "Coastal Disturbances", "Pride's Crossing".  She is an experimental playwright, exploring absurdism is realistic settings.  She won an Obie in 1983, and has been nominated for both a Tony award and the Pulitzer Prize for drama.  She also has created translations of Ionesco's The Bald Soprano and The Lesson.

CARYL CHURCHILL (1938-), an English playwright, known for her non-naturalistic and feminist themes, and experimenting with dance-theater.  Some of her notable works are Cloud Nine, Top Girls, and my personal favorite of hers, The Skriker, a really cool and dark play about a fairy,and demons. 

WENDY WASSERSTEIN (1950-2006), a graduate of the Yale School of Drama, where she was good friends with Christopher Durang.  She won a Tony Award and a Pulitzer Prize for her play The Heidi Chronicles, and is also known for her play The Sisters Rosensweig.  I am very fond of a 10-minute play she wrote called Tender Offer.  Sadly, her life was cut short by lymphoma.

PAULA VOGEL (1951), one of my favorite playwrights of all time.  Paula Vogel attacks some very dark themes, such as incest and AIDS, but she does so in a very creative and accessible fashion.  She won an Obie award n 1992 for her play The Baltimore Waltz (which I had the pleasure to act in when I was in college), and she won a much deserved Pulitzer Prize for her excellent play, How I Learned to Drive.

SUZAN LORI-PARKS (1963-), won a Pulitzer for her play Topdog/Underdog.  She has also been awarded a MacArthur "Genius" Grant for her work.  As well as her plays, she also wrote the screenplay for Spike Lee's film Girl 6, as well as an adaptation of Zora Neal Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God.  My favorite of her plays is Venus, about Saartjie Baartman, a Khoikhoi woman exhibited as Hottentot Venus, due to her large backside. 

BETH HENLEY (1952-) is known for her plays about women and family issues in the American South.  Her play Crimes of the Heart won the Pulitzer Prize and received a Tony nomination.  She is also known for her plays Miss Firecracker Contest, and Am I Blue?

MARSHA NORMAN (1947-) achieved tremendous success with her play 'night, Mother, which won the Pulitzer Prize.  She also wrote the Book and Lyrics for a musical adaptation of The Secret Garden, which won a Tony for Best Book in 1991.  She also wrote a play called Loving Daniel Boone, which starred my playwriting professor Gladden Schrock as the title character. 

YASMINA REZA (1959 or 1960-), a French playwright best known for her works Art and God of Carnage, a play that is bitingly funny and chilling at the same time.  It won Yasmina Reza the Tony Award for Best Play in 2009.

KAREN HARTMAN was a guest professor at Bennington when I was a student there.  She has received support for her work frm the Rockefeller Foundation, the N.E.A., and was awarded a New Dramatist Residency.  She is a graduate of the Yale School of Drama, and has written some amazing plays such as Leah's Train, ALICE:  Tales of a Curious Girl, and an amazing modern adaptation of Troy Women, which I absolutely love to pieces. 

Okay, there is just a small sampling of playwrights who happen to women, and who are definitely writers worth reading and becoming a fan of. 

Thanks for reading my blog post.  You can learn more about me by checking out www.brookpub.com, www.playscripts.com, www.histage.com, and www.hitplays.com and searching for Bobby Keniston.  You can find a list of my plays and even read free samples. 

ALSO--- I've started a new experimental blog, where I am writing a short story every day for a year. Each story will be between 100-250 words.  I call it Micro Fiction Experiment or Bobby Keniston's Short Shorts.  Feel free to drop by and check it out.  You can get there by CLICKING HERE!

Until next time, remember that not all playwrights are men, and that theater is more than an artform and a craft:  it is also a sport.

IMPROVISATION and PERSONIFICATION: Bobby Talks about "You Take it From Here"

Hello ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to Theater is a Sport.  My name is Bobby Keniston, and I will be your host for this post. 

Ever seen a talking dog?  I don't mean in real life, but in the movies or on television.  I know you probably have.  Same with talking mice, talking ducks, all that stuff.  If you're old enough, you probably have even seen talking, singing and dancing raisins. 

Fun stuff, huh?

Well, you may know that all of these are examples of what we call "personification".  Personification is basically giving animals or inanimate objects human attributes.  This happens in literature a great deal.  It also happens in theater.  In fact, when learning improvisation, it can be very freeing for students (not to mention a lot of fun) to do personification exercises.  For example:  "Okay, you're a toaster who's had a bad day, and you're a piece of bread who doesn't want to leave his brothers and sisters on the loaf.  Go!"  Amazing and amazingly funny scenes can be improvised from such constructs.  It's impressive how creative we can make inanimate objects!

For those of you who have ever taught improvisation, you know it is not always simple.  I myself have found that there are usually a couple of students who are willing to jump right in and try it out, while several others become very nervous.  You can see the thoughts on their faces:  "I don't know what to say," or "What if I say something stupid," or "Please don't call on me, please don't call on me, please don't call on me..."   No matter how much I try to let them know that this is an exercise to just let go and react and respond, it does nothing to calm the stress. 

That's why I'm particularly proud of a project I was involved with called You Take it From Here.  After I had a few publications with Brooklyn, my editor there, a cool guy named David, called me up and asked me if I would like to be a part of a special project with some other writers.  Turns out, a very talented playwright named Geff Moyer had presented an idea for a book of improvisation starters for personification.  I had never seen a book of improvisation starters, but I wanted to be a part of any special project presented to me, so I said yes without a moment of hesitation.  My task was to come up with 25 personification scenes and to write the first page and a half or so, leaving a wide open ending with the words "You Take it From Here..."  I thought it was a great idea.  It's a way for students to start off, relax a bit, and then finish a scene with improvisation.  I have seen it have great results in my own classroom, students who were shy about improvisation coming to life.

This was not necessarily an easy job, but it was a lot of fun.  The hardest part for me was to keep coming up with different animals or inanimate objects that might have a scene together.   Some of my favorites that I came up with were "The Root and the Stump", "The Star and the Black Hole", "The Oak Tree and the Iris Flower" and "The Deoderant and the Armpit".  Being someone who naturally wants to complete a scene, it was also difficult for me to leave things open-ended, and without a onclusion (particularly when I had such great ideas for conclusions!).  I had to keep reminding myself, "This is just to get the students started, it's just to get the students STARTED..."

The other great writers involved with the project were the aforementioned Geff Moyer, Jerry Rabushka, Chris Stiles,   and Bradley Walton, all very talented fellows, and, I'm happy to say, playwriting pals of mine (click on their names to see more of their work).  I was delighted when I was sent the proof of the final book, and got to read all the incredible stuff they came up with. 

I have found that the book is not only valuable for acting students (of any age, middle school all the way to adults), but also is an excellent resource for playwriting classes.  It's great for an in-class writing assignment to have students finish a scene in the book.  I have seen it get the creative juices flowing in even the most reticent of students.

I hate to make this sound like a commercial, but I do believe improviation is such an important part of theatre and learning how to act, and, if you would like a great resource to facilitate improv work, I cannot recommend You Take it From Here enough, and not just because I am a co-writer of the book.  I am proud to be, of course, but even if I wasn't, I would still recommend it, and that's the truth. 

So, if you want to have some fun with personification, check out You Take it From Here, right here:  http://www.brookpub.com/default.aspx?pg=sd&st=YOU+TAKE+IT+FROM+HERE  It has over 125 improvisation or creative writing starters.  After using it with some students, let me know what you think.

Thanks for checking out Theater is a Sport.  Improvisation is definitely a sport, too.

See you next time! 

PHOTOS From My Plays that Seriously Make Me Wish I Had Seen the Production!

Hello, and welcome to Theater is a Sport.  My name is Bobby Keniston, and, if you are a regular reader of my blog, you know that I am a playwright for the youth and community theater markets.  I have been fortunate to have plays produced in about 38 states at last count, as well as having productions in Canada and Australia.  Obviously, I do not have the means to travel and see all of these different productions, but, when I'm lucky, theater groups will send me really awesome pictures that make me wish I truly could have seen them.  Just having the pictures, though, is a great treat.  So, I thought that I would share some photos with you all today from some of the productions that have been done of my plays!

I figured I'd start with one of the most recent, End of the Movie, as produced by the Reedy Point Players in Delaware.  Here are some awesome photos from that the production: 

Emily Ciuffetelli and Kevin Austra

I feel very fortunate to have had such a great group put on my show,
and, judging by the pictues, it is clear that the director had a very nice vision of the piece, and the actors look so wonderfully intense.  Definitely wish I could have gotten to Delaware to see this show.  However, I feel lucky to have struck up a nice friendship via facebook with these really cool folks.




Here's some pictures of my play The Dark Tower as performed by the Pope Theater Boosters in Marietta, GA.  There were dozens and dozens of shots, so I pass along the very favorites out of many favorites:

Pope Theater Boosters, Marietta, GA

Roland, a warrior, and Nimue, the Lady of the Lake

Roland saying goodbye to his dying wife, Susannah

While I could share many more from this group, I shall move on.

Here are some really cool shots from my play Frankie and the Gingerbread Boy as presented by UMEI Christian High School in ON, Canada.  Really cool group of kids, many of which sent me lovely e-mails about being in this really challenging show.  I loved these pictures!



The Greek Chorus:  Victor, Mary, and Shel



Frankie with her creation on the baking table, Ginger

Love this picture of the end of "Frankie and the Gingerbread Boy"--- very cool and eerie

Okay, this is is a small sampling of the pictures I have been sent over the last few years.  I will post more as time goes by.  If you're interested in learning more about these plays, I made their titles links to read more about them. 

I want to thank these great community and school groups for choosing my plays, and for sharing their hard work with me.  It makes me proud and happy to be a playwright whenever I see pictures like these.

Thanks, and, remember--- Theater is a Sport!  Just look at the people in these photos if you don't believe me!

We Got the Beats: the importance of a stage director finding the beats of a play

Hello and welcome to Theater is a Sport.  My name is Bobby Keniston, and I will be your host at this blog.  I am a theater teacher, a playwright, an actor, and a director, and I hope to share with you some things I have learned over the years.  No big whoop. 

Today, I wanted to talk to all the community theatre and school theatre directors out there about the importance of doing your director's homework.  Some preparation even before you begin will make your rehearsal process more efficient, and, therefore, will make your production run without so many bumps along the way. 

After I have read the play a number of times, I personally work on finding the "beats" in a play.  A beat, when speaking theatrically, is related to the timing and, more imporantly, the movement in a play.  A beat alters the way the protagonist, or, really, any other character pursues their goals, and, in some cases, how they behave.  I think it is smart to think of a beat as a transition--- in fact, it is any change in a script, and there are many. 

Why is it important to find beats in a play?  Well, for a director, it is essential, because it not only strengthens the director's awareness of the script, but also allows him or her to break the play down into rehearsalable pieces, enabling everyone to see not only the forest, but each individual tree as well. 

I think is important to note that every director is different.  In fact, you could give 10 different directors the same script, and they would probably all determine a different number of beats in a play.  Having said this, I do think they would all be in agreement about the really important beats.   In fact, some directors may even create some beats that they find important for the show, by staging certain business that may not be completely fleshed out in the script.

Here are some tips for determining beats:

1.  Remember, a beat is any kind of significant CHANGE in the direction of the play.  So, when it feels like something has shifted in the scene, you are probably sensing a beat changing.

2.  Whenever a new or returning character enters or exits, that is usually a good indication that a new beat is starting, or an old beat is ending. 

3.  Changes in lighting as indicated in the script is a good indicator that the playwright feels that the beat is changing.

4.  Set changes and costume changes are clues toward determining beats, particularly if they happen within a scene. 

5.  The start of a new scene is always the start of a new beat as well.

6.  A shift in the subject of conversational dialogue is often a clue that a new beat is starting.

7.  Beats can be very long or very short--- again, much depends on an individual director's intrepretation of a script.  Having said this, most scenes, unless very short, often contain more than one beat.

Let's see if we can find the change of a beat in the following short scene:

JOHN:  Good morning, June.
JUNE:  Good morning, John.  It is good to see you.

(suddenly, a strange whirring sound occurs, and THREE ALIENS enter, grab JOHN and drag him away)

JUNE:  John!  No!
(End)

Okay, so that was pretty obvious, right?  Let's look at another example:

(Lights up on JOHN and JUNE in mid-conversation)

JOHN:  I'm not trying to antagonize you.  I love you.
JUNE:  I know you mean well, John...
JOHN:  Wait, no, that's not fair, I do more than just MEAN well...
JUNE:  You know what I mean, John.  (sighs)  Do you remember when it was easy?
JOHN:  What?
JUNE:  This.  All of it.  Getting up in the morning, kissing each other goodbye, talking to each other at dinner... all of it.  Being in love.
JOHN:  We ARE still in love.  Aren't we?
(Pause)
JUNE:  You know I love you, John. 
JOHN:  But what about being in love, what about that? 
JUNE:  (softly)  I don't know.
(Pause)
JOHN:  Well, let me know when you do.  (starts to leave)
JUNE:  Don't walk out on me now, don't...
JOHN:  (spinning back around)  What do you want me to do?  What do you WANT, June?

Okay, so this is a bit more of a complex scene.  Let me know where you think the beats are in the comments below, and we can talk about it.

Thanks for tuning in to theater is a sport.  If you would like learn more about me, you can go to www.brookpub.com, www.histage.com, www.hitplays.com and www.playscripts.com and search for me, Bobby Keniston.  You can even read free samples of my plays on these sites.  You can also find Theater is a Sport on Facebook by going here:  https://www.facebook.com/#!/TheaterIsASport

Until next time, remember that having the beats is important, and alos remember that theater is not only a craft and artform---it is also a sport.

Interview With Professional Stage Actor Christopher Guilmet: Bobby Asks His Earliest Acting Hero Some Questions

Christopher Guilmet, actor and one of Bobby's earliest theater heroes
Photo courtesy of Mr. Guilmet's website

Greetings all, and welcome to Theater is a Sport.  My name is Bobby Keniston, and I will be your host today at Theater is a Sport.

I am very pleased today to offer you an interview with one of my earliest theater heroes and fellow Dover-Foxcroft boy, Christopher Guilmet.  I first saw Chris onstage in a high school production of Edward Albee's The Zoo Story, and I remember being enthralled with his character (Jerry) and with the actor's charisma.  Even at my young age, and not understanding the script completely, I knew that I wanted to be able to make people "feel" something by a performance, the way that Chris's performance made me feel something.  Looking back, that was probably also a moment that influenced my ambition to become a playwright, to see such brilliant words brought to life. 

Christopher Guilmet was born in New Hampshire and grew up in Dover-Foxcroft, Maine, a town with a population under 5,000.  Since becoming a professional actor, he has been seen on stages in New York City, Los Angeles, and Edinburough Scotland, just to name a few.  In addition, he was actively worked as a composer, having written dozens of songs for Amazon's online greeting cards, as well as several short musicals. 

All right... I'm going to stop rambling, and let Chris talk to you in his own words.  This is a very important interview for anyone intersted in purusing a life of acting to read, and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do.

BOBBY KENISTON:   Like me, you grew up in Dover-Foxcroft, ME, which, as you mention on your website, has a small population. How did growing up in Dover-Foxcroft effect who you are as a person or as an actor?
 
CHRISTOPHER GUILMET:  I consider Dover to be my hometown. When people ask where I'm from, I say "Dover-Foxcroft. You haven't heard of it." In reality, my family moved to Dover when I was 10 years old. Before that we lived in Fairfield (and I was born in New Hampshire: I'm a closet flat lander). I was bullied rather badly in Fairfield, and when we moved to Dover I remember being so relieved that I was getting a fresh start in place where no one knew me as a victim. I learned that it was possible to reinvent yourself. Also, I attended a Gifted and Talented program in music and theatre for three years in high school that was a huge benefit to me. Once every two weeks I spent an entire day studying music, and the last year I did it studying theatre.

BOBBY KENISTON:  I know you fell in love with acting during high school. I had the great pleasure to see you in productions of "Godspell" and "The Zoo Story" (the latter was the first thing I ever saw that made me want to be an actor). Was there a particular role in high school that "sealed the deal" for your desire to pursue acting as a living?
 
CHRISTOPHER GUILMET:  Godspell sealed the deal. In retrospect I believe that the creative experience of the show, which is ensemble in nature and powerfully emotional, seeded a desire in me to pursue a career as a storyteller. I distinctly remember, though, the moment during the curtain call at the first performance when I consciously decided I wanted to be an actor. When I got home from the show my Mother asked how it went, and I told her it went so well I thought I wanted to be a professional actor. She said, "Don't you want to eat?"

BOBBY KENISTON:   You studied at the University of Maine in Orono. Would you say there are benefits to attaining a Bachelor of Arts as opposed to a Bachelor of Fine Arts at a conservatory program?
(Bobby's Note:  Any student thinking of pursuing a life as an actor, please read this response and take notes!)
 
CHRISTOPHER GUILMET:  There is nothing wrong, I think, with deciding on a career path as an actor and going to a professional program (i.e. BFA). However, an actor's job (all artists' job really) is to embody the vast array of human experience, and that is difficult to do if you don't spend time with humans. My last four acting jobs swing between Nazi and 17th Century Puritan. If we concern ourselves with ONLY the study of "acting" then we don't really learn about being human; we are cutting off our nose to spite our face.
 
To be frank, I flunked out of college my first go-round. I was far more interested in doing plays than studying, or even going to class. Some years later, I decided I wanted to finish school and went back to college at The University of Washington in Seattle, where I was living. My favorite class, hands down, was Geology.
 
The best actor is a curious, well read, well rounded person. Someone who reads the paper every day. A Liberal Arts education, which requires a sampling of many different ways of seeing the world, is a necessity. There's plenty of theatre to do at a college. If, after four years of school, you still want to be an actor then go seek further training – an MFA, or taking acting classes, or just go out and act in everything and anything someone will cast you in. Every minute on a stage is training, and everything you can learn about the world is fodder for your art.

BOBBY KENISTON:   Some of your early professional work was at the Penobscot Theatre Company in Bangor, Maine, including playing Jack in a production of "The Importance of Being Earnest". How did working at the Penobscot prepare you for future professional acting work? Any fond memories you'd care to share about working at the Penobscot?
 
CHRISTOPHER GUILMET:  The Penobscot Theatre hired me immediately following my flunking out of college, so in a sense it reenforced a laziness that I continually must fight against. That's the negative.
 
The Positive was that I was lucky enough to have my sole job be the creation of theatre. I worked as an actor, sound designer, assistant to the marketing director, and occasional janitor. It was an incredible education.
 
I am still friends with many of the people I worked with at PTC. Several are still actively working in theatre: one teaches theatre at a university; two (who are married to each other) work in New York City as a scenic builder and a seamstress; another lives in Italy working in Italian movies and running his own theatre.
 
I also spent two summers, while still in college, working at The Theatre at Monmouth. Those two summers taught me more about acting and theatre than my four years at UMaine. It is a repertory company, so by the end of the summer the actors are performing in four different plays at the same time. On two show days, it's one show in the afternoon and a different show that night. I thought, in my early 20's naïveté, that my career would look like those two summers of classical theatre. It didn't turn out that way, but it was still a formative experience that I was most fortunate to have.

BOBBY KENISTON:   When I was a youngster, and you were appearing in "Barefoot in the Park" with my parents, I remember asking you if you wanted to be rich in famous (in my defense, I was a youngster, and you were kind of my hero).... you answered that you would rather be "rich and successful". Does that answer still hold true? Has your notion of the definition of "success" changed since you were in your late teens and early twenties?
 
CHRISTOPHER GUILMET:  In *my* defense I was also a youngster, all of 19!
 
I have long held that the measure of true success is how you are judged by your peers. Fame and success are different. Some very, very lucky people are famous because they are successful, but they are not successful because they are famous. So, yes, I guess I still think the same thing. Who doesn't want to be rich?

BOBBY KENISTON:   I know this is a standard, somewhat obvious question, but, for young people, a pretty important one: What advice would you give to a senior in high school who has ambitions of pursuing the life of an actor? Any tips for navigating the unsteady waters of an admittedly uncertain career path?
 (Again, students, have your pencils ready to take notes!)

CHRISTOPHER GUILMET:  An actor needs a very thick skin. Acting cannot define you. Have other interests, other concerns. Acting is what you do, not who you are.
 
Now, if you are coming out of high school and want to pursue acting: get a BA at a liberal arts college known for a great theatre program, learn as much as you can about everything you can theatre related and otherwise, and then – if you still want to be an actor – start your career by going to grad school or taking acting classes, or auditioning for whatever you can, or all of the above.
 
But, and I can not stress this enough: acting is a profession of rejection. I am auditioning for far more jobs than I get. People are constantly telling you, directly or indirectly, the myriad was in which you are flawed. Understand that acting is a profession, not an identity.
 
BOBBY KENISTON:   When you get a new role in a play, what are the first things you do (besides read the script) to prepare for the rehearsal process? What kind of "actor's homework" is expected when you are an Equity actor?
 
CHRISTOPHER GUILMET:  It entirely depends on the role. Anything that is period I will want to find out as much as I can about the time and place. If there is source material - say, a play based on a book - I find it useful to study that material. If there is a version of the play I can watch, I will do that. Anything I can lay my hands on that helps me to imagine the life of the character I will look at.
 
That said, the single most important thing I can do is learn my lines. It is impossible to act effectively with a script in your hand. The real discoveries happen when you can see your scene partners' eyes.
 
BOBBY KENISTON:   As a drama teacher, I find that many students are nervous about making choices, preferring to have me tell them what to do (not all, but a good number). I try to break them of this habit. How important is it for you as a professional actor to make bold choices to bring to the table?
 
CHRISTOPHER GUILMET:  Bold choices are everything! Theatre is a collaborative art. I am not collaborating with the director if I wait to be told what to do. I assume that my point of view is valued, or I wouldn't have been hired. The director will tell me if they like what I'm doing or want me to adjust my performance. My choices feed their vision, and vice versa. I like to find the extremes of what I can do in the role. If I know where the boundaries are, then I know how much room I have to roam.
 
What's difficult for young actors (it was true for me) is that the desire to be *right* often overwhelms everything else. We're here to tell stories and (hopefully) make art. And if the choice I make is wrong, I want to be wrong and strong! Rehearsal is the place to suck.
 
BOBBY KENISTON:   I have visited the Antaeus Company website and am impressed by the body of work they put on there. What's it like being a member of their Ensemble?
 
CHRISTOPHER GUILMET:  Working with Antaeus has been a high point in my creative life in LA. The company is dedicated to not only classical theatre - my first love - but its ethos is centered on process rather than product. Every week there are several readings of plays, initiated by company members for the experience of reading the play aloud. Sometimes we will take a specific text and study it for several weeks. Also, the wealth of knowledge in this company is a gold mine. I have had the privilege of working alongside some of the best actors in the country. Everyone involved at Antaeus is here because they have a deep love of the theatre. I never imagined something like this existed in LA, but I am profoundly grateful that it does, and that I have found a home there.
 
BOBBY KENISTON:   Any fun or embarrassing stories you'd like to share from your experiences on stage?
 
CHRSTOPHER GUILMET:  Too many. Being an actor is the most fun job I've ever had. I did once get my hand stuck in my hair onstage, because I had used so much product to keep my hair in place. Actually, that was in the "Barefoot in the Park" I did with your parents.
 
BOBBY KENISTON:   I know you have done your share of classics (and are currently working on "The Crucible" by Arthur Miller). Do you like to research the time period and the history behind the plays you perform in?
 
CHRISTOPHER GUILMET:  Yes and no. I like to have as much information I can about the time and place of the particular story, but I have to place the text the author has given me as the most important source. The Crucible is a great example. The events of the Salem Witch Trials actually happened, but they didn't happen exactly as Arthur Miller portrays them in his work. As an actor, my primary job is to bring the author's text to life. If there are instances (and the are) where the playwright's work and history diverge, I must adhere to the playwright's version.
 
Having a good working knowledge of the time period of a play is invaluable, though. The people of Shakespeare's England had a much different world view than we do, and knowing that is extremely helpful in playing those parts. Knowing something about the history of the Massachusetts Bay Colony and the Puritans will help me make choices (hopefully big choices) with John Proctor.
 
BOBBY KENISTON:   As you know, the name of my blog is "Theater is a Sport". Do you agree that theater is a sport? Care to share any examples when theater has felt like a sport to you?
 
CHRISTOPHER GUILMET:  I had a professor in college who said "If you leave the stage and you are not breathing heavy, you're not doing it right." Theatre will make you sweat if you're doing it right. Theatre requires an enormous amount of mental discipline, physical stamina, and emotional resilience. I played sports in high school, and did plays, and they exhausted me equally.
 
BOBBY KENISTON:   I'm sure that along the way, there have been a number of people who have offered you help and encouragement or mentorship. Would you like to share any of the advice potential mentors have given you over the years?
 
CHRISTOPHER GUILMET:  The best acting advice I was ever given: "Read the play." Everything you need to know about a character you are playing is contained in the words the playwright has written. Research is good, but you MUST look to the text first.
 
Also, ignore the stage directions, unless you agree with them. They usually aren't the playwrights but are notes from the stage manager of the first production.
 
BOBBY KENISTON:   Feel free to plug any upcoming productions or projects....
 
CHRISTOPHER GUILMET:  Antaeus' production of The Crucible, followed by Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady in St. Louis.
 
BOBBY KENISTON:   And finally, any final words to students young and old about pursuing a life in the theater?
 
CHRISTOPHER GUILMET:  There is no other reason to pursue a career in the theatre other than love. I will never be rich or famous, but I hope to continue to be successful in that people continue to want to work with me and value my contributions as a theatre artist. This is an old trope, but if there is anything - ANYTHING - you can do that will fulfill you professionally, by all means go do that. The will always be a way to scratch your theatrical itch without subjecting yourself to the rejection and uncertainty of a professional acting career. But if, like me, you are saddled with the inescapable desire to do nothing but this, and are happy having a terrible day job to make ends meet in the times your are not working (and there will be many, many times you do not work unless you are extremely lucky) then best of luck. It's an impossibly hard, infuriating, frustrating, glorious, immensely gratifying career.
 
I would like to once again thank Christopher Guilmet for taking time out of his busy schedule to answer these questions.  I cannot stress enough to my students how valuable these answers are for anyone interested in pursuing a life in professional theatre.

If you would like to learn more about Christopher Guilmet, please visit his website, www.christopherguilmet.com.  If you would like to learn more about Antaeus, please visit their website at http://www.antaeus.org/

If you would like to learn more about me and my plays, check out http://www.brookpub.com/default.aspx?pg=ab&afn=Bobby&aln=Keniston, or http://www.histage.com/author/authorinfo.asp?AuthorID=528, or http://www.hitplays.com/default.aspx?pg=ab&afn=Bobby&aln=Keniston, or, finally, http://www.playscripts.com/author.php3?authorid=1113.

You can also become a fan of Theater is a Sport on Facebook!  https://www.facebook.com/#!/TheaterIsASport

Tune in tomorrow when I'll be talking about how to break a script down into "beats" for directing purposes.  Until then, remember:  theater is not only a craft and an artform--- it is also a sport!