5 Ways to Excel in Drama and Theater

This is a guest post by Rob Sutter for Student Stories.

Amongst the many types of art that can be talked about, it’s easy to say that theater is one of the most demanding. Not only do actors and actresses have to look certain ways in order to land roles but they have to be able to portray characters as well. As one can imagine, this is more of a challenge for some than it is for others. If you would like to truly excel in either drama or theater, art schools will have you covered.

 Here are 5 ways to ensure that your presence on stage is as strong as possible.

1. Immersion.

More specifically, you want to become lost in the role that you are given. To put this into perspective, third graders acting in a play might be endearing but it’s clear that they do not have the developed skill sets to ensure that they can get lost in their roles. College students should be more aware of immersion. Instead of coming to terms with the fact that you are simply playing a character, try to get into the mind of said character and go from there.

2. Physicality.

Since you will be working on a stage in a large theater, not everyone is going to be able to see your face clearly. Instead of relying on facial expressions to get your point across, you have to be comfortable enough to act in the physical sense. What this means is that, as an actor or actress, you have to exhibit body language in order to convey happiness, sadness, disgust, along with other emotions. This will allow your audience to become more immersed in your performance overall.

3. Projection.

As stated before, working in a large theater means that you have to amplify certain actions several times over. The same can be said for your voice as well, so make sure that you train your vocal chords in such a way that it can handle a more amplified projection. According to any acting teacher or coach, body language is important but unless you can speak your dialogue in a way that everyone in any given venue can hear it, your performance won’t stand out. It’s recommended that you practice in your room in order to, for lack of better words, find your voice.

4. Audience.

As much as you may feel as though you have your lines down to a science, what someone else will see has a chance of being entirely different. For this reason, you should take it upon yourself to act in front of a smaller audience, whether it’s in front of your family or a group of friends. In fact, art schools in California, amongst other areas, will have perhaps the best audience. Whether you are interested in the Art Institute of California or what have you. It’s clear that you will not only have an audience but the most knowledgeable source of feedback as well.

5. Rehearsal.

Even though the aforementioned institutions will be able to help you better understand your lines, art schools around the world will tell you about the importance of constant rehearsal done after school hours. This can be done whether you are preparing your dinner or just before you go to sleep at night. Depending on the kind of role that you have to play, the amount of work needed on your part will vary. Regardless, rehearsal is seen as the most integral part of theater and repetition will ensure that you understand your lines as best as possible.

About the Author:

Rob Sutter graduated from Farmingdale State College with a bachelor’s degree in Professional Communication. Writing is his preferred art form, as he has written several blogs in the realm of social media.