Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: Acting Like A Woman

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juliemshaw
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Joined: 4/08/12
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Topic: Acting Like A Woman
Posted: 4/09/12 at 9:47pm

I am directing SYLVIA and need to help my actor play "Phyllis". What are some good clues and points to help him play a female without becoming a drag stereotype?

Julie Michelle

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edh915
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Posted: 4/10/12 at 11:59am

As soon as he tries to "act" like a woman he'll resort to just the stereotypes that you're trying to avoid.

It sounds counter-intuitive, but don't try to have him act like a woman at all. Get him into a skirt and holding a handbag (always), and then try to get him to channel a female teacher, aunt, neighbor, church lady - someone in his life whom he knows who fits the character he's playing.

He needs to imitate the person - not the sex of the person. Wearing a costume will help give him give those necessary moves, but it's character that needs to be developed. Work at it from that end, and it should come around okay. At least, it worked for me in a similar situation.

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TonyDi
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Posted: 4/11/12 at 6:58am

Oddly when we did that show - all the characters, the guy in the dog park, Phyllis, the non-descript gender psychiatrist were all played by a girl. However she was an awesome actress and could pull off the comedy quite well - the guy in the dogpark, we put a moustache on her, jeans, boots, hunting shirt, cap and she was hilarious. Phyllis was nicely dressed, very classy type, the doctor we had VERY generic looking and I even think the actress who did that role wrappped and bound her chest to flatten it and make it look very non-gender-specific, like PAT the androgynous character on Sat. Nite Live... and it was just plain funny. But your issue is different since you're going the other way. As Ed said, go without TRYING to use all the stereotypical feminine things and let the costume and makeup (if you're going that far) dictate. Hey it could be a relatively masculine female - although Phyllis is sort of a priss as I recall, didn't like the dog jumping on her and so forth - kind of too classy for a dog unless it were a Russian Wolfhound or something classy like that ya know!!??

Anyway good luck with it. Great fun show. Bit rough on the language by the dog especially in the cat chasing scene but you know I've said this before - our Sylvia - was right at the edge of the stage - a foot from the front row audience of old lady Sunday types - and they were laughing their old butts off - it was just funny. Didn't seem to bother our audiences ever - or at least no-one ever said anything negative about the language.

TonyDi

Edited by TonyDi - 4/11/12 at 7:01am

"Almost famous"

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juliemshaw
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Posted: 4/12/12 at 12:02pm

Thank you both. The actor we have in this multiple role is fairly new to stage, but has lots of potential. This will help.

I agree about the language. I did a production of this play a few years back, and that scene always got huge laughs. I think it's because it's played for the humor and not malicious. I mean, we all KNOW that's how dogs feel about cats - right?

Julie Michelle

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Majicwrench
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Joined: 2/07/07
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Posted: 4/12/12 at 12:26pm

Played a woman once years ago, took awhile to get into it but then was GREAT fun. Just got in the habit of watching manerisms etc.

Hope show goes well. I saw this done a few years ago by a new group and was disappointed. Break a leg

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pdavis69
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Joined: 3/26/06
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Posted: 4/13/12 at 2:27pm

I played a woman in Queens of Bingo. The biggest problem I had was not sitting like a truck driver.

Patrick L. Davis
Fort Findlay Playhouse

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Acting
Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board :Producing Theater :Acting

Author	Message
juliemshaw Walk-On Joined: 4/08/12 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Topic: Acting Like A Woman Posted: 4/09/12 at 9:47pm
	I am directing SYLVIA and need to help my actor play "Phyllis". What are some good clues and points to help him play a female without becoming a drag stereotype?
	Julie Michelle

	IP Logged

edh915 Celebrity Joined: 11/19/09 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 325	Posted: 4/10/12 at 11:59am
	As soon as he tries to "act" like a woman he'll resort to just the stereotypes that you're trying to avoid. It sounds counter-intuitive, but don't try to have him act like a woman at all. Get him into a skirt and holding a handbag (always), and then try to get him to channel a female teacher, aunt, neighbor, church lady - someone in his life whom he knows who fits the character he's playing. He needs to imitate the person - not the sex of the person. Wearing a costume will help give him give those necessary moves, but it's character that needs to be developed. Work at it from that end, and it should come around okay. At least, it worked for me in a similar situation.
	IP Logged

TonyDi Celebrity Joined: 9/13/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 325	Posted: 4/11/12 at 6:58am
	Oddly when we did that show - all the characters, the guy in the dog park, Phyllis, the non-descript gender psychiatrist were all played by a girl. However she was an awesome actress and could pull off the comedy quite well - the guy in the dogpark, we put a moustache on her, jeans, boots, hunting shirt, cap and she was hilarious. Phyllis was nicely dressed, very classy type, the doctor we had VERY generic looking and I even think the actress who did that role wrappped and bound her chest to flatten it and make it look very non-gender-specific, like PAT the androgynous character on Sat. Nite Live... and it was just plain funny. But your issue is different since you're going the other way. As Ed said, go without TRYING to use all the stereotypical feminine things and let the costume and makeup (if you're going that far) dictate. Hey it could be a relatively masculine female - although Phyllis is sort of a priss as I recall, didn't like the dog jumping on her and so forth - kind of too classy for a dog unless it were a Russian Wolfhound or something classy like that ya know!!?? Anyway good luck with it. Great fun show. Bit rough on the language by the dog especially in the cat chasing scene but you know I've said this before - our Sylvia - was right at the edge of the stage - a foot from the front row audience of old lady Sunday types - and they were laughing their old butts off - it was just funny. Didn't seem to bother our audiences ever - or at least no-one ever said anything negative about the language. TonyDi Edited by TonyDi - 4/11/12 at 7:01am
	"Almost famous"
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juliemshaw Walk-On Joined: 4/08/12 Online Status: Offline Posts: 0	Posted: 4/12/12 at 12:02pm
	Thank you both. The actor we have in this multiple role is fairly new to stage, but has lots of potential. This will help. I agree about the language. I did a production of this play a few years back, and that scene always got huge laughs. I think it's because it's played for the humor and not malicious. I mean, we all KNOW that's how dogs feel about cats - right?
	Julie Michelle
	IP Logged

Majicwrench Celebrity Joined: 2/07/07 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 178	Posted: 4/12/12 at 12:26pm
	Played a woman once years ago, took awhile to get into it but then was GREAT fun. Just got in the habit of watching manerisms etc. Hope show goes well. I saw this done a few years ago by a new group and was disappointed. Break a leg
	IP Logged

pdavis69 Celebrity Joined: 3/26/06 Location: United States Online Status: Offline Posts: 437	Posted: 4/13/12 at 2:27pm
	I played a woman in Queens of Bingo. The biggest problem I had was not sitting like a truck driver.
	Patrick L. Davis Fort Findlay Playhouse
	IP Logged