Community Theater Green Room Discussion Board: stealing the scene

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GoldCanyonLady
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Topic: stealing the scene
Posted: 1/11/07 at 8:55am

Is it absolutely against the rules to have an actor walk or do something while another actor is speaking? What are the exceptions? Please and thank you.
Barb

Barb Hofmeister,
MountainBrook Village Players, Gold Canyon, Arizona.

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Joan54
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Posted: 1/11/07 at 9:51am

That's sort of a strange question....I mean the other actors are often doing lots of other things while some one else is talking. It's called dialog. I think it is up to the director to make sure that the audience is paying attention to the actor that is important for progressing the dramatic line of the play.

"behind a thin wall of logic panic is waiting to stampede"

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B-M-D
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Posted: 1/11/07 at 10:57am

First there are no "rules." They'll all be broken at some point for various dramatic reasons that are significant to a particular show, like turning one's back to the audience. I think we need to know what the circumstances are or if it's a case of an over zealous actor.

"Dying is easy, comedy is hard."

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red diva
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Posted: 1/11/07 at 12:41pm

As long as the other actors don't pull focus from where it should be, there's nothing wrong with it. It's up to the director to observe and make that decision.

"I've worked long and hard to earn the right to be called Diva!"

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Topper
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Posted: 1/11/07 at 4:56pm

It's only a problem when the actor who's moving is drawing attention away (either purposely or unintentionally) from the actor who's speaking.

Of course, it depends which is more important to the flow of the story -- sometimes the action is more important than the dialog.

And sometimes it's done for comic effect, where the dialog is mere filler to the wildly distracting actions of another character. The audience is laughing too hard at the sight gag to even HEAR the other actors speaking.

"None of us really grow up. All we ever do is learn how to behave in public." -- Keith Johnstone

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Nanette
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Posted: 1/11/07 at 9:12pm

Originally posted by red diva

As long as the other actors don't pull focus from where it should be, there's nothing wrong with it. It's up to the director to observe and make that decision.

I fully agree! I recently produced a show where there was an entire scene change happening directly behind the actress speaking, but because it was properly rehearsed/choreographed, and the actress kept the attention of the audience on her, there was no problem what-so-ever (although I did catch a few audience members wondering if they could hire the cast to help them when they moved

In a world of margarine, be butter!

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GoldCanyonLady
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Posted: 1/14/07 at 10:15am

Thanks, I feel better going with my gut reaction. I am not a trained director, and my assistant this year has done a lot of acting and has much more experience than I do. As I was blocking, he noticed one actor pacing, and told me that it shouldn't be done. I thought it looked good for that part in the play. I just wanted some other's advice before I cut it out. Now I won't.

Barb Hofmeister,
MountainBrook Village Players, Gold Canyon, Arizona.

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

Topic: stealing the scene( Topic Closed)