9781422287057

9

Acting on Stage and Screen

Make Connections Famous actor Paul Newman said, “Acting is a question of ab- sorbing other people’s personalities and adding some of your own experience.”

how people liked your performance or the play. If your character said something funny and the audience did not laugh, you immediately know there could be a problem. Maybe it was how you delivered—said—your line. Or maybe the line or situation was not funny. On the other hand, if they laughed, you know you got it right. And after the performance, thunderous applause or even a standing ovation lets you know you did a good job. But a smattering of polite applause could mean a short run or even opening and closing on the same night. Most productions run for more than one night. School plays may run for a weekend or two. Community theaters usually schedule multiple performances. Professional theater companies can perform a play for months, if not years. So keep in mind that though performance mistakes can be obvious when they happen, you will likely have the opportunity

to fix them quickly. FAMILIARITY: THE GOOD AND THE INTIMIDATING

A playwright is someone who writes plays. Once the play is written, it is generally published. After a play is published, any theater group can put it on, often after paying a royalty to the publishing company. The play can then be studied in school as part of English, literature, or