How to Get Into Character
Write an essay about your character., Read the whole play., Read essays about the character, especially if it is a character from a play., Watch other interpretations of the character with care., Read the book, if the play is based off of one., Read...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Write an essay about your character.
Ask yourself some questions about your character, and try to answer them.
It may help you understand your character better.
This is a good idea not only for characters in a play, but also for cosplays, Renaissance Faire (and other re-enactment) characters, and original larp characters.
Here are some questions you should ask yourself:
What does your character look like? Are there any unique features, such as a limp or hump? How does your character speak? Does he/she have a lisp or an accent? What is your character's station in life? Are they part of the upper class, such as a king? Or are they from the lower class, such as a town drunk? What does your character want? Does he/she get that? How does your character resolve problems? Do they get frustrated? Do they expect others to solve it for them? What do others expect from your character? How does your character feel about those expectations? Do they meet them, surpass them, or fail them? How do other characters feel about your character? Is your character well liked, or disliked? -
Step 2: Read the whole play.
This includes the parts that your character doesn't appear in.
If you only read the parts with your character, you might miss important events that he/she might be aware of.
These events might affect how he/she behaves. , Don't just go for any essays, however.
Go for scholarly and peer-reviewed essays.
Many of these essays will go in depth on the character, and analyze his/her thoughts, behavior, and role in the play.
For example, Shylock from The Merchant of Venice can be a villain or a victim.
The essays you read might help you decide how to depict him: villain or victim.
This also applies to historical roles for Renaissance Fairs and other historical reenactments. , Your director may want you to interpret your character differently from how he/she is depicted in other versions of the play (especially filmed versions). , Some plays are based off of books, but they don't always tell you everything about a certain character.
The book, however, might give you that information.
It might show you how the character behaves "off-stage." You can use this information when acting as your character.
Examples of plays (and musicals) based off of books include:
Dracula The Phantom of the Opera Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King are not based off of books, but movies.
In this case, you might want to watch the movie. , Most plays will take place in a past time period.
You can make your character more believable by learning about that time period.
The one exception to this, of course, is if the director wants to do a modern interpretation of a play.
An example would be setting Romeo and Juliette during the 1940s, with one family being Jewish and the other being German, instead of during the Renaissance. -
Step 3: Read essays about the character
-
Step 4: especially if it is a character from a play.
-
Step 5: Watch other interpretations of the character with care.
-
Step 6: Read the book
-
Step 7: if the play is based off of one.
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Step 8: Read about the character's world.
Detailed Guide
Ask yourself some questions about your character, and try to answer them.
It may help you understand your character better.
This is a good idea not only for characters in a play, but also for cosplays, Renaissance Faire (and other re-enactment) characters, and original larp characters.
Here are some questions you should ask yourself:
What does your character look like? Are there any unique features, such as a limp or hump? How does your character speak? Does he/she have a lisp or an accent? What is your character's station in life? Are they part of the upper class, such as a king? Or are they from the lower class, such as a town drunk? What does your character want? Does he/she get that? How does your character resolve problems? Do they get frustrated? Do they expect others to solve it for them? What do others expect from your character? How does your character feel about those expectations? Do they meet them, surpass them, or fail them? How do other characters feel about your character? Is your character well liked, or disliked?
This includes the parts that your character doesn't appear in.
If you only read the parts with your character, you might miss important events that he/she might be aware of.
These events might affect how he/she behaves. , Don't just go for any essays, however.
Go for scholarly and peer-reviewed essays.
Many of these essays will go in depth on the character, and analyze his/her thoughts, behavior, and role in the play.
For example, Shylock from The Merchant of Venice can be a villain or a victim.
The essays you read might help you decide how to depict him: villain or victim.
This also applies to historical roles for Renaissance Fairs and other historical reenactments. , Your director may want you to interpret your character differently from how he/she is depicted in other versions of the play (especially filmed versions). , Some plays are based off of books, but they don't always tell you everything about a certain character.
The book, however, might give you that information.
It might show you how the character behaves "off-stage." You can use this information when acting as your character.
Examples of plays (and musicals) based off of books include:
Dracula The Phantom of the Opera Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King are not based off of books, but movies.
In this case, you might want to watch the movie. , Most plays will take place in a past time period.
You can make your character more believable by learning about that time period.
The one exception to this, of course, is if the director wants to do a modern interpretation of a play.
An example would be setting Romeo and Juliette during the 1940s, with one family being Jewish and the other being German, instead of during the Renaissance.
About the Author
Eric Harvey
Committed to making creative arts accessible and understandable for everyone.
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