Page 108 - Theatre_Arts_Form_5

Theatre Arts for Advanced Secondary Schools

Performing for stage
Performing for stage involves many things. It entails diverse number of performing
arts. Performing for stage includes acting, dancing and singing. It should be known
that, the context of performing for stage is about acting, storytelling, performing
ngonjera, heroic recitation and ngoma. Performing for stage involves complex
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acting skills. The characters exist only in a fiction world created by playwright
of whom actors enliven into real people and real world of the performance. This
refers to the fact that, although the characters on stage look real, they are not.
It is evident that an actor aiming to excel on stage needs not just skills but also
discipline in both training and preparation. Actors on the stage have to make effort
to get trained on three major areas which include making characters believable
(inner truth), utility of physical acting (outer skill) and integration of both inner
truth and outer skills. In order to produce an excellent performance on stage, both
inner truth and outer skills are supposed to be combined.

Stage acting techniques
Acting on stage is different from acting in real life for a number of reasons.
One of the main differences is that audience is always watching a stage actor or
actress, and they must play parts that they may not have had experience in real
life. A combination of skills, technique, and creativity are needed for stage acting.
The following are some important techniques actors can use to bring characters
to life on stage:

(i) Character development: Actors are required to understand character’s
background, motivations, relationships and emotional state. Thereafter,
they create a backstory to inform their portrayal.

(ii) Script analysis: Actors should analyse the script to understand the themes,
tone, and character movements. Then, they should break down their lines
to understand their meaning and subtext.
(iii) Voice projection and diction: Actors should practice projecting their voices
to ensure their lines are heard by the audience. This demands the actor to
work on articulation and clarity of speech as well.

(iv) Movement and blocking: Actors must learn to move gracefully on stage.
They must work with the director to determine blocking (movement
patterns) that convey the story effectively.

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