Performing/Acting a Song: Wisdom from Jeff Caldwell,
Musical Theatre coach, pianist, and director extraordinaire
- Acting is living truthfully under imaginary circumstances. -Sanford Meisner
- Find the truth for you
- What makes it interesting to you, makes it interesting for your audience.
- If you are connected to something (the thought, emotion), the audience will be too.
- A thought leads to a gesture
- Replicable: clear thought process, plan of action. Accurate but with freedom (not locked in)
- What is your objective for singing the song?
- What is your “moment before”? What makes you start singing?
- Subtext
- Find the kernel of reality in the song that speaks to you
- Name the sections of your song
- Be specific!
- Particularization/transference= make it personal/useful to you
- Stay in the truth of the song
- That’s what rehearsing is for, to experiment without knowing (or fearing) the outcome
- Stake your claim! Plant your flag!
- Play your tactic/intention/dramatic action
- What does the character want? Need?
- Give yourself over to the emotion
- State the facts!
