Best Impersonator
Is there a difference between acting and impersonating? Yes, I think so but the lines are starting to blur. When Jim Carrey portrayed Andy Kaufman in the movie “Man in the Moon”, he wasn’t nominated for best actor even though …
Mac the Knife
And the shark, it has teeth, And it wears them in its face. And Macheath, he has a knife, But the knife one doesn't see. These are the original lyrics to the well know song, “Mac the Knife” from The …
Nuts and Bolts
I just overheard a patron say, "Now what is down stage again?" With that in mind, here are some common theater terms. Down Stage: Closer to the audience or foot of the stage. Stage Right: While facing the audience this …
Melodramatic
I was watching a rehearsal of Turnadot at San Diego Opera earlier this week. Opera theater is incredible but full of anachronisms. The acting, if it can be called that, tends to be stuck in the 18th Century. The style …
Willy
Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman is opening at the Old Globe on January 27th with previews starting on the 22nd. I can’t wait to see it. It is a story of ignorance, pride, and inadequacy with a dash of …
Michael Corleone
There is a considerable difference between good acting and great acting. We’ve already talked about some aspects of bad or immature acting. The next step is good acting. After seeing a good actor the audience will say something like, “Wow, …
The Fonz
What is good acting? It’s hard to say. It’s easier to recognize bad acting. Perhaps we can start there. Bad acting is obvious at any level of theater. How is it obvious? As an audience member you have a sinking …
Broadway's Top Show
I was chatting with a long time friend, I try not to call actors “old” friends, about different types of theaters. She wanted to make a distinction between commercial theater and nonprofit theater. I think it is a very good …
Chapter Two
Andy and Molly are currently building the set for a new play called Tragedy of the Commons. When it’s time to build a set, Andy gets some basic blue prints and maybe a model of the set. He then has …
Beavers and Stuff (chapter one)
“When Andy starts talking technical, that’s when Molly falls asleep.” I went over to Old Town and hung out with Andy Scrimger and Molly Whitaker of Cygnet Theater. Andy is the technical director and Molly is the lead carpenter. In …
The Almighty Dresser
A dresser can bring an entire show to a screeching halt. One of the vital elements of the theater which usually goes unappreciated by the audience is the dresser. The performers appreciate a good dresser and in some bigger productions …