Q&A for How to Be a Better Stage Actor

Understand how your character changes throughout the story. The start of the story is a platform where we understand who it’s about, what's going on in their life, and what matters to them. Then something sets us off into our adventure, and one thing leads to the next, until there’s finally a dramatic conclusion or climax. By the end of the story, our main character has changed. They are different than they were at the beginning. It’s a new reality.

Keep going (make sure you are continuing with a line that makes sense, though; improvise to get back on track, if necessary). The audience will never know.

Do not do anything special with your hands. If your stage fright is bad, you can play with your hands slightly, but too much movement communicates nervousness to the audience. You want the audience to believe you are the character you are playing and not an actor portraying a character.

Be as narcissistic as possible. Stand tall and wide. Tell yourself that everyone is beneath you.

You can never be to into your character unless people are starting to get annoyed by you. The best thing to do is to explain your situation and apologize.

Don't panic. Pause a little and do it naturally. Don't let the audience know you've forgotten your lines by doing jerky body movement or looking just about anywhere. Keep your eyes on other characters or try to look as if you're thinking about what the other character is telling you. Try to memorize your lines by heart, know your character well and familiarize yourself with the scenes and situations in the play.

Put your heart into it! Visualize the scenario the character is in, what emotions they're feeling, their relationship with the other characters, etc. Try to really put yourself into their shoes in order to engage your emotional acting skills.

You are always talking to the characters, but if you want to talk to the audience at the same time, look at the audience while talking.

Dying is one of the most fun things to do as an actor. Watch movies with death scenes to see how the professionals do it. Then analyze your scene to understand if the death is dramatic or subtle.

There are many reasons that an acting performance could be bad, including overacting, being too stiff, forgetting your lines, not speaking loud enough, etc.

Like most other things, you can usually tell. If you're not sure, you can perform something for friends or family members and ask for their honest opinions. Another option is to record yourself acting and then watch it yourself.

Join a acting school or class, a good acting company will have experiences with or know people who work for an agency. You could also search online for acting coaches and agents in your area, but you have less chance of determining their reputability this way.

Studying body language will be very helpful. Try to link your emotions with your body movements. Remember, it must look natural, not exaggerated. Your body movement should be parallel to your emotion and natural. You want to make your character believable to the audience so they can connect to your character.

Just go along with it and improvise your way back into the scene. Think of what your character would do if he/she fell.

Breathe. Try performing in front of a small audience first, like a few friends you trust or family members. If your stage fright is really bad, try with a plush or a pet first. Keep increasing the size of your audience after that. Don't think. This releases tension, making you feel better. If you mess up, pass it off as if it were in the script!

Hold something in your hand that stabilizes it, put your hands in your pockets, or hold onto something on the set. With practice comes confindence and therefore less shaking, so hang in there.

Keep your head down, be quiet when you move and cultivate and eerie presence.

Think of something really sad. Imagine your mom dying or pet. Think of the saddest thing that has ever happened to you!

To learn your lines, read through the play as much as possible. Instead of reading a book, read your script. Really get into it and understand the story. As for the singing, try building up to singing in front of a crowd. Sing in front of some dolls or stuffed animals first. It may sound silly, but it's a good first step. Then sing in front of one person, then two people, and so on.

It depends on the situation. Mostly nod along with the other characters. Think about how your character would react to the other actors' lines.

Don't add more. The director knows what's best for the show, and going against his/her specific comments may result in you not being hired by that company again. Do what the director tells you to, and you are golden.

Research is the best tool. Watch how the elderly walk, talk, eat, etc. Get into your character so you understand his motivations and his life.

Normally a specific side of your body will, at multiple times in any given scene, be facing away from the audience. I find it helpful to clench that hand into a fist to release some tension, if you know the movement is nervous. By doing something the audience cannot see, you are not strictly trying to overcome the nerves through brute force, so it is often easier this way. If the movement is just natural to you and not necessarily based on nerves, then the best thing to do is to find a reason for the movement. If you're trying to demonstrate a point in a monologue, talk with your hands. Don't overexaggerate, but use them enough that you aren't tempted to randomly move them or swing your arms.

Start by doing one thing each day that challenges you to be less shy, even if it is small. Over time, your confidence will build and you'll be less shy.

Practice in a mirror, and nail your facial expressions. Perform in front of stuffed animals. Look up short scenes online and practice them with different emotions. Immerse yourself in scenes you preform, forgetting the real world for a little while. Practice quick ways to make yourself cry. Figure out your vocal range if you're trying to get into a musical.

An easy way to memorize lines is to read through the play. Read your lines in front of people or practice alone. Highlight all your lines and memorize them first. After that, memorize the rest of the play if you can. It is good to understand the story and know what is going on.

Unless you have been specifically told to be scary, try to be creepy instead.

Acting is a talent, which means that even if you're not born a good actor, you can work to become great. Some people are born with a little more of this talent than others, and they just don't have to work as hard.

Practice as much as you can. This is almost the only solution. Spend as much time a day as is possible learning your lines/music/blocking by heart. This will make you feel much more ready.

Try to look discreetly between other actors on stage and the audience, though you don't have to actually look at the audience members themselves, just look in that direction. Always try to face the audience with an angle. This is called "cheating out" and many professional stage actors and actresses have spent a long time mastering this tedious skill.