The Playwright Is Watching Our Rehearsal

How do you handle a playwright watching your rehearsal?

As an actor, it's your job to say the lines as they are written–don't do any paraphrasing. Never say, "My character wouldn't say this." The playwright's character would and did.

Feel free to say, "Could you tell me a little about this scene?" or "Could you tell me a little about this relationship?" or "Can you tell me something about her background?"

In the main, playwright's are interested in an actor's questions and not as interested in their statements. If possible, try to talk to the playwright before you go into rehearsal, but be careful not to bully the director with what was said.

When you need tips on how to handle situations such as this, a perfect source is StageMagazineOnline.com where you have an unlimited amount of Forums on any theater subject that interests you. There are forums on costumes, props, directing, acting, and technical theater. Your membership can easily be paid for using the Quik*Bucks referral system. This is easy and rewarding, too. Check out StageMagazineOnline.com. Ruth Goldman