I would like to hear from others on stage crying. What do you do, or what have you seen done that's effective? Alternatively, what has been ineffective? I know there's a whole spectum of crying... pick one. I'd be interested in differences for males vs. females.

I'm curious, as this is an area that I don't get to do on stage often. I tend to be typecast as a comic character, but I would enjoy a serious role now and again.

-Tom

It is not the crying that gets to the audience - it is trying very hard not to cry.  Some people can turn the tears on and off others can not.  I happen to be in the latter group.  So I go to this "I will NOT cry, I will NOT cry" place and that seems to work for my directors and I guess the audience.  There are also tricks like sniffling, blinking rapidly and wiping your eyes that can help if not over done.  I was in a show last weekend where I told a sad story and the woman on stage with me turned on the tears.  There was not one chance in 1000 that the audience could see the actual tears, it was how she handled it, blotting them, wiping them away, acting like she was crying and so on.

Worst comes to worst you can always turn your back
to the audience, carefully reach up and yank a hair
out of your nostril.

Guaranteed tears every time.

hehe tom. I was in a show which involved my crying at many instances, one where I throw myself at someone and try to beat him to smithereens, but as it is difficult for me to conjure up tears with such drying makeup, I rarely cried. Instead, I did the whole heaving shoulders and gasping, but watch out cuz that can look fake when overdone. This may not work for you also, cuz it is quite feminine. 
 Usually, though, I am able to make myself cry by going through the motions of crying. I don't know if you make a certain face whenever you cry, but I find that if I make that same face, tears automatically come. Also, I cry when I see someone else crying; I don't know if that would work with you, but I just imagine someone close to me sobbing in pain.

 If you can't make yourself cry that way, I suggest, instead of plucking nose hair, try eyebrow hair.

These have been interesting reponses, thanks. I guess my initial question was related to the appearance of crying, but this is interesting. This is a good read to see how some of you internalize the appropriate emotions.

Actually being able to produce tears would be an impressive feat for me. That's something I don't even do in my 'normal' life. Maybe deep down I'm just a cold-hearted stage manager d8rD.

The approach that I tend to use is either struggling with trying not to cry, or doing something that's like the crying version of laughing (if that makes sense). But, like I said in the original post, it's been a while since I've had a chance to work on this. I think directors see my comic timing before they see anything else. That's not a complaint, just an observation.

If anyone else has more food for thought on this topic, I'd be interested in seeing it. (Maybe pulling an eyelash would do it... except there'd be a loud scream before the tears come. Scratch that - no hair pulling of any kind. 8rP)

-Tom