Acting: Chinese Character

Chinese Character

Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Acting
Forum Discription: Q&A about auditions, character development and other aspects of the craft
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=4245
Printed Date: 5/15/24 at 7:46pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com

Topic: Chinese Character

Posted By: midgetking111
Subject: Chinese Character
Date Posted: 9/14/09 at 4:51pm

I'm dreading being in my school's musical this year. We're doing Throughly Modern Millie Jr, and I got casted as Bun Foo, one of the Chinese characters. I don't know a single word of Chinese. Where could I learn it?

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Mystery of the Suffocated 7th Grader-Perry Paulson

Willy Wonka Junior-Grandpa George

Air Uganda-Swami Ramblenonada

James and the Giant Peach-James Trotter

Throughly Modern Millie-Bun Foo

Replies:

Posted By: kries13
Date Posted: 9/15/09 at 1:41pm

First - congratulations on securing a role. Now comes the fun part! I commend you on wanting to learn Chinese, but rather suggest you undertake the idea of researching what a person of Chinese descent would have been like during the setting of this show.

I suspect your lines will be taken care of for you in the script - and your director should assist you if you need to come up with additional adlibs.

Go to your local library and do some research. I don't know the setting of this production - but take clues from notes in the script such as setting, time period etc. Is this character a self sufficient person of wealthy, middle class or poor means? Are they a business man? Are they a domestic person? Does he have a family? Is he educated? Self taught or schooled? Born in America or abroad? White collar or blue collar?

How would he walk? Does he look people in the eye when he converses or is he subserviant.

These are all questions that you can start asking yourself about this character as you start to craft their mannerisms.

The challenge of taking on the persona of someone unlike yourself is the thrill and beauty of doing theatre. Embrace the experience and use it as a great learning journey.

Enjoy - and let us know how it goes!

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kries
I art therefore I am.
www.artisrelative.com

Posted By: Mr. Lowell
Date Posted: 9/15/09 at 3:10pm

We are doing "Millie" the first weekend of November. MTI Shows already sent us their Chinese Rehearsal CD that has all the proper pronunciations spoken and sung on it. You may want to order that disc yourself.

Break a leg. -Dana

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Mr. Lowell,
Lighting/Set Designer & Tech Director,
for the Linda Sloan Theatre,
in the Davison Center for the Arts,
at Greensboro Day School

Posted By: Mr. Lowell
Date Posted: 9/22/09 at 8:56pm

Here is a photo of that "Millie" rehearsal CD for Chinese pronunciations. http://www.lowell.to/Tech/millieDisc.jpg - MTI Disc.

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Mr. Lowell,
Lighting/Set Designer & Tech Director,
for the Linda Sloan Theatre,
in the Davison Center for the Arts,
at Greensboro Day School