The Miracle Worker - Annie Sullivan
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=4427
Printed Date: 5/19/24 at 5:10pm
Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 8.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: The Miracle Worker - Annie Sullivan
Posted By: PinkScarf
Subject: The Miracle Worker - Annie Sullivan
Date Posted: 1/21/10 at 3:19am
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I just landed the role of Annie Sullivan in The Miracle Worker, and was wondering if anyone has any advice. ANYTHING; character development, dealing with the physically demanding parts, crying onstage, etc.
Thanks in advance! :) ------------- Current: The Miracle Worker - Annie Sullivan Previous: Cinderella - Cinderella *Please visit my theatre blog: http://charactress.blogspot.com - http://charactress.blogspot.com |
Replies:
Posted By: B-M-D
Date Posted: 1/22/10 at 12:33pm
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Have you spoken to your director about any of this? He/ she may be the first resource you should try. ------------- BD 
"Dying is easy, comedy is hard." |
Posted By: PinkScarf
Date Posted: 1/22/10 at 12:39pm
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Yes I will definitely be discussing this stuff with my director, but I was just wondering if anyone had any advice that my director may not bring up. You know, get a "second opinion." =)
------------- Current: The Miracle Worker - Annie Sullivan Previous: Cinderella - Cinderella *Please visit my theatre blog: http://charactress.blogspot.com - http://charactress.blogspot.com |
Posted By: edh915
Date Posted: 1/22/10 at 1:51pm
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Really, PinkScarf, I think B-M-D has the right of it. Your director is the first person to go to because he/she is the one that chose you for the role, and there's obviously something about you that makes him/her see Annie Sullivan in you. I've seen a half dozen different productions of "Miracle Worker" and I've seen a half dozen substantially different Annie Sullivans. You need to make sure that you and your director are on the same page - not go off on some sort of "unauthorized" tangent. I will say that you're going to have to develop a good working relationship with the girl playing Helen. The two of you will be a team, and one's success in her role will be strongly reflected in the other's performance. Second opinion. You're not going to be able to fake the physical stuff. It's going to have to be pretty real, or the audience will see that you're holding back and you'll lose them. And the only thing I have to say about crying, I've already said before elsewhere. Don't force it. Forced crying always, always, always looks fake. It's much more effective to be seen trying not to cry, than to actually cry. |
Posted By: PinkScarf
Date Posted: 1/29/10 at 12:04pm
Thank you, this is exactly what I'm looking for!  As for crying, I agree that a "crying" scene can be more powerful if the actor "tries not to cry." However, in my case, one of the lines in the scene I was referring to (I have a couple crying scenes) is "Don't open the door, I'm crying." So I'm thinking at least some "crying" in my voice is required. Thanks again for the advice! ------------- Current: The Miracle Worker - Annie Sullivan Previous: Cinderella - Cinderella *Please visit my theatre blog: http://charactress.blogspot.com - http://charactress.blogspot.com |