Stage Direction Basics - HELP
Printed From: Community Theater Green Room
Category: Producing Theater
Forum Name: Directing
Forum Discription: For questions about handling shows, actors, crew, board members, children ...or do we repeat ourselves?
URL: http://www.communitytheater.org/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=5289
Printed Date: 4/29/24 at 3:40pm
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Topic: Stage Direction Basics - HELP
Posted By: razberryt
Subject: Stage Direction Basics - HELP
Date Posted: 3/21/12 at 2:32am
Help! I am directing a church production based on the "Last Supper" and I have an actor who INSISTS that no one can EVER under any circumstance (no matter how ridiculous it makes the scene) cross behind the table, which is not even a regular height table, but rather a more "traditional" biblical table that is low with cushions around it.
I know that you wouldn't USUALLY want an actor to cross behind a piece of furniture, but in this case it seems silly to be so uptight about it.
In particular, there is a scene where a 3rd actor enters whilst the 2 actors already on stage are talking. I would prefer that he cross behind them/behind the table (he gets "drawn in" to their conversation shortly after he reaches his mark, which is SL, they are SR/slightly toward SC, all 3 are downstage when he is asked a question).
Am I crazy for thinking that it makes no sense for him to cross in front of them since they are ALREADY talking to each other??
There are several other instances where a more direct line to the exit is for an actor to cross behind the table, but she FREAKS out every time.
Is it really THAT important?
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Replies:
Posted By: hobbyactor
Date Posted: 3/21/12 at 9:21am
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That seems crazy to me. Actors cross behind furniture all the time. There are many circumstances where this would be preferred, your example included. I'm not sure where she is finding this 'rule'. It would be much worse to have an actor who is not speaking cross in front of the actors that are, unless the point is to draw focus from the ones that are speaking.
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Posted By: Thudster
Date Posted: 3/21/12 at 9:43am
I agree with hobbyactor. But are her objections because she thinks it's not done in theater (in which case you should just tell her you're the director) or because she thinks it's disrespectful or sacrilegious?
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"Hey look! That's my dad up there whacking himself with silverware!"
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Posted By: edh915
Date Posted: 3/21/12 at 2:11pm
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There is absolutely no rule at all about crossing upstage or downstage of furniture. You block what makes sense or what is visually interesting. Your description of the situation sounds perfectly fine to me and falls into the visually interesting category. If the stage world were run according to the dictates of this actor of yours, all furniture in all sets would be up against all three walls, and all the actors could do is gather center stage. What a horror that would be. Thudster has it right. Remind her who the director is.
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Posted By: razberryt
Date Posted: 3/21/12 at 2:55pm
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Thank you for the reassurance. I do not have an abundance of director experience (I'm actually the kid's pastor!) but I have done several dramas while at this church and I am TRYING to remain the director in this one, but she has very strong personality. I guess I just needed some "official" backup to give me the confidence to insist on doing things my way. In the back of my mind I kept questioning that maybe she was right and I was breaking some well-known stage-etiquette that I just didn't know about!!
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Posted By: TonyDi
Date Posted: 3/22/12 at 7:01am
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As a LONG LONG time director I think I've broken ALL the rules there are with stage direction and blocking including (but not limited to) actors literally turning their backs on the audience...now not for any extended length of time, but that old routine of moving upstage, downstage, sidestage or whatever of another actor or not crossing BEHIND anything....well shoot me...I've always thrown that out the window for what is logical, sensible, what feels NATURAL that you would do if it were you doing it in reality and not on stage. And so far, no-one has ever called me on it. Granted, I've ALWAYS instructed actors to be aware of moving on dialogue (which I also allow if sensible, logical and as long as the actor compensates for not facing the audience for best sound production) and have turned my back on the audience, done shows where actors are seated with backs to the audience, where actors HAD no other choice but to cross upstage of furniture. Basic - I do ANYTHING that appears, feels and IS natural, real and what you'd do if you were actually doing it devoid of an audience. So far, most of the responses I've ever gotten have favored how "natural" the actors seemed on stage. Whether that's to be translated "hey stupid, why did you block your actors so they were moving on dialogue, turning their backs on us...etc.," or what I don't really know and can't say. Just that nobody ever said anything about it. I HAVE had actors question my motives but no-one has ever refuted my reasoning to create as close to reality as I could possibly get in dialogue delivery, movement or motivation. So far it's worked. Beyond that don't let someone who really doesn't know or only think they know about stage blocking to dictate because they don't understand the logic of your direction. And understand this - THERE ARE NO LAWS governing how you move your actors on stage. RULES?? Different story - but rules - I must point out - are made to be broken when it satisfies and suits the need to do things naturally, logically and sensibly. I know....I think I've broken most if not all of the rules. And again I've either not been called on it, caught and reamed for it, or nobody has had the guts to criticize me to my face for it. They might talk behind my back but when THEY got good reviews and critique from so many people including critics, they take it pretty well.
Good luck. Stand your ground - you're the director, not some "strong personality's" subordinate.
TonyDi
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"Almost famous"
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Posted By: Majicwrench
Date Posted: 3/22/12 at 4:40pm
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Thank her profusely for the input. Make it work. Rules are tools not masters. And in theatre, there really are no "rules", and being a bit unique "rule-wise" can make a show wonderful.
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Posted By: MusicManD
Date Posted: 3/30/12 at 10:28am
I just saw a production of "12 Angry Men" and can't imagine trying to block that show without walking behind the table. In fact, they only walked in front of the table for specifically critical scenes. All of the "filler" movement was done behind the table so as not to draw attention away from the dialogue.
About eighteen years ago, I was in a Passion Play, and I don't recall anyone moving in front of the table. Sometimes you have to be aware of other factors and expectations that the audience might be bringing into the performance. In any show that's been a movie, for example, you have to be aware of some of those images from the film (depending, of course, on the popularity of the film). In the case of your scene, your audience is going to expect to see Da Vinci's "The Last Supper"... which means movement would be BEHIND the table. Otherwise, is there any reason to stage twelve guys behind one long table?
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Posted By: B-M-D1
Date Posted: 4/24/12 at 6:36pm
The rule is....there are no rules. Your actor is simply...ignorant...and needs to be roundly chastised....and forgiven. LOL!!
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Dying is easy, comedy is hard.
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Posted By: colugino
Date Posted: 5/21/12 at 3:44am
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As several others have said, bottom line is YOU are the director. I have a saying in my theatre company for those that don't want to do what I tell them (I add that I nicely instruct them the first time...) - "As the director, I am the puppet master. As an actor in my show, you are my puppets and I pull your strings. That is your job as an actor. If you have a problem being a puppet, find another hobby." Depending on how stubborn or rude the actor is being in questioning my directions depends on how nicely I put this statement ;-)
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Posted By: jjpeppers
Date Posted: 7/09/12 at 1:54pm
How did this eventually turn out? I'm reading this post for the first time and laughing my ass off.
I love (and very much hate) when actors hold on to some minuscule note like this. The thing is, it's probably from some other production or acting class they were in -- which at the time probably made complete sense to adhere to.
I recently had to explain to an actor that it was okay to turn and yell up some stairs to a second floor, though he was taught to never to turn his back on the audience.
He was trying to yell upstairs, that were behind him, by yelling out towards the audience. It was the most wonderful moment of absurdity. I thought I was having a stroke.
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Posted By: vickifrank
Date Posted: 7/12/12 at 6:56pm
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I once worked with a director in a similar situation with an opinionated actress. The director was a real southern belle and she handled it by listening graciously till the opinionated actress stated her case, then said that was " thank you for an interesting viewpoint, which might make sense if she (the actress) was directing" then she continued on with her original direction, "but we are trying it this way". The actress knew that her opinion had been heard, but clearly she and the cast now knew that the director's vision was what they were going to execute. Or stated another way (my husband's), listen, then say "we'll do it your way next time."
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Posted By: Rorgg
Date Posted: 8/09/12 at 11:44am
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When directing, unless I'm absolutely married to my ideas for whatever reason, I'll usually allow one try of pretty much anything. Doesn't mean I'll like it, or go with it, but I'll WATCH it once and see. YEah, seems pretty absurd in the OPs case, though.
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