1. Actors Roundtable (Male Oscar Nominees)

Jake Gyllenhaal (Prisoners), Forest Whitaker (The Butler), Matthew McConaughey (Dallas Buyers Club), Jared Leto (Dallas Buyers Club), Josh Brolin (Labor Day) and Michael B. Jordan (Fruitvale Station) sit around a table talking acting. Awesome.

2. Actors Roundtable (Male Emmy Nominees)

Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad), Kelsey Grammer (Boss), Jon Hamm (Mad Men), Peter Krause (Parenthood), Damian Lewis (Homeland) and Kiefer Sutherland (Touch) chatting about acting.

3. Actors Roundtable (Female Oscar Nominees)

Annette Bening (The Kids Are All Right), Natalie Portman (Black Swan), Amy Adams (The Fighter), Nicole Kidman (Rabbit Hole), Helena Bonham Carter (The King’s Speech), and Hilary Swank (Conviction) chat acting for a full hour.

For more check out the Hollywood Reporter youtube channel.

The post Actors Roundtable appeared first on StageMilk.

What inspires you to do what you do?

The people- the artists, actors, designers and writers. There is an appetite for discovery, for truth, and for exploring storytelling in all its forms that is very much alive in the theatre and in the people who choose to work in it. There is also a beauty in the creation of art that, at some point in time, will exist only in memory. The impermanence of what we create brings with it bigger life lessons of learning to be in the moment, and learning to let go.

Why did you choose theatre as your medium of expression?

It chose me in many ways. I studied film-making and photography initially, so theatre was an expansion of that frame. I was attracted to the immediacy of the relationship with the audience that theatre affords directors. To know, in the same moment as the audience, exactly what it is you have made and how it affects the people you have made it for.

There is also a beauty in the creation of art that, at some point in time, will exist only in memory.

What qualities do you seek in an actor you work with?

Bravery; a willingness to play and be open to new ideas, and a natural instinct for listening and for storytelling. Great actors are inherently brave, but when a leap into a new world or new way of working excites an actor, it’s infectious.

What do you think makes for a great audition?

Good preparation, clear choices and the desire to work in the room with the material you have brought in. Remembering that auditions are a thrilling time for directors also, that we want an actor to enter the room and show us what the role can be is also a great starting point.

In your experience working with a wide range of actors, do you think acting training is important?

I do in that it instils a strong work ethic and a resilience to dealing with the unexpected which is exciting to work alongside. It shows a dedication to the craft, and is advantageous in that it offers the actor a range of tools and methodologies to access which can enhance and deepen their work.

What advice would you give to any new graduate or actor beginning their career?

Stay focussed and trust your instincts. See as much of other people’s work as you can and keep investigating your own work. Be open to opportunities, even when they don’t arrive in the way you might have expected.

Difficult as it is, what is your favourite play?

For sheer brilliance of writing and dramatic structure, The Crucible. It’s as close to faultless as a piece of writing can be.

The post In the Director’s Chair | Melissa Cantwell appeared first on StageMilk.

What inspires you to do what you do?

A combination of the great writing the theatre industry has produced over a very long time and the wonderful process of working with actors to tell stories I suppose. It is just endlessly rewarding despite the challenges it poses, mainly in terms of making a living obviously. But I’m sure it’s partly just the same irrational need that drives most people into the arts, it is just very hard to put the work down, it can be quite obsessive at times, and certainly Shakespeare’s work has been something that I have not stopped reading every day for over 20 years. It is not necessarily a voluntary drive. Theatre and the people in it can be quite addictive!

Why did you choose theatre as your medium of expression?

I played in bands for a long time as a young man and loved the job of performing live and I think it is part of fulfilling that same desire. I started in theatre and had little experience of film and TV so it quickly became the medium I enjoyed and found a lot of inspiration from. Specifically, I suppose it is the obvious answer, theatre is one of the worlds most complete art forms. It asks for visual arts, audio visual design, performance, the written and spoken word,and a live audience all coming together to share an experience.

“Theatre is one of the worlds most complete art forms”

It doesn’t spoon feed audiences to anywhere near the extent of TV and film, relying instead on imagination and suggestion and abstract thought which makes people work harder, in performance and in an audience. I don’t think people go to the theatre simply to escape, I’d say that is largely impossible. We will often go to the cinema for that reason, and most of the world’s high grossing cinema is essentially mindless material that we can absorb in a state of fairly numb contentment. But theatre is just a more challenging night out, you have to work a bit as an audience, you’re forced to confront real live people and less easily soluble modes of storytelling and that exchange is infinitely more passionate and challenging I think. I can’t think of the last time I went to theatre just to escape and relax. But maybe we should stage more X-Men plays.

What qualities do you seek in an actor you work with?

Generosity, a huge work ethic, humility, great technique, a certain fearlessness I suppose and I respond to people who have a strong ensemble ethic. And anyone stupid enough to work with me.

What do you think makes for a great audition?

Oh tough one, so many things, as auditions can take so many forms and specific needs. But I suppose I always hope an actor can walk out feeling that they have overcome their nerves or distractions and given their very best, most open and brave work, that they have left nothing in the bag. It’s pointless walking out thinking “now I’m calm, now I could do that properly” – just blow that tension away and let rip, try to enjoy it and respond to what is happening in the room.

But all of that is pretty impossible without some obvious things like real hard work and preparation, and a disciplined approach to your own technical work as an actor. Otherwise just a good no bullshit approach, not trying to swamp the room with personality, just digging deep into the work and making a director feel like you are ready to rehearse this part, like that working relationship is a natural and effective one already, which means being open and versatile and clear.

In your experience working with a wide range of actors, do you think acting training is important?

Training in any field is important, not only because there are some truly wonderful teachers out there and their work has forged an extraordinary level of excellence across this industry (too much to be employed at any one time unfortunately), but also because it is a place and time in which people can have a disciplined and immersive experience of working on their craft for an extended period, which this industry rarely provides, and it is a craft above all else. Training is a playground for all of those moments of discovery, good and bad, that teach you about your work and yourself, so ideally I think it is certainly preferable, not least for the sheer technical acumen it should foster. But having said that, training cannot teach desire, imagination or natural intuitive gifts that define great artists in any field, and those are possibly the most important things that can sustain a career. Training on the job is one of the most exceptional ways to learn in any trade on earth and that can be equally effective if supported by a dedication to those essential technical areas that drama schools focus so strongly on. I would certainly never have a problem with an ‘untrained’ actor, the proof is in their work, not their documentation. But for young people entering the game, it is a great way to start.

What advice would you give to any new graduate or actor beginning their career?

Work hard at what you want to learn and do every day, be disciplined, don’t be easily disheartened or thin-skinned, create your own work and respect the people you work with. It’s too easy to be unhealthily competitive in an over-supplied industry, put your energy instead into positive things that drive your personal work to get stronger and be a great team player. Overall though, just be brave and take risks and, to say it again, create your own work along with the work that comes your way. Listen and learn from others but trust in yourself too, in the end I don’t think reading countless books on good acting, as many tend to do, necessarily creates a good actor, working on the floor and gaining experience and developing your skills in practice does that. Reading the great gurus is a bonus on top of that personal foundation I think. In a nut shell: Hard hard work and passion above all else.

Difficult as it is, what is your favourite play?

Othello I think. But also love Howard Barker’s plays and Michael Gow’s. Otherwise, Angels in America, Waiting for Godot, The Crucible, Antigone, Cloudstreet are almost perfect plays I think, but so many wonderful works too numerous to name.

The post An Interview with Damien Ryan appeared first on StageMilk.

In whatever creative endeavour you are pursuing there will inevitably be lows, times when your doubts will overcome you, and the journey ahead seems too long and tiresome, and you just don’t know where to go. It is at this moment that you need to get re-inspired. I have always found a good old motivational video a fantastic tonic, and I hope you do too.

Here are some great videos to generally boost your creative morale and hopefully restore some of that diminishing hope:

The Gap. This first video I only watched recently, and I think it is fantastic! It is about perseverance, and pushing forward to get to your ultimate creative goals. Too often we get discouraged when we aren’t where we want to be creatively. As this video details, we must push through the struggle, before we reach the high creative expectations we have.

Elizabeth Gilbert, writer of the best seller Eat, Pray, Love, looks at creativity and coming back to your ‘home’ both in times of failure and success.

How Bad Do You Want It? The third video is rather epic. And though it seems to be able becoming a sports star, I find it inspiring.

Jim Carrey’s Secret of Life. This is a truly inspiring video. It is a condensed version of Jim Carrey’s speech from the 2014 Maharishi University of Management Graduation. The inspirational music underneath also adds a tear-jerking touch. 

The Life of an Artist. A short video about what it is to be an artist. Great video!

Just a good old American style motivational video. Really important to remember to be good generous person, whilst still pursuing your dreams.

The post Finding Creative Inspiration appeared first on StageMilk.

Why vocabulary is important for an actor

Words have a subtlety of meaning. And if we look at our personal lexicon, we can see that we use words to colour our speech and emphasise our personality. When working on a character or a play that is either using archaic language or complex words, simply looking up the meaning in a dictionary often doesn’t allow you to embody the word. If you are familiar with it, and perhaps already using it personally, it will, in turn, feel natural when using it in character.

This is why I think experienced Shakespearean actors seem so much more natural when performing Shakespeare than equivalently experienced actors that haven’t worked much with the Bard.

It’s not that there are some steadfast rules that you must study to be a great Shakespearean actor, although of course, you can improve your Shakespearean skills, it is mostly because his language is familiar to the actor who frequently performs in Shakespeare’s plays or reads and watches a lot of his plays. Saying thou, thy and yonder doesn’t feel like gobbledegook to them; it is natural for them. Even if you intellectually understand these words, if they are not truly understood and embodied they will come out sounding silly.

Having a mastery of your language will help you to work effortlessly on any text, regardless of the density and complexity of the language, allowing you to rehearse and develop a play you are working on with confidence.

How to Improve Your Vocabulary

Read more (and read slowly)

This is a fairly obvious one. Reading is the main way to increase your vocabulary. It allows you to see words in context and get a sense of how to use a word. So read a lot!

I have found it is also vital to read slowly, or at least at a rate where you can really take in the words. In a rush to read books when I was younger, I would skim through novels, preferring to finish a book than to take it in. As if the sheer exercise of finishing a great novel would somehow make me better with words. However, since slowing down my reading, it has become increasingly more enjoyable and my understanding of words has increased.

Read diversely (early on, read what you like)

Reading widely is important. It opens your mind to different ways of thinking, as well as allowing you to see a greater number of words. Classic novels, poetry, plays and newspapers are all great. Always look for quality text.

If you are not an avid reader, start with what you like. You are better off reading 10 magazines than struggling through one classic novel. However, the more you read, the more you will seek out great writing and come to appreciate it.

Get yourself a dictionary

Okay, I was told by a lecturer to always have a dictionary by my bed. She advocated the old hardback and the process of scrambling through the pages and finding your mystery word. I think there is some value in doing that, but, to be honest, it is a slow process.

I downloaded the dictionary.com app and it is fantastic. You can also pay a few dollars and get information on word origins and example sentences, and it’s all on your phone. That means it is really quick to look up a word, get a general overview and get back to reading. The online Oxford English Dictionary is excellent as well, although, for an app, dictionary.com is great.

10 words a week

I have found that, although looking up words as you read is good, they often don’t stick, and the process of expanding your vocabulary is slow. I started choosing 10 words a week and really studying them. This means that you are getting at least 10 great words ingrained each week. If you stick to this every week, you are well on the way to growing a formidable vocabulary.

Listen to exceptional speeches

If you struggle with reading, or even if you enjoy it, listening to great speakers is another route. The wonderful TED talks, which, if you haven’t heard of them, are basically incisive lectures on various topics, are excellent. Don’t be thrown by the word ‘lecture’ however, they are usually 10-20 minutes long and highly engaging. I also like to listen to interviews with articulate people or those with a bolstered vocabulary. I have recently been watching a lot of Russell Brand videos. He is humorous and engaging, and every video so far has given me a handful of words to take to my dictionary.

Practical use

Use new words in social situations

Using new words is scary, at least for me. You can feel like a bit of a show-pony using a new word, or even feel like it’s not you. However, if you don’t get them ingrained and start using them, you don’t find the nuance of the word. Sometimes understanding the dictionary meaning and using the word are very different. Some people like to try adding at least one new word a day, trying it out in a conversation with a friend or even at the check-out of a supermarket.

Write

Similar to using words with friends, writing is a practical way to get words entrenched in your vocabulary. You also find the nuance of the words you are using and get a feel for when they sound right. When writing, always have a thesaurus nearby; this in itself will help improve your vocabulary.

Good Luck

Well, I hope this has been of some use. As actors, we have a responsibility to our language. We need to revere it and try our best to master it. The insatiable task of understanding words is ahead of you, and it’s exciting!

The more I delve into words, the more passionate I become. If, at first, the idea of getting out the dictionary is unbearable, trust me, you will come to love it.

The post How to Increase Your Vocabulary appeared first on StageMilk.

Noel Coward

Private Lives, first performed in 1930, is a comedy of manners; it satirises the manners of a particular social group. In this case, the plot is driven by the interactions between two newly married couples, Elyot and Sybil, and Amanda and Victor. The newlyweds find themselves honeymooning in the same hotel and sharing a terrace. The problem is that Elyot and Amanda have already been married—to one another! They have been divorced for five years, but the relationship appears to have been a stormy one.

The divorced couple plead with their respective new partners to leave the hotel, but both refuse. Elyot and Amanda are left to reminisce and discuss their regrets, resulting in them both admitting that they still love one another. Elyot convinces Amanda that they should each abandon their new spouse; she wants to tell them, but he persuades her not to. Later the audience learns that they left notes explaining what they have done.

The reconciled couple leave, while their respective new spouses chat and have a drink together, with just the hint of a suggestion that they may find comfort together.

In Paris, Elyot and Amanda are struggling to avoid falling into the same traps that led to the ruination of their first marriage. The relationship is volatile, they kiss and they argue passionately, culminating in Amanda smashing a gramophone record over Elyot’s head and he hits her. These actions are just as she described to her new husband at the beginning of the play, when describing her ex-husband’s tyranny. Elyot and Amanda engage in a violent struggle, before each leaving for adjoining rooms. The scene ends with Sybil and Victor revealed as having witnessed the fight and reeling in shock at the mess.

The next day, Amanda discovers that Sybil and Victor have arrived, which puts a stop to Amanda’s plans to escape before Elyot gets up. When he does enter, they argue again, and the bickering extends to Sybil and Victor as they each defend their new spouse and discuss plans not to begin divorce proceedings until Amanda and Elyot have had time to decide if re-establishing their relationship is what they really want. Amanda and Elyot sneak away, leaving Sybil and Victor fighting.

The play describes the character’s constant struggle between maintaining a good image, being polite and sociable, and being true to what they each want. The plot is mainly driven by the characters, who, in turn, are absurd and surreal, and then violent and serious. Thematically, it touches on serious social issues and philosophical topics, but lightly, usually with a flippancy that is typical of the characters in Coward’s work. The play can be performed with a serious, darker tone, or with an almost farcical feeling. Frequently, it combines both aspects to create a truly multi-dimensional piece.

Private Lives Character List

Elyot Chase
Victor Prynne
Amanda Prynne
Sybil Chase
Louise

The post Private Lives (Play Information) appeared first on StageMilk.

Arguably George Bernard Shaw’s most popular and most performed play, Pygmalion, has been played on stage and screen, most notably in the musical and film, My Fair Lady.

The plot of the play revolves around a bet made by a Henry Higgins, a professor of phonetics, to a friend, Pickering, that he can transform a rough, cockney flower girl to pass for a well-bred lady. The flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, appears at his home the next day offering to pay for lessons, so that she will be able to improve herself enough to work in a proper flower shop.

Higgins is rude and taunts Eliza, but he agrees to the project and sets about training her how to speak and behave ‘properly’. He teaches her correct pronunciation and enunciation and tries to calm her fiery personality. Eliza attends Higgins’ mother’s home as a test of her abilities and is introduced to some family friends, charming the son, Freddy, despite her tendency to slip back into her cockney speech. Higgins’ mother is concerned that the experiment will end badly.

When Eliza attends an ambassador’s party, as a final test of whether or not Higgins has won the bet, her performance is a great success and Higgins wins. He and his friend, Pickering, discuss the ‘case’ as though Eliza isn’t a real person, and Higgins appears perfectly happy to forget her now that the bet is won. Eliza is understandably angry, worrying over her future now that she has the manners and speech of a class that she doesn’t have the money to join. She hints that her only option is prostitution. The argument escalates to the point where Higgins almost hits Eliza.

Eliza leaves Higgins’ home and he finds that he is quite lost without her, even considering calling the police. She has only been at his mother’s house, however, and when he finds her, they argue again, with Eliza angering Higgins by giving Pickering the credit for her transformation. Higgins angers Eliza with his joyful response to her slipping back into her old, cockney screech when her father shows up.

The play ends with a discussion of Eliza’s options: Higgins asks her to go home with him; offers to arrange a marriage for her to dim-witted Freddy; or a return to her father. Higgins expects her to return to him, while Eliza asserts her independence and says she will not see him again. The play’s ending is very different to the musical and film versions, which see Higgins and Eliza fall in love.

Character List

Professor Henry Higgins
Mrs. Higgins

Eliza Doolittle
Alfred Doolittle

Colonel Pickering
Mrs. Pearce

Freddy Eynsford Hill
Mrs. Eynsford-Hill
Clara Eynsford-Hill

The post Pygmalion (Bernard Shaw) appeared first on StageMilk.

So this has been another exciting month for us at Stage Milk. We have seen our busiest two months since we began the site in early 2012, which is really rewarding to see. Thanks to everyone who has liked us on Facebook. If you are a fan of the site and haven’t liked us, make sure you do so you can keep you up-to-date with our latest articles, tips and lists.

Theatre Guide

So over the last month we have been working on an extensive Australian theatre guide. This lists all the major theatre productions going on around the country. It also allows visitors to review any show they have seen. Visitors can give shows a star rating and help other people get a feel for what the show like.

End of Reviews

We are no longer posting our own theatre reviews. It has been fantastic having theatre reviews, but we are excited about letting you guys have your say. Our new theatre guide allows you to have your opinion on any show from around the country. Each show will have receive an average star rating to help others work out what shows they must get along to.

Acting Tips

In the next week we will be introducing an acting tips section. This is largely due to a poll we ran a few months ago where people really wanted to see more tips on the site. The acting tips section will be a place you can find simple, practical acting tips. If you have any acting tips you would like to share, contact us.

Cheers

Samuel Campbell

The post Stage Milk News (March) appeared first on StageMilk.

Hi Guys,

So a lot of exciting stuff is happening on Stage Milk in 2014. Here is a look at some of the new and upcoming things to look out for on the site…

Comments are Back!

We have had an unfortunate mishap with our comments, but they are now back up and running. Stage Milk puts up a lot of information each week and we encourage all our visitors to share their thoughts with us. Each page has a comment section at the bottom – so get involved. Alternatively you can contact us directly with any thoughts or suggestions.

We love to hear from our visitors, so please stay stay in touch.

Theatre Guides are Coming

We are currently creating a comprehensive theatre guide for all the major cities in Australia. If it is successful we will be taking our theatre guides international later on in the year. These guides will list all the straight-theatre productions going on in your city.

If you are putting on a theatre production in Australia in 2014 please contact us about promoting your show.

New Newsletter

We have recently added a newsletter to the site. This will come out every month. It will be really simple, basically keeping you posted with what’s happening on the site, and letting you see our latest articles, tips and lists.

Facebook

Since our inception, we have focused on creating a content rich website, and not placed too much emphasis on social media, however, we are increasingly trying to create a lively community here on Stage Milk. If you would like to stay up to date with what is happening on the site, and have your say on our latest articles and lists, please check out our Facebook page and become apart of the Stage Milk community.

Thanks to everyone for all your support on the site thus far. We look forward to providing a great and informative site for all actors and theatre lovers around the world.

The post Stage Milk News (February) appeared first on StageMilk.

Waiting for Godot Synopsis

On a country road, by a tree — Estragon and Vladimir wait for someone named Godot. Estragon struggles with his boot, unable to remove it. When he does succeed, he looks inside, only to find it empty.

They converse. When Estragon decides suddenly to leave, Vladimir reminds him they cannot leave; they are waiting for Godot, though they cannot be sure they are in the right place, or that this is the right day or time.

Estragon snoozes, but Vladimir needs company, and wakes him. He is not interested in hearing about Estragon’s dreams. The two abandon the idea of hanging themselves from the tree, for logistical reasons. Vladimir produces a carrot for Estragon when he is hungry.

A loud cry announces an arrival: it is the slave Lucky, weighed down with bags, a collar and long rope attached around his neck. At the end of the rope is Pozzo, his master, on the way to market to sell him. Vladimir and Estragon wonder if Pozzo is Godot, but he is not. In compensation for their company, Pozzo offers that Lucky should dance and think for them. The dance is clumsy, and the thinking, a lecture on theology, can be stopped only when Lucky’s hat is ripped off, and Lucky collapses.

Once revived, Lucky and Pozzo depart.

Vladimir wonders if they have met Lucky and Pozzo before.

A boy arrives, with a message from Godot that he will not meet them today, but surely tomorrow. Did they meet this boy yesterday?

When the moon appears, Vladimir and Estragon agree to depart and seek shelter. They do not move.

The next day, the nearby tree has revealed a few leaves. Vladimir tries to talk with Estragon about the previous day’s proceedings, but Vladimir’s memory is vague. The two continue to wait for Godot, passing the time in talk and action, all of which is reminiscent of yesterday’s wait.

Pozzo enters on a shorter rope, leading Lucky. Pozzo is blind, and Lucky mute. Pozzo remembers nothing of meeting Estragon and Vladimir yesterday, and claims he will not remember anything of this meeting tomorrow. Estragon falls asleep. Pozzo and Lucky depart.

A boy comes, and Vladimir wonders whether it isn’t the same boy as yesterday. Or perhaps it is his brother? Again, Vladimir learns that Godot will not arrive today, but surely tomorrow. Despite Vladimir’s being able to predict exactly what the boy will say, the boy does not recognize him.

When Estragon wakes up, he takes off his boots. The two consider hanging themselves from the tree, but Estragon’s belt breaks — they cannot hang themselves, and now Estragon’s pants cannot keep themselves up. They resolve that tomorrow they will bring a stronger piece of rope to hang themselves if Godot does not arrive.

Vladimir and Estragon agree to depart and seek shelter. They do not move.

Waiting for Godot Character List

Vladimir
Estragon
Lucky
Pozzo
Boy

The post Waiting for Godot appeared first on StageMilk.