Actors Looking Bored on Stage- Page 3

[Magdalene]

Posted: 8/19/05 at 10:23am

I was going to disagree with the Spamalot comment (as to the cast being bored), but realized that not only is each show different, all the baggage the patron brings to the show can contribute to reading something in the actors attitude that isn't there. I've yet to be disappointed in a show...

[melissa errico fan]

Posted: 8/19/05 at 10:27am

The "other actress" was Academy Award-winner Brenda Blethyn, and she was brilliant.

Not to nitpick, darling, but Brenda has never won. Nominated twice, no wins.

[DefyingEDCT]

Posted: 8/19/05 at 10:37am

Heres the thing:

There job : To act.
Hard? Not at all.

They shouldn't be complaining of bordem, come on. ITS NOT THAT HARD. So many people would KILL for a job like theirs. Saying your bored after 2 years of doing the same part? Thats kind of a joke, I mean you can totally change up your character how ever you wanted, moods, and im sure by than you can even somewhat change the lines slightly, honestly its their job. and its NOT HARD AT ALL so there should be no excuses for them to look bored. Also the fact that your infront of an audience should be enough excitement for them. Ensembles dont get reconitized alot of the time, and they still give it there all!

[twogaab2]

Posted: 8/19/05 at 11:11am

I don't see it so much as "acting" but a professionalism. Many non actors have kept enery and interest during very long runs. Professionalism is the halmark of any great performer.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 8/19/05 at 11:18am

I saw CHITTY last week and Raul looked like he was going to answer his cell-phone mid-scene. I have NEVER in MANY years of theatre going seen an actor so miserably bored. When he asked Truly to marry him I think that it was the first time that he actually looked at her all evening.

Daaaaayum. I've seen him in it six times (go on, laugh) and each time he's looked anything but bored - and certainly like he was having a bit of fun. Hopefully it was just a bad night (he's more professional than that), and he's snapped back into it. He struggled a bit early on, but I was there earlier this month, and he was doing fine. He's signed for a YEAR, so I hope he isn't totally miserable. That'd suck.

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned Adam Pascal in AIDA. After three and a half years in the first go-around, THAT was a bored actor.

Updated On: 8/19/05 at 11:18 AM

[chess12]

Posted: 8/19/05 at 11:53am

Adriane Lenox was bored-looking and pissed-off looking in KISS ME KATE. During the curtain call, she was shooting daggers at the cast and the audience.

[Rathnait62]

Posted: 8/19/05 at 11:55am

Oops. I don't know why I have convinced myself that Blethyn won for Secrets and Lies.

Sorry for the misinformation! Thanks for clearing that up, meffie.

[Di2]

Posted: 8/19/05 at 12:00pm

I did the Natl tour of Joseph for almost 2 years and I had to fight yawning onstage everynight. That's when I knew it was time to leave. It just isn't fair to the audiences that were paying $70+ to see us.

Also, I just finished an 8 month run of Beauty and the Beast and I was SOOOOO bored with the show, I wanted to hang myself. I was psyched when that contract ended...

I am not always bored though..

I could do:

Evita
Tommy
Best Little Whorehouse

(to name just a few)

FOREVER...

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 8/19/05 at 12:01pm

After a certain amount of time, even something you love is going to get monotonous. Given time, you can get bored of anything.

[Di2]

Posted: 8/19/05 at 12:21pm

luvthemc:

EXACTLY..

I never ever ever thought I would get bored doing a broadway tour..money is fabulous, sets exquisite, gorgeous theatres, cushy gigs, but ..YOU DO get bored!

Everyone does.. when you work in an office, you can talk to different people, move around, smoke outside, process different reports daily, work your brain etc etc.

But when you are in a show, you CANNOT switch things up like one person can. Celebs can be we couldn't. Same thing night after night after night, same line reading same intent, same harmony, same costume change over in the corner by my basket with the same dresser, same mic check...I could go on and on.

Don't get me wrong, it IS the greatest job in the world. I am grateful but all of us get jaded, eventually.

Actors have short attention spans plus most of us have
gypsy-like mentalities which makes us want to move on after a while..Time to do something else.

When I would feel jaded and bored, I used to do 2 things to perk myself up.

1. I would sneak out the stage door and walk around to the front of the house and watch all of the audience filing in. I would think to myself, "Wow, all these people paid a ton of bucks to see us. They are dressed up, probably just came from dinner, maybe a babysitter at home and they have been looking forward to this night out so I MUST give them the best show possible. While it IS my 400th show and I am a bit bored this isonly there 1st time seeing us or, better yet, their 30th time seeing us because they love us so much. They deserve the very best."

That would always help me get back on track.

OR

2. during sound check in a new city, I would come out from backstage and go upstairs to the balcony levels of the house and just look around. I would take in the beauty of the theatre itself as well as our set and look at things from the audience's point of view. So cool, so big and special. I was so very lucky and grateful. That helped too.

But still, we all get jaded and bored at times. But even then, it IS our job to hide it from you and if the audience can see it, then that is unacceptable.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 8/19/05 at 12:24pm

Whoa. huh. Wait.

Before all of THAT, you said there were shows you could do "forever." I'm sure you didn't mean it literally, but - well, case in point, after your last post.

I've performed, and hardly for stretches of time as long as professional actors. And even material I love has made me want to gauge my eyes out.

[Di2]

Posted: 8/19/05 at 12:26pm

me too..

I wanted to puke during BATB..ugggh. 8 shows a week of Disney..I didn't think I was gonna make it.
Updated On: 8/29/05 at 12:26 PM

[greatdct]

Posted: 8/19/05 at 12:26pm

I personally think a lot of it has to do with the audience, as well. It seems that when an audience is really enjoying themselves and having a lot of fun - the same happens with the actors.

[bwayfan215]

Posted: 8/19/05 at 12:28pm

I have to agree about Raul - I found his performance to be lackluster at best. He was as bored as I was.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 8/19/05 at 12:31pm

---->

I don't know how much I can fault him if he's not having a great time of it anymore; it's not the best part, especially in comparison to what he's had in the past. Though, no excuse.
I guess I'll see for myself tonight.

greatdct probably brings up a good point; and Raúl is definitely an actor who is very responsive to his audience.

Updated On: 8/19/05 at 12:31 PM

[bwayfan215]

Posted: 8/19/05 at 12:34pm

You always have to fault the performer for not giving 100%. You can't blame the material.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 8/19/05 at 12:36pm

This is totally personal bias at work, but I don't agree. I think a lot of the problem is the material - an actor like Raúl in a show like that? Not the best mix.

And I do think we can fault him for not putting in more effort to NOT look bored if that's the case. I said I can't blame him if he truly isn't having as much fun anymore as he was at the beginning - not necessarily for showing it.

Updated On: 8/19/05 at 12:36 PM

[greatdct]

Posted: 8/19/05 at 12:37pm

emcee - Are you seeing Chitty tonight? How exciting!

I personally thought Raul (excuse the lack of accent, I'm on a laptop!) was wonderful when I saw the show. But of corse, I was having a blast even without paying attention to him.

I just can't imagine what it must be like for an actor to have to play to a dull audience. What I love best about theatre is the fact that's it's live and, as an audience, you can feel like you are a part of what is happening on stage. In my opinion, if you want to be dull and not participate then go home and watch TV.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 8/19/05 at 12:38pm

Yeah - someone I know in the cast is leaving the show this weekend, so I want to go down and say goodbye. Plus, I want to see Marc as the Baron once more before he leaves, which I may not get another chance to do before things get crazy with school.

And Chitty's audiences (let's PLEASE not get into a debate of how bad the show is, and why this is excusable) are definitely pretty unresponsive. Sometimes, I sort of want to check their pulses. He said once something about Taboo's audiences; they weren't selling out by any measure, but those people were INTO the show, and made it a lot better for the actors. They aren't machines, you know?

Updated On: 8/19/05 at 12:38 PM

[TabooPhan1]

Posted: 8/19/05 at 2:41pm

Magdalene took the words right out of my mouth (although I don't remember kissing him/her). I think with shows like Spamalot where it's gotten a lot of different reactions, how "energized" the cast is depends on how you feel going into it. If you go into it feeling it's not going to be good, you're not going to let it be good in your mind. Not that that's necissarily the case, just something to ponder...

[keggss23]

Posted: 8/19/05 at 2:45pm

When I saw the current tour of Miss Saigon one of the ensemble members actually yawned onstage. I kid you not.

[lvpblues]

Posted: 8/19/05 at 3:43pm

Didn't the dearly missed Jerry Orbach play Julian Marsh for five years in the original run of 42nd Street (not to mention the lengthy runs he put into his other shows)?

[IveGottaBeME]

Posted: 8/19/05 at 4:13pm

sherie looked reallybored in DRS, but sounded great.

[Sant]

Posted: 8/19/05 at 4:17pm

I saw AVENUE Q a couple of weeks ago and Ann Harada looked a bit bored or tired. It was very obvious in a couple of scenes that she wasn't doing her best.

[whatyouown223]

Posted: 8/19/05 at 4:58pm

I'm pretty sure Sherie being bored and quiet is a character choice, because it makes her look so sweet. However, once she says "The Jackal" you can see her brighten up and be evil.