How Do YOU Get Into Character?

Whenever you're acting, what's your ritual for getting in character? Do you go the Method acting route? Or can you just magically snap into character on a dime? Or do you go the Daniel Day-Lewis route and stay in character when you're not acting?

I always read the books, cliffnotes, whatever other source material I can to get as deep into my characters as I can. I sing and/or play my characters music and think about how I myself would feel in my characters shoes and let it happen

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Usually, I write in the subtext on the script or what not, and then when I get in costume and such it all comes together.

When I'm working on a new character I go the Method way. Meisner to be exact. After playing a character for a few months I can snap into it pretty easily.

I try to just completely clear my mind so that I can live in the moment when I'm on stage, and pick up the energy and react to the situations presented to me by the actors opposite me.

I think that it's a good idea to have a back story for your character. In your own mind, at least. It helps to get into the character, quickly. I've never been much for carrying the character around with me, though. When I'm done the show, I'm done!

I don't really have a method. I'm on the stage and I'm the character. There's really no process for me.

I always seem to get into character when I see my costume. I think that is the first step to seeing the whole big picture.

I listen to either Kristin Chenoweth (most of the time) or Olivia Newton-John. I don't know why, but it just always outs me in character. I usually think about how and what my character would be feeling while listening to that song, and it really helps.

I also read my script over and over, but I think that is mainly for a last minutes "go-over" thing.

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Well for one thing I talk with the director and try to get all the info/backstory on the character I can. Read other plays by the playright to see if their are any other character's he rights that have simmilar characteristics (works REALLY well for anything by Tennesse Williams lol).

Recently my school did Spoon River Anthology so everyone played at least 5 characters...wow! At one point I had to play an old man who got so mad he had an anurism(sp? I meant the thing where you pop a blood vessel in your brain lol), run off stage, change costumes, and become a doctor who was a gentel soul that fell madly in love with a black woman...all in 5 minutes. For that, as I was changing, I would clear my head, re-center myself, then go into the mindset of a lover.

I also LOVE to be in character all performance day, and especially backstage (works like a charm in my opinion ).

I can snap in and out pretty quickly about a week before the show opens, but for the rest of the rehearsal period I'm always creating backstories, ect.

I like the shoes idea.

One thing I used to do when I did theatre in college was write out a whole backstory about my character. Their likes and dislikes. Music they listen to, favorite childhood memories. Create a whole history for them to better understand them.

Find something - a piece of jewelery, or clothing,a stuffed animal - anythign that you can use that represents your character. Then write, as yoru character, why that article means so much to you and what it represents.

Good Luck!

Ever Have a Fling With Another Actor?

Updated On: 6/3/06 at 06:28 PM

I disengage before the show, for the 10 minutes before I go on, I just sit backstage alone, mapping out my track, making sure everything is in its right place and then I just clear my head, that way I have no other thoughts during a show.