Stage presence...- Page 2

[SallyBrown]

Posted: 12/22/04 at 9:08pm

Ok here's a question. Actually 2 of them:
1. Can you still be a star without this stage presence?
2. How do you know if and when you have it?

[mleshawn]

Posted: 12/22/04 at 9:16pm

I heard it once explained as the inner light. I also think its seeing someone perform that is so comfortable on stage that you cant imagine them anywhere else. It is as if they have a calling to be there and almost like breathing is to the rest of us. Jeremy Kushnier is a perfect example.

[gherbert]

Posted: 12/22/04 at 9:23pm

Sally,

Every actor goes out there a nobody. Every star was a chorus kid once. There is no real knowing if you have it, that is for other people to decide and what separated the "working actor/actress" from the "legend." You can have an extremely illustrious career and not have that X-factor, but it is those who have it that will be on our minds and in our hearts forever.

Don't sit worrying about if you've got it or not. Just go out and work your hardest and if you've got it it will show, and if you don't there is no problem. It's not like it will hinder your career, but that factor is what separates the actors from the stars, and not in the literal sense of the word (money, mansions, fame).

[SallyBrown]

Posted: 12/22/04 at 9:23pm

Ok thanks, you guys are very very informative!

[bially082]

Posted: 12/22/04 at 9:25pm

Cami Miami- no, thats not stage presence. Stage presence is not something you can "manufacture" with big movements and facial expressions. I have it you have it, if all eyes are not magically already drwan to you without any effort on your part, then you do not have it.

SallyBrown- If you have it you would know it. Do you feel all eyes on you when you walk on stage? If not, then you don't have it and probably never will. That's not always a bad thing, but it's true in my opinion. And most stars do have it to some degree, so if you want to be a "big star", then yes, you need it.

[Joshua488]

Posted: 12/22/04 at 9:26pm

Stage presence is definitely NOT something one can teach. It's natural. Someone may gain it over time, but not because they learned it from a book or from a teacher. Here are answers to your questions, SallyBrown:

1. Though it is rare, I suppose it is possible. It's more common, however, to see someone such as a film or television star have no stage presence when onstage. This is because acting onstage and acting on film/television are completely different. For film/TV, you have to stay small and learn how to get your point across that way; onstage, you have to be bigger than life and get your point across THAT way. So, I suppose it is possible. Also, I have seen some well-known stage performers with a lack of spark onstage. It may have been a bad night, but I associated it with a lack of stage presence.

2. If you have great presence, people will typically tell you. You can't say, "Wow, I have great stage presence" (unless you are ridiculously narcissistic) because you can't see yourself onstage! I'm sure there are people that think they have great stage presence because they "feel so into the character" and yadda-yadda-yadda... a lot of them may FEEL that way, but they don't look like it. Trust me. I know a few of them.

[maybethistime]

Posted: 12/22/04 at 9:32pm

Margo said it perfectly: It can't be taught.
"You either have it, or you've had it."
To me its the way you feel, and therefore they way the audience percieves you as you peform. When you step out on to the stage and all your nerves flood out of you and you're filled with confidence you have stage presence. When you move about and you fit in with the sometimes awkward settings you have stage presence. The way to interact with other actros and how "into" the show you are is determined by stage presence. The projection of your voice is stage presence. Basically, the aura around you when you enter is stage presence. Good aura = good stage presence. Bad aura = bad stage presence. That's how i've thought of it my whole life & it hasn't let me down so far. sorry if i spelled "presence" wrong in there!

[Feodor Sverdlov]

Posted: 12/22/04 at 10:08pm

You can certainly be a star without it. On stage, it is called stage presence, in a film it is called screen presence. In both mediums there are stars who lack presence. Kevin Costner has no screen presence whatsoever, but he's a star. Julia Robert would be the reverse. Great screen presence, minimal talent. Stage/Screen presence has nothing to do with talent. Cary Grant had more screen presence than talent (although he was certainly talented); but when you combine real talent with incredible screen presence in a film, you get phenomenal results (Vivien Leith in "Gone With The Wind; Julie Andrews in "The Sound of Music"). On stage, I would put Sutton Foster in the lack of stage presence category. She has talent, but has to work much harder than say Audra MacDonald, to make her presence felt by the audience.

[FOCI]

Posted: 12/22/04 at 10:55pm

First of all I am very happy to see a thread on this.
I think it is something that can be taught(sort of).. knowing how to carry one's body esp. gives one focus on satge. This does not mean you have to carry yourself regally, as someone said something about this in regards to Heather Headley. But knowing what makes for proper posture, where one's physical center of power is, discipline enough not to fidget from hip to hip or play with your sleeves etc. are all things that effortlessly draw focus to a person on stage.
I also do not think that stage presence and the x-factor are the same thing. The x-factor is having "it" that something special you are born with, while stage presence simply means you know how to carry yourself properly onstage either by natural endowment or extensive training.
People who do not think stage presence can be taught-have you all ever studied Alexander technique?

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 12/22/04 at 10:56pm

You're born with it.

It isn't something you can learn.

[FOCI]

Posted: 12/22/04 at 10:58pm

Priest-you completely ruined my point. See above.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 12/22/04 at 11:04pm

Well, I see the X-factor and stage presence as being so interconencted that it is hard to truly distinguish one from the other.

[FOCI]

Posted: 12/22/04 at 11:05pm

I disagree, have you studied any movement techniques?

To illustrate my point: from alexandertechnique.com
Alexander Technique teaches how thinking becomes response in motion.IT'S POSSIBLE TO LEARN TO INSERT A NEW CHOICE BEFORE REACTION HAPPENS. This is taught by observing one's own mannerisms while in motion, by training the kinesthetic sense - the sense of location and effort. Of all the senses, the kinesthetic sense is often the most "taken for granted" and habitually ingrained. The mannerisms of movement can reveal often intangible assumptions of outdated habitual thinking at their source. With hands-on lessons, Alexander Technique's' signature effect of unexpected poise becomes a shared fact, simultaneously marked by the teacher and appreciated by the student.
I can think of a number of actors whom many of you would call having wonderful stage presence who have studied Alexander technique, and consequently know how to hold themself on stage.

Updated On: 12/22/04 at 11:05 PM

[Jgssf]

Posted: 12/22/04 at 11:11pm

Justin Guarini has the "It" factor. He is just fascinating to watch and whenever he performs, all eyes are drawn to him and he just shines. Its "Star" quality and I think either you have it or you dont. Justin's got it.

[MagicToDo82]

Posted: 12/22/04 at 11:20pm

Nathan Lane is loaded with it. Sorry to interject, but massive fan of his:)

[CurtainUp]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 11:45am

I call presence "the glow" or "the spark." It cannot be manufactured but CAN be faked. I once saw a girl in a revue who has an ok voice and was trying hard to act and have stage presence and that kind of grated on me. Sometimes people w/o the greatest voices are stars because of their presence. Take Lauren Bacall in Applause. Her voice-pretty awful. But she was a hit because of her presence.

I have two friends who both love acting. One of them studies it, went to Gov School for it and is a very good actor. However, he does not have much of a spark. My other friend isn't that versatile of actor but just glows onstage. He is adorable and charmign and you just want to watch him. The former is a good actor and the latter is good stage presence.

PS: This makes me happy bc of the solo I got in a revue bc of acting and presence. Also, *Brag Alert* critics in a show once said I had "excellent stage presence" which is, to me, so muhc more important than excellent acting. It means you can command the stage.

Lane DOES have loads of it, as do Tartaglia and D'Abruzzo.

Updated On: 12/23/04 at 11:45 AM

[Elphaba3]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 1:36pm

As Mama Roses says, "You either got it, or you ain't!" Bernadette is the perfect example of presence.

[Love4Cheno]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 1:41pm

LOLOL Justin Guarini has stage presence? Ummmm, sure ok. His hair draws more attention than anything.

Stage presence- Ramona Keller
No stage presence- Eden Espinosa

Screen presence- Jude Law
No screen presence- Matt Damon

[broadwayguy2]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 1:47pm

that you for another one of your wonderful and dead on posts Margo. Stage presence is something in you from the get-go. I have often seen shows and I find myself ignoring the principals and just watchinga few of the ensemble members because they just have some magnetism that draws you to them that you can't explain.

[Joshua488]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 2:24pm

FOCI: No technique, not even the Alexander technique, teaches stage presence. They can teach you to look more comfortable onstage and not look STUPID, but they don't teach you how to have a natural aura around you that draws people's attention to you. There is an enormous difference between looking comfortable onstage and having stage presence.

[Elphaba3]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 2:26pm

Love4Cheno, I think Eden has a lot of stage presense. :) I only saw her in the 2nd half of Wicked and she blew me away.

[StickToPriest]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 2:27pm

Someone on this board who I 'talked' to recently put it perfectly:

It doesn't give anyone "stage presence." None of those courses or techniques will turn you into Uta Hagen, they just teach you how not to bump into the furniture.

Updated On: 12/23/04 at 02:27 PM

[CaMi MiAmI]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 3:01pm

Stars who don't have stage presence: Alice Ripley because some stars like her just get on stage to sing their heart out and their voices are amazing but they're almost boring to look at you know? um can't think of anymore right now lol, you guys have anymore? Oh and Eden Espinosa has amazing stage presence, I was noticing the other night.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 3:17pm

One of the best examples I've ever seen of it is Judi Dench. The woman oozes stage presence. Now if she'd only cross back to this side of the pond so we could observe it.

[Mamie]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 3:17pm

It's funny that Lauren Bacall was mentioned here because I remember one afternoon when I saw her almost disappear from the stage because of another actor's (Rosemary Harris) stage presence.

The play was "Waiting in the Wings". Bacall played a famous American actress who has just moved into this retirement home. All the other ladies in the home are all excited about her coming - except Ms. Harris who, up to this minute, had more or less 'ruled the roost'.

Bacall comes in, sits on a sofa in the center of the stage, all the ladies are fluttering around her and she proceeds to deliver a monologue about the events leading to her arrival there. All the time this is going on, Ms. Harris sits in a chair at stage left, doing needlepoint. You couldn't take your eyes off her! Bacall is talking but you just want to see what facial reactions Harris is going to have to what Bacall is saying. Whatever she's doing is extremely subtle, but the other actresses on that stage might as well have left just then.