Stage presence...- Page 3

[Gothampc]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 3:21pm

Mamie, I'm glad you mentioned Rosemary Harris. She is wonderful. I was eating in the Edison Diner one day and happened to look up and a few tables away was Ms. Harris. She looked at me and gave me one of the sweetest smiles I've ever seen. She has stage presence even when she's not on stage.

[FOCI]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 3:40pm

Alright, welll I still disagree with most of you. Mostly, because I just define stage presence differently. Having an "aura" or "glow" about you I think is what people were talking about having "it" and that obviously cannot be taught. But there are ways to make your actual physical presence draw attenton to you on stage by using the correct posture. Being able to command focus on stage and being inherently compelling, are two different things. I have seen rehearsals of productions where the actors are just ok but after the director works with them for a long time on physicality and how to carry one's self, and how not to draw focus away from one's self (which, by the way, I see happen in almost every high school play) all the people in the audience woo and say "that person has such stage presence! I mean all the focus was on them"
*Side Note: All this being said, I have been told my whole life that I have "stage presence" so maybe I am naive in thinking it is somethig that can be taught.

Updated On: 12/23/04 at 03:40 PM

[Plum]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 4:26pm

Goth, the example of Judi Dench is great. And she doesn't even have to be on stage- in film, she can be so compelling it's almost impossible to look away from her.

Oh, and I realize this is my answer to way too many questions, but- Hugh Jackman. Saddle him with strange hair or costumes or ridiculous lines, and he still manages to walk away with almost every production he's involved in. And he doesn't need to pick the scenery out of his teeth afterwards.

[Gothampc]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 4:32pm

Plum, I saw Judi Dench in Amy's View on Broadway. There is a point where two characters are talking and she's just sitting in a chair thinking. She was so interesting to watch, just sitting there thinking.

I saw her a few years ago in London in The Royal Family. Again, she was mesmerizing (even though that production was mediocre).

[Plum]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 4:36pm

Y'know, I really resent being young sometimes. Lucky, lucky you.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 4:52pm

I concur with the choice of Judi Dench in Amy's View -- simply remarkable and seemingly effortless (and Plum, it wasn't THAT long ago -- maybe 5 years back).

[Plum]

Posted: 12/23/04 at 4:58pm

It makes a difference when you're 19 and only gained your own financial means for seeing shows very recently. :)

[SMDeeva]

Posted: 12/25/04 at 4:26pm

Hi all.
So here are my 2 little pennies.
Stage presence cannot be taught. Think about everyday life; there are people in the world who can walk into a room and everyone turns to look at them. People are drawn to them. Some people walk into a room and do not have that same appeal.
However, I do agree somewhat with what FOCI was saying. But I do not think of that as stage presence. I call that a good actor. Someone who can realize that they are holding their body in a bad way, and hence pull focus from themselves. So they learn how to carry themselves, and what to do, to make people want to look at them...
Back to everyday life: I have always been told that when I walk into a room everyone stops and looks at me. However, my body language will change the moment I walk into a room so that I do not pull everyones attention to myself. So I will slink in and sit in a corner, ane be quiet. Where as other people, who do not automatically pull attention just by walking into a room, will bust in yelling and screaming, and walk with their head held high, to get that attention. So people look.
Same goes for the stage. Some people can walk onstage and just do there thing and walk off, and everyone goes "wow... they were great!" and want to keep watching them, just because there is a qaulity to them. But there are actors, who can walk onstage, not having that qaulity, and pull the focus to themselves, with what they are taught, being able to sing and dance, or what not, and be able to have people say "wow they were great too!" because they walk with their head held high, and carry the right body language.
So for me, I do not see stage presence as something that can taught, but some people can fake the sh*t out of it, and everyone goes "wow!".
I hope that made sense. :)
(now back to lurking)

[kim1061]

Posted: 12/25/04 at 4:58pm

i think Ramona Kellar has a powerful stage presence, i was drawn to her. she just seems so confident and really i guess yuo would say very well put together or just how she places herself onstage.