ActingTermsPart5

Getting within a character to learn what the character is like

When an actor shows the audience a character's true personality through interpretation, nonverbal expression, voice quality, pitch, rate, and physical action.

The ability to direct all thoughts, energies, and skills toward a given goal.

The noting carefully of people's emotions, physical characteristics, and voice and diction patterns from which characters are modeled.

Recalling specific emotions, such as fear, joy, or anger.

Controlling the voice's volume and quality so that it can be heard clearly.

The reason behind a character's behavior

Inner force driving the character's behavior.

Making a role unique, individual, and interesting.

That trait of a character that an actor chooses to emphasize, such as dialect.

The elements of time, place, weather, objects, and the state of the individual that help actors interpret their characters.

Methods used by characters to reach goals

The ways a character faces each crisis or obstacle.

The fuel that drives acting, enlivens performance, creates empathy, and makes forceful characters.

The direction of an actor's attention, action, emotion, or line delivery to a definite target.

The actor's ability to shape a character's personality into itself and not make it a copy of someone else's portrayal.

• The last speech in an act or a play
• Usually humorous or clever

Giving an actor the freedom to move over the entire stage area, usually during a lengthy speech.

The speed at which the action of a play moves along.

The execution of a line or piece of business at a specific moment to acheive the most telling effect.

To build a climax by speaking at a higher pitch, at a faster rate, or with more force and greater emphasis than in preceding speeches.

The area of the stage away from the audience, toward the rear of the stage.

Improperly taking attention from an actor who should be the focus of interest.