Actor-centered rehearsals: giving freedom and voice to actors in the rehearsal room

Abstract

Student rehearsal rooms are often marked by a sense of hierarchy and limited time for exploration. Students are often hindered by having to carry scripts in their hands while rehearsing, which limits their ability to listen and engage with their scene partner. This article explores a rehearsal method whereby actors use trial and error to unlock a sense of spontaneity while rehearsing a play. The actors audio record the lines of a scene multiple times and in multiple ways, which relieves them from the burden of a script while they are on their feet in the early stages of rehearsal. They can simply play and respond to each other physically while discovering relationship, blocking and action without the pressure of ‘getting it right’ and without a director’s agenda. In this way, the actors can take ownership of the rehearsal and feel empowered to make choices spontaneously.