Table of Contents:

What is a Character?

Any attribute that defines a human being can define a character. For an actor, much of his/her character definition can be found in the script. Everything a character says tells the actor something - from the things that character thinks about, to their level of intelligence or education, their status in society, or how they feel. Character choices are made by each individual actor, which is why the same role can be interpreted many ways by different actors. Your choices are unlimited, and no choice is wrong (as long as it's not contradicted by the script). The choices you make for your character will make it realistic and interesting.

Where do I start?

Start with your script. The playwright generally includes character description on the first few pages. The writer may give you other clues such as the setting (if the play is set in an alley, your character may be homeless); the location (a play set in New York could give your character a Brooklyn accent); and the time period (a woman in 1812 would be remarkably different from a woman in 1998).

As you read through the script, take note of specific statements made by your character or made about your character. For instance, if a character says that she's violently allergic to nuts then that might make her very upset when another character insists that she eat some. More on exploring the script information is provided in Script.

Character Movement

Since an audience can only know what they see and hear about a character, your physicality - including impairments, tics, and habits - are very important. Actors frequently overlook these traits which can easily make your character more interesting or funny.

Basic Movement

Basic movement is body awareness through:

SPACE -
- Levels (low, medium or high)
- Directions (forward, backward, sideways)
- Near and far
- Close (e.g. curled up) and Apart (e.g. stretched out - wide or narrow)
- Direct (e.g. straight) and Indirect (e.g. twisted)

WEIGHT - heavy or light.

TIME - quick or slow.

FLOW - continuous, arrested or bound.

By mixing and matching the above movement definitions, you can describe any possible human action. The following eight verbs describe some resulting combinations. Consider developing a character who moves in one of these ways.

THRUSTING
FLOATING
PUSHING
SLASHING
GLIDING
WRINGING
DABBING
FLICKING

Habits and Tics

Most people have habits or tics that they're not even aware of. An example of a habit might be a person who regularly twirls a ring, bites their fingernails, or sucks on their hair. A tic is a spasmodic twitch that commonly appears when a person is nervous. If you're adding a habit or tick to your characterization, just be careful not to overuse it.

Impairments

Nobody's perfect so you might want to consider a physical impairment as a character choice. A limp, a crooked hand, a hip that pops out of joint, or weak eyesight are all interesting possibilities (especially if you used them all together!).

Vocal Characterization

Don't forget about the things the audience will HEAR from your character. Does the character speak slowly, quickly? Do they have a speech impediment? Do they stutter? Does the person have a regional accent? Do they enunciate clearly? Do they mispronounce words? What is their vocal quality - gravely, hoarse, squeaky, shrill? Would their voice be affected by anything that occurs during the play (like the morning after a wild party)? Does the person clear their throat frequently or make unusual sounds through their speech?

There are specific techniques for developing body awareness. Body awareness allows you to learn about your own movement and vocal habits - habits that without awareness, may color every character you play. See Reading List for information on the Alexander and Feldenkrais Techniques.

Getting to Know Your Character

Some Actors like to explore everything they could possibly know about their character. The more you know, the more precise your choices, and the more real the character will be to you and your audience. For instance, you can decide that you like dogs (a general choice) OR you can decide that you only like small dogs ( more specific) OR you can decide that you only like poodles (most specific). Often, an unusual choice will be the most interesting. For instance, you can play a pet shop owner who loves animals or you could play a pet shop owner who hates animals. The second choice is more unusual than the first. This kind of choice could be the difference between a very dry scene and a "rolling on the floor laughing out loud" scene!. Here's a list of questions to get you thinking about your character:

What is his/her name?
How old is he/she?
Does he or she appear handsome, pretty, ugly? What is the first impression one would get from them?
Does he or she have any abnormalities?
Does he/she get along well with others?
Does he/she accept responsibility?
Does he/she have any pets?
Does he/she have any hobbies?
Is he/she married and what kind of relationship is it?
How would this person react if they were the only witness to a murder?
Could he or she have any mental problems?
What facial expressions does he/she most frequently use?
Was he/she smart in school or at their place of work?
Would you consider this person "sporty"?
Would you consider this person to have traveled widely?
What kind of food does this person like most and why?
Does this person like music, and if so what kind of music in particular?
Does this person drink a lot of alcohol?
What do you think this person is like at home where nobody else can see him?
Does he/she believe in God?
In whose company was this person most likely to be seen?
What are this person's views on war?
Is this person in any way a musician?
Does this person buy cheap or expensive things?
What kind of colors would this person wear?
What does this person think of Holidays? How would they celebrate Christmas or Halloween?
What makes this person laugh?
Does this person have self-confidence?
Is this person clumsy?
Does this person brag?
Is he/she involved in politics? How would he/she vote?
Does this person get along with older/younger people?
Does this person speak well or poorly?
What would this person do if he/she was approached by a homeless person?
What kind of house/apartment/condo does this person live in? Does he/she rent or own?
What kind of magazines/books would this person read?
How would this person react if caught in a severe fire, storm, etc?
What is his/her favorite TV show and movie?
Does this person live alone?
What kind of furniture does this person have?
Does this person like animals?
What kind of temper does this person have?
Is this person easily embarrassed? What embarrasses them?
What is his/her favorite season?
Is this person superstitious?
What would make this person cry?
Would others consider this person "easy-going"?
Does this person express himself/herself freely?
What would this person do if he/she won the lottery?
What would he/she do for fun? What are his/her hobbies?
Does he/she smoke? Cigarettes, cigars, pot?
Does this person like snakes, spiders, lizards, cockroaches?
What was this person like 5 years ago?
Does this person like other people?
What kind of weather does he/she like most and why?
What would this person do if stranded on a desert island?
What does this person do when they go out? Would he/she like going to a nightclub, lounge, karoke bar?
Does this person have a computer at home? Do they surf the internet, chat, play games?

As you can see, there are many choices one can make. It's always tempting to play a part as if your character is the coolest and most perfect person (since we're rarely able to be so rehearsed in real life) but the uncool choices are often more interesting. Everybody has their own little quirks so let your character enjoy a few too!

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