Basic Community Theatre Book

Never acted, but thinking about trying it? Do you enjoy going to live theatre, and wonder how you can get more involved? Ever wonder about those anonymous backstage people who give the actors a place to perform, costumes to wear, and insure that everything runs smoothly? Basic ...Never acted, but thinking about trying it? Do you enjoy going to live theatre, and wonder how you can get more involved? Ever wonder about those anonymous backstage people who give the actors a place to perform, costumes to wear, and insure that everything runs smoothly? Basic Community Theatre is a good place to start. You'll find chapters on the basic characteristics of community theatre, finding a theatre where you'll be able to develop your skills, and how to audition once you've found it. There's a chapter on rehearsing, which includes what you can expect to happen, how to number lines, and what's expected of you as an actor.

You'll find pertinent information on opening nights. There's a chapter on Shakespeare, with performance tips, comments about Shakespearean dialogue, and even suggestions as to why accents don't have to be British. This little book delves into character development, the different acting styles you're likely to encounter, and getting into a character's head.

There's also advice on performance, the proper method of holding for laughter, and some suggestions for the people running the theatre. There's even a chapter on offstage jobs, from stagehand, to makeup artist, to fight arranger, choreographer, and director. The latter includes a few pointed reminder about things a director should never do, even though many will.

And, perhaps the most important advice for anyone thinking about getting involved in community theatre. Have fun.