How the Onscreen Casting Process Works for Child Actors

While many think that children have to be a specific type to be cast in TV and film, or that there isn’t any work for teens, that’s untrue. TV and film are actually very accessible, provided you know how it all works. The first step to getting your child into the business is understanding the casting process. Here’s what you need to know.

How does your child get an appointment?A big difference between auditioning for theater and auditioning for on screen work is the availability of open calls. Open calls, or auditions where anyone can attend and will be seen on a first-come first-serve basis, are common for theatrical projects, but less available for film and television. Backstage and other such platforms can be really helpful in finding auditions for student films, independent films, and web series without an agent or manager. These can be especially helpful for filling up their demo reel. But if your child is looking to get cast in bigger, more professional projects, they really do need an agent or manager to get those appointments.

Does your child need to join the union? There are union and nonunion projects. For television and film, the actors union is known as SAG-AFTRA. All children able to provide proof of employment either as a principal actor or in three union-covered background roles are eligible to join. Currently, the initiation fee is $3,000 and the annual membership dues are a few hundred dollars, plus 1.575 percent of all earnings made under union contracts between $1 and $500,000. SAG-AFTRA does wonders in making sure your child is safe, being educated while on set, and receiving just compensation.

In that sense, it can be helpful to join the union and receive union perks, like pension and health care. However, membership in the union doesn’t grant your child special treatment or preference in casting, and there is more work available to nonunion actors than union. I don’t recommend joining the union until it is absolutely necessary, but it is best to talk to your child’s agent or manager about when joining SAG-AFTRA would be right.

How do auditions work?This is the fun part. When auditioning for television or film the process isn’t very different from theater. Your child will receive sides, or pages from the script, ahead of time and be expected to memorize them. There’s also the possibility that the audition will be a self-tape, which means they’ll record the audition from home and send it to the casting team. If the casting director thinks they’re a good fit for the role, they may have your child retape the audition or call them in for an in-person audition. If things progress well, they may fly your child out to the filming location to have them meet the production team. The same thing can happen if they don’t have representation however you’ll be the go-between with the casting team. Make sure your child is prepared by working on their script with what they have learned from their training or with their acting coach. 

Does your child need to have their lines memorized?In film and television, it’s highly recommended for the child to memorize their lines. Why? Because they’re on tape! If they have their eyes glued to a page, the only thing anyone will be able to see is the top of their heads! It’ll also make it easier for your child to connect with the reader and give a more authentic performance. There’s not much wiggle-room here. Memorize memorize memorize!

What do casting directors want?  It’s difficult to anticipate exactly what a casting director is looking for in an actor, and their criteria change from production to production. It’s best for the child to just be their authentic, unique self rather than play to what they think casting is looking for. That said, there are a few differences in how to audition for TV and film because the audition space is more confined. Smaller, more precise movements are better than larger ones so the actor can stay in frame. Naturalness on-camera is the most important aspect when acting in this medium. The camera picks up everything the theater can hide, so mastering on-camera technique is essential to good film and television acting. Your child should develop artistry through which they can let their personality shine without revealing their technique. 

What’s in your control is finding out about casting opportunities, learning lines and having an understanding of what is being asked. What’s out of your control is getting the part. Remind your child to have fun, do the best they can, let it go, and buy them an ice cream on their way home.

How the Theater Casting Process Works for Child Actors

What do shows like “Harry Potter and the Cursed Child,” “Waitress,” “Frozen,” “Dear Evan Hansen,” and “The Lion King” all have in common? They’re all running on Broadway and employ child actors. 

There are many roles for children and teens on and Off-Broadway, as well as in regional theater. While good actors make acting look easy, getting cast in a live theater production is no easy feat. It takes hard work, discipline, and persistence. It also requires an understanding of the audition process.Here are five things you need to know. 

Appointments

There are two types of auditions held in theater: the agent appointments and the open calls. For an agent appointment, the child will usually receive audition material ahead of time and only has to make an appearance for their specified time slot (a time slot scheduled by their agent or manager). For an open call, performers audition on a first-come, first-serve basis without an appointment. UnionIn theater, most productions are union productions, which means that the actors’ union, Actors’ Equity Association, helps to control the audition process. Equity productions are required to hold Equity Principal Auditions (EPAs), meaning auditions that prioritize union actors over nonunion. Nonunion actors can still attend EPAs. They will generally audition after the union actors have auditioned. There are not many children in the Actors’ Equity Association, so it’s likely that a nonunion child who shows up at an EPA will be seen. There are also nonunion auditions, which provide opportunities only for nonunion performers. 

Deciding whether or not to have your son or daughter join the Actors’ Equity Association requires careful consideration. Membership may give them priority in EPA auditions, but it would prevent them from participating in any nonunion auditions for the same production. The critical thing to remember is that it doesn’t matter if your child is union or nonunion, going to an open call or going to an appointment. Everyone has an equal shot at getting the part. It all depends on what happens in the audition room, not on the union status of the child.

Auditions
Theater auditions have several rounds of auditions, especially for musicals. The first will include singing a 16–32 bar cut of a song and perhaps a request to dance. If a child or teen gets a callback, they will perform for a group of people from the production team, reading a scene from the show generally with another person. The other reader may be the casting director, casting assistant, or an actor hired to assist in auditions. Young actors often struggle with where to focus during these auditions. When singing, a child should gaze at an imaginary focal point directly above the casting director. When reading a scene, actors must engage with the person reading with them just like during a live performance.

Receiving a callback after a first audition is a cause for celebration! Whether or not your child is selected for a role, having additional auditions helps to create confidence. It also gives young actors exposure to casting directors and producers who will see their talent and, hopefully, remember them for future productions.

Casting Directors
In the entertainment world, the most talented actor doesn’t always get the part. The person selected for a role will be the one who is a good match for the material and who also fits sometimes unknown criteria. Maybe the child needs to be strong enough to help move a set piece or look a certain age next to the girl playing his sister. Either way, it won’t help to try to play to what you think casting directors want. Instead, concentrate on being authentic, unique, skilled, and focused during the audition process.   

Memorization
Is it absolutely necessary to memorize lines for a theater audition? No. Or at least not as important as it would be for TV and film. But often, stumbling over their words and having their eyes glued to a page, prevents a kid from connecting with their reader. Memorization can help free them from the pages of a script.

Because it is impossible to predict exactly what the casting director will ask for during auditions, it’s essential to stay on your toes. A few years ago, I was coaching a student for the touring production of “Annie.” The girls reading for the title role were given 12 pages to memorize before final callbacks. When they finally got to the audition, with that long script memorized, pumped up, and ready to go, the casting director asked them to read for the role of the Warden. Why? To make sure they could improvise and adapt, rather than being stuck in a single mindset. Make sure when your child memorizes their lines, they’re learning the words, not the emotion behind the words.

Now that you understand more about the casting process for live theater, you’ll be able to guide your child to navigate the process with professionalism and enthusiasm. Remind your child to have fun and enjoy the process!

4 Ways to Get Your Child’s Demo Reel Seen

Imagine this scene: You close out of iMovie and back away from the computer having just finished editing clips for your child’s demo reel. It’s terrific, and you marvel at how well your child’s personality and talent shine. There’s only one problem: how do you get the reel seen by anyone? It can’t get your child work if no one sees it. 

So, what can you do? Here are four ways to get your child’s reel seen. 

1. Self-submit to agents and managers.
Many websites, such as Backstage, have call boards with the contact information of different agencies and talent managers. Send the reel to prospective agents and managers. Be sure to follow the instructions regarding how they prefer to be contacted. Most reps welcome solicitation from potential clients. The demo reel is a great way to showcase type and experience. Whenever you send out your child’s headshot and résumé, make sure you add a link to the reel on their résumé. 

2. Make sure your child’s rep has a copy.
This idea may sound obvious, but I’ve worked with young actors on their reels who never shared them with their representatives. Agents and managers are responsible for interacting with casting directors and other potential employers, so they need demo reels. If your child’s rep has a demo reel, they can send it to directors and casting directors to generate interest. It’s necessary to see how your child looks and acts on-camera before being hired. 

3. Upload to online casting sites.
We’re living in the digital age and the internet is a great place to put your child’s reel and information out for mass exposure. If your son or daughter has an account on Backstage, add the reel to their profile. You can submit it to casting calls yourself on many sites. Add a link to the reel on your child’s website as well. You can also upload the demo reel to YouTube and other public sites, but beware of scams. Backstage and other such sites regulate who has access to profiles and demo reels to prevent phony casting calls. YouTube and Vimeo don’t have that. That said, they can still be great public platforms to upload the reel to for more exposure.

4. Class exposure. 
I teach weekend and week-long film workshops culminating with the creation of professional demo reel footage. I send the demo reels to industry folks to get my students noticed as I’m proud of their work. Other coaches and instructors may also submit student footage. Check with your child’s acting coach or instructor to see if they provide opportunities for capturing footage. There are plenty of workshops and camps offered in on-camera training which culminate with the creation of demo reel footage. Even some theater college programs are ending their final year with a professional demo reel instead of a live showcase.  

Like a headshot and résumé, demo reels are no longer optional for actors looking to work. A demo reel is a sign of professionalism and experience. Demo reels also help people see how your child comes across on-camera. Having that footage available to potential employers makes the difference between getting the role or not. Make your child’s demo reel available to as many people as possible. Keep supporting your child and look for opportunities where they can get on-camera experience and footage for their next powerful demo reel.

A Director Offers Tips on Helping Your Child Actor Find Success

Did you know that your behavior influences your child actor’s opportunities?

In my more than 30 years of teaching, coaching, and directing child and teen actors, I’ve seen parents who unknowingly sabotage their child’s ability to get parts. Those parents weren’t intentionally harming their child’s career. They just lacked insider information about what directors and casting directors are looking for when they screen young actors.

My long-time colleague Matt Lenz is a theater director based in New York who has worked with child actors on Broadway, in touring productions, and in regional theater. Most notably, Matt directed the national tour of “A Christmas Story.” He has also worked on “Billy Elliot,” “Hairspray,” “Beauty and the Beast,” and “The Sound of Music,” all shows with multiple child and teen cast members. I spoke with Matt recently and asked him to give me the scoop on what he looks for in child actors and their parents.

Matt and I both agree that working with young actors is different than working with adults. “I can’t believe how skilled and intuitive some young actors can be,” said Matt. He always chats with young talent and gauges their ease, ability to be in the moment, and how they can relate to adults. “It can be a hard test for a child to connect with adults and not be overly precocious,” Matt shared. He finds that a child who can be natural and authentic will be most successful.

Over-coaching your child is the biggest mistake you can make. “It is hard to break some kids who are over-prepped and over-rehearsed,” says Matt. “It is helpful when kids come into rehearsal with their lines memorized but not OK when I see kids make gestures that their parents coached them to do.” Directors like Matt can readily spot young talent who come to an audition highly coached.

Caution to parents: Please don’t coach your child if you don’t know what you are doing. It won’t help them in the audition room or during a performance. (I’ve written about the dangers of over-coaching previously.)

Directors like Matt cast young talent with enthusiasm and a strong desire to act. They also want a child who can stay focused and in the moment as well as connect honestly with the character. Too much pushing for perfection by parents can stress a child and harm their enthusiasm and joy for acting.

As for newcomers, I asked Matt if a lack of experience would prevent a child from being cast. He replied, “Absolutely not. Everyone has to start somewhere.” If your child is inexperienced and cast in a role, directors will often cast a more experienced actor as a cover or understudy.

Many of us who work with children have also worked with “parents from hell,” well-meaning people who are pushy, demanding, or unrealistic about their child’s skills or fit for certain parts. It is a difficult situation for everyone. Be aware that creative teams evaluate parents during auditions as well as the youth. If you are difficult, you may very well cost your child the part he or she so desperately wants.

Instead, be open to conversations and working with directors to create the best possible experience for your child as well as the show. Parents need to accept direction too! If you can demonstrate a sense of humor, a flexible approach, and a willingness to take suggestions, you will be the kind of a parent directors love to work with.

Be aware that when your child or teen is cast in a production, it requires a commitment from the entire family. There are long hours of rehearsals, travel, and coordination with school and other activities. Your child may need to give up sports or time with friends to honor their commitment to the production. Parents who are good role models can help their young actor as well as their entire family cope with the challenges and changes that will occur during a show.

Your child has a dream of being in the spotlight and soaking in the applause after a successful performance. By using the tips mentioned above you can help make that dream come true.

6 Books Every Actor Should Have on the Shelf

“Acting for Dummies” is the silliest name for a book on acting because acting is certainly NOT for dummies. It takes a real education to look natural in front of an audience or camera. As an acting coach, my teaching style consists of myriad techniques learned over the years from some very gifted teachers in the industry. This mix is also reflected in my reading list. Between my Kindle and my bedside table, I have perused and read far too many books to list in one article. However, I’d like to recommend six must-haves for aspiring and working actors alike.

1. “Audition” by Michael Shurtleff
I consider this book to be the bible for aspiring actors. If you are just beginning your acting career, this is a great place to start! It covers everything you need to know to get the part. Mr. Shurteff’s twelve infamous guideposts have influenced my own work in developing my simple technique to help actors learn how to direct themselves. From relationships to finding the love and humor in the scene, Shurtelff’s steps will help you nail your audition every time.

2. “Meisner on Acting” by Sanford Meisner
Meisner or Method? That is the question. Well, it may not really be an either/or. It’s often insightful to know both. Although I did not train with Sanford Meisner, I was fortunate enough to study with many teachers, including Wynn Handman, who were Meisner disciples. In this gem, Meisner gives it to you straight on how to livetruthfully in the moment under imaginary circumstances. Your library is not complete without this one.

3. “Respect for Acting” by Uta Hagen
Simple and straightforward, Uta Hagen’s profound book has helped generations of actors hone their craft. She introduces a series of exercises to help the actor connect to the moment, fellow actors, and the audience. “Who am I?” “What do I want?” and “What is my relationship?” are three of the nine questions explored to define your character’s role specifically. Hagen also includes invaluable advice about stage nerves and how to stay fresh in a long run.

4. “An Actor Prepares” by Constantin Stanislavsky
Funny at times, this book takes the actor through Stanislavsky’s self-developed system which helps the actor to master his craft as well as stimulate creativity and imagination. Now referred to as "method acting," the book includes a variety of exercises and some autobiographical experiences that focus on relaxation, concentration, and techniques that will help get the actor into character. Emotional memory and the “magic if” explored in his book laid the groundwork for much of the great acting today.

5. “Improvisation for the Theatre” by Viola Spolin
Considered the mother of improvisation, Viola Spolin developed a series of acting exercises and theater games to free the actor’s creativity, allowing play beyond the scene. Many modern improv groups such as Second City utilize Spolin’s techniques. If you want to learn truthful acting and how to be in the moment, add this to your library to make it complete.

6. “Actions: The Actor’s Thesaurus” by Marina Calderone
Acting means TO DO. Thousands of action words are alphabetized and categorized to help you find what you are doing in every beat. This book will help you play specific actions and get away from making general choices.

So there you have it! My six top picks no actor should be caught without. Master your craft, empower yourself, and enjoy the journey.

Ask Denise: How to Help Your Child Actor Memorize Lines Quickly

Q: My 10-year-old daughter just landed a role in a short film that begins filming in three weeks. What’s the best way to help her memorize her lines before then? —@dramamomma, Backstage Community Forums*

When it comes to memorizing lines, the way your child learns the words is just as important as the way she performs them. I’ve found that learning lines by rote is the best, most effective way.

This means rewriting the lines completely free of stage direction and punctuation; basically, as a long run-on sentence. This way, your daughter learns the words without meaning and without concern for how she will deliver them. Since punctuation and stage directions are the first things that lead an actor to a predetermined and intellectual way of performing, removing them allows her to solely memorize and then instill her own take on them.

In real life, people rarely talk with any notion of punctuation. It happens on its own as they’re speaking and is based on what’s happening at that moment. The same must be true in acting, and memorizing by rote will help your daughter give a more natural performance.

To start, read the scene very slowly with your daughter. Have her listen and respond, learning the words as best as she can. Then move on to line rehearsal, where she’ll spit the words out mechanically without any pauses. If she pauses or messes up, have her start again. In line rehearsal, there’s no acting; it’s just a great way to get stronger and stronger in knowing the words.

Ask Denise: Should a Child Actor in New York Join Equity?

Q: I see that a play in the New York City area is auditioning “Equity actors.” My daughter is 11 and is new to the industry. As I understand it, Equity is essentially union and non-Equity is nonunion. Can she audition for an Equity show? I’m reading that one of the few ways to become Equity is to be hired into an Equity show.—@NoviceDad, Backstage Community Forum*

You are correct in thinking that Equity is union and non-Equity is nonunion. Typically, only actors who are in the Actors’ Equity Association union are invited to attend an Equity call.

However, because many young actors are not members of Equity, when it comes to auditions, nonunion actors may be seen at the end of the day if time allows. Of course, there’s no guarantee your daughter will get to audition, but many of my clients over the years have done so successfully.

In terms of your daughter joining Equity, there are a couple of options. She can join by virtue of employment under an Equity contract. Another way to join is if she has been a paid member of an affiliated union such as SAG-AFTRA, AGMA, or AGVA for one year and has worked as a principal or “under-five” (under five spoken lines), or has at least three days of extra work in that union’s jurisdiction. (Make sure to check Equity’s official website for clarification!)

The benefits of union membership include safeguards for child actors, such as parental or guardian supervision, education, safety, compensation, and limits on working hours. She will also get a pension and health care coverage, higher wages, discounts, and access to educational and business seminars.

That said, I don’t advise joining the union until it’s required. It’s a common myth that union membership is essential to getting representation and auditions, but children can usually be seen anyway. Don’t limit your child; once she joins the union, she’s ineligible for nonunion work and there is far more nonunion than union work available for young performers. Gaining experience will provide the necessary learning opportunities for growth.

An Acting Coach's Advice for Helping Your Child Actor Learn Lines

These days, young actors are being asked more and more to come to auditions with scripts fully memorized, even if they’re provided with pages the night before. Obviously, this is a difficult and daunting task for actors of any age, but especially so for young actors. 

So how can you make the task a bit easier and more manageable? Glad you asked! When it comes to memorizing lines—whether for a production or audition—the way you learn the words are just as vital to the way you perform them. As such, we have found in working with so many young actors on this exact task that learning lines by rote is the best, most effective way. 

What does it mean to learn something “by rote”? In short, it means rewriting the lines completely free of stage direction and punctuation...basically a long run-on sentence. If it’s a whole scene, write your lines and the other characters’ lines without capitalization, punctuation, or stage direction. 

And why do we think learning lines by rote is the best course of action? 

Because it means you learn the words without meaning and without any concern for how you will deliver them. Since punctuation and stage directions are the first things that lead an actor to a predetermined and intellectual way of performing, removing them allows you to solely memorize words and then instill your own take on how to act them. For example, if you see a question mark at the end of a line, you assume you have to raise your inflection when speaking the line. But that’s just an idea—you can perform that line any way that feels right to you in the context of the scene, inflection or no.

READ: 5 Steps to Understanding Your Scene as a Teen Actor

The truth is that in real life, people rarely talk with any notion of punctuation. It happens on its own as they’re speaking and is based on what is happening at that moment between themselves and the others in the conversation. The same must be true in your acting and memorizing by rote will help you with a more natural performance down the road since you haven’t made any hard-and-fast decisions about how you plan to deliver the lines. 

Ready to give it a try? When you first start rehearsing, read the scene very slowly with your acting partner. Do not try to perform yet. Really listen to the other person and simply respond to what they say and do. Allow the meaning to brew in you slowly and steadily.

Once you have the words learned as best as you can and think you really know them, move on to line rehearsal, an effective and fun way to work with your scene partner to get the words even more implanted into your veins. 

Get a small ball or pillow—anything you can toss back and forth with your acting partner. Stand about five feet apart and begin to throw the object back and forth rapidly. Then, as you are tossing the object to each other, begin to say the words of the scene as fast as you can. Spit the words out of your mouth mechanically, automatically, mindlessly, without any pauses. If you pause to remember a word, you must start again at the beginning of the scene. If you get stuck and mess up a word, you must start again at the beginning of the scene. Continue to do this before every scene rehearsal until you can do the whole scene—beginning to end—without any mistakes in the words and without pauses.

In the line rehearsal, there is no acting; it’s just words shooting out of your mouth as fast as possible and a great way to get stronger and stronger in really knowing the words. This is so important because when you put the scene on its feet, if you have a beautiful and unexpected moment between you and your partner, the first thing to go out the window will be the words. When you get stuck in this way, you’ll both miss out on a wonderful and surprising moment. But if you really know the words, they will simply ride on the wave of life that is happening and this creative event will take you by storm, which is exactly what we want.

The Secret to Working More as an Actor

Good actors make acting look effortless. That’s why everyone wants to be an actor. But the truth is, we all know it’s difficult. Yes, you need to train, hone your skills and craft, network, and have what the casting directors need. But being a good actor takes much more than that. Begin following these simple tips and you just might find yourself working more. 

Say please and thank you. 
It’s what your parents taught you. Saying please is just good manners and makes the other person feel comfortable. People want to be appreciated, plain and simple. And practicing gratitude will make you happy. Say thank you to your agent, manager, casting director, director, assistant director, fellow actors, craft services, the stage manager...anyone and everyone. You never know where your next job is coming from.

Tell the truth. 
Telling the truth will bring you peace of mind and allow you to have integrity. Everyone wants to work with someone with integrity. In an industry where people lie to get what they want, telling the truth will earn respect. Be truthful with your words, in your picture, and on your résumé. It must all represent who you are really are, not who you want to be or think someone else wants you to be.  

As an actor working on a character, we uncover the lies to get to the truth. We must get to our own truth as well. Watching a truthful actor is an extraordinary experience. The audience can spot a liar—they’re not stupid.

READ: 6 Books Every Actor Should Have on the Shelf

Listen. 
Sure, we all practice listening. Do you ever see an actor scrunch up his face to show he is really listening? As my friend and colleague Larry Silverberg says, “listen with the ear of your heart.” That is what real listening means. It’s hard and takes practice, but when you achieve it, you can be fully present with another actor and with anyone you’re interacting with. It’s a great gift to be heard and one that may land you another job.

Go on more auditions.  
I encourage all my students to go on as many auditions as possible. The more you audition, the more comfortable you’ll be with the process. You’ll also hone your skills at interpreting material and putting your unique spin on characters. Acting can often be a numbers game. The more auditions you attend, the better your chances are at landing a part.

While you’re waiting, observe others. What do the other actors do that impresses you? What about the casting director and other staff members? Can you learn anything about them by their mannerisms and communication as they watch auditions? This isn’t an opportunity to judge others so you can feel better about yourself. Instead, it’s an opportunity to shift your focus from your own performance and learn from other actors. Everyone contributes something special to an audition, even if it didn’t go well. Watch and learn.

Have quiet confidence. 
I was recently on set with a few of my students shooting a film. I marveled at how the director connected with one young actor in particular. She possessed a quiet confidence the other young actors lacked. She was prepared for the challenging scene, but each time the camera stopped rolling and things shifted on set, she remained quiet, professional, and always with a confidence that said, “I’ve got this and am ready for anything.” She listened and offered an opinion or point of view when asked. Actors that possess a quiet confidence in the audition room are apt to get a director, producer, or casting director’s full attention.

Doing—Not Acting—Will Make You Great

Many young actors are taught to play “tactics,” an action or strategy carefully planned to achieve a specific end. The word brings up images of generals sitting around a war room, strategically planning an attack on the enemy. And that’s exactly how most actors approach the “playing of an action.”

But we prefer to call actions or objectives “doings.” What’s the difference? With “doing,” you’re not pretending or faking something, you really do it, hence the name. This small tweak in approach will lead to great acting that is truly alive.

For example, you’re playing a character named Sally who just found out she’s failing math class. She needs to get the teacher to change her grade so as to not disappoint her parents. All too often, we’ll see the actor make a sad facial expression and sad sounds with her voice to make it seem like she is, in fact, sad about the grade. This is called indicating and it’s nothing more than a lie.

To really grip the audience and hit them where they live, the actor instead needs to actually experience and feel what the character is experiencing and feeling. She needs to be devastated. She needs to beg the actor playing her teacher, not just have her character beg another character. It’s a simple concept, but it’s not as easy to achieve.

Have you ever seen an actor onstage who is supposed to be hungry and eating but only pretends to eat, not actually putting the food in his or her mouth for fear of the food getting in the way of the audience appreciating the clever way he or she is delivering lines? If you’re supposed to be hungry and eating cereal, eat the cereal. Really do what you are doing.

How? Here’s an example from life that may help illustrate the point.

You come home from school and your sister is standing by the sink, crying. You rush over and hug her but she pushes you away and shouts, “Don’t!” What do you do next? Do you run right back and hug her again in the same way? Of course not. You’re a human being and you would adjust to the information you just received from her response. Maybe you remain silent for a moment. Maybe you gently whisper, “What happened today?” The only person who would rush right back over and throw their arms around her in the very same way would be the actor who had carefully and strategically rehearsed their “tactic.”

While you must always know what you’re doing or what your objective is, the how to do it is supplied by the other person. You must learn how to actually receive what the other actor is giving and then authentically respond to that behavior, moment by moment.

This takes a lot of practice and is only truly achieved through training with others. It requires taking risks and being willing to explore freely with your mind, body, and spirit. The objective must be accomplished with all of your behavior—the speaking of the words, your physical and emotional behavior, the way you listen and receive what the other actors are giving you.

It’s invigorating stuff and will transform the quality of your acting in the most brilliant way, making you what we call a “true actor.”