Ju Hye Choi / Preparing For A Part In A Play / Tues 9 AM

   Suppose you were given a part in a play. How would you prepare yourself? Perhaps you will begin studying the character, highlighting your parts in the script, memorizing your lines repeatedly and acting out your part in front of a mirror until you are satisfied. However, although these processes help us become ready and confident, there are a few things that many tend to neglect which can help us become better prepared.

   First is to be accurate. No matter how well a person memorized and studied their part, if they did not consider to go deeper as to the point of knowing what the words exactly mean, why it is said, and how it should be said, the person is not acting but simply saying out loud what they have memorized. Therefore, actors must put effort to become more considerate.

   Second actors must have good pronunciation. No matter how good or bad their English pronunciation is if the person for example pronounced 'Salmon' as it is written out loud, it can distract some people in the audience from focusing on the play. However, that is not what we would want to do. We would want to help the audience focus as much as possible.   

   Finally, actors must become their character. Perfectly memorizing, studying, practicing and acting are like the perfect ingredients of a cake although without any decoration on top. In order to complete the cake, one must decorate it in some way or the other so that it can look more delicious. Similarly, putting yourself in the shoes of the character is like icing on the cake. When actors actually try to think, feel, talk and behave like the character, they become more understanding of their character and this makes them more natural and comfortable in their own skin.

   Playing a part in a play is indeed not an easy task. Even the most talented actors and actresses do not take their preparation time for granted. They memorize, study and practice their part until they become more accurate and understanding even though it can be a lot of work. However, the beauty of living out someone else's life is a priceless experience and most of the time, all the effort turns out to be worthwhile. So, if you ever get an opportunity to perform on stage, why not take a chance?