Audition

02Understanding Shurtleff's Twelve Guideposts for Actors

Imagine you're an actor, standing on the precipice of an audition. The script is in your hands, the character's life is in your mind, and the stage is your world. But how do you dive into the depths of this character, understand their relationships, conflicts, and the moments before they step into the scene? This is where Michael Shurtleff's Twelve Guideposts come into play, acting as a compass to navigate the complex world of acting. Let's start with the first guidepost, 'Relationship'. This is all about understanding the dynamics between your character and others. For instance, in the book, Shurtleff uses the example of an actor playing Hamlet. The actor must understand Hamlet's relationship with Ophelia, his mother, his father's ghost, and even himself. This understanding can add layers to the performance, making it more nuanced and believable. Next up is 'Conflict'. This guidepost is about identifying and portraying the tension in a scene. Shurtleff illustrates this with a scene from 'A Streetcar Named Desire'. The actor playing Stanley must understand the conflict between his character and Blanche, and how this conflict drives the scene. By identifying and portraying this tension, the actor can make the scene more compelling and engaging. The third guidepost, 'The Moment Before', is about setting the emotional tone for a scene. Shurtleff uses the example of an actor playing Blanche in 'A Streetcar Named Desire'. The actor must consider what Blanche was doing or feeling immediately before she enters the scene. This can add depth to the performance, making it more emotionally resonant. Shurtleff doesn't just provide these guideposts, he also offers practical examples and exercises to help actors apply them. For instance, he suggests an exercise where actors improvise a scene using only the relationship and conflict guideposts. This exercise can help actors understand how these guideposts work in a real audition scenario, and how they can use them to enhance their performance. Understanding and applying these guideposts can significantly improve an actor's audition performance. They provide a framework for analyzing a script and understanding a character, leading to a more compelling performance. For instance, by understanding the relationship between characters, an actor can portray their character's emotions more accurately. By identifying the conflict in a scene, they can heighten the tension and drama. And by considering the moment before a scene, they can add depth and emotional resonance to their performance. In conclusion, Shurtleff's Twelve Guideposts are an invaluable tool for actors. They offer a roadmap to understanding a character and a scene, and can significantly enhance an actor's performance. So, the next time you're preparing for an audition, remember to use these guideposts. They might just be the key to unlocking your character and delivering a performance that leaves a lasting impression.

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