— for example, ancient Rome — the use of certain props becomes important in setting the stage and portraying that era in a believable manner. Props determine the visual experience of the audience, which in turn aff ects the overall reception of a performance. Often, props may be items used in our daily lives but at times, they are custom-built. Whatever the case, they must appear authentic and true to the audience when viewed under the bright stage lights. Depending on how detailed a setting aims to be, the prop master could have quite a diffi cult job. He or she will have to research about the period that a particular performance is set in and then letters@youngtimes.com source or create relevant props. This is a specialised profession in some countries. Customised props are manufactured for theatre and fi lms — they are fake products that look real but are safe-to-use by actors. These usually include glass items, swords, guns, etc. A prop also helps an actor to get into the feel of their role. A king cannot feel regal without a crown. A gangster would need a pocket knife to feel sinister. Some iconic fi lm characters have become instantly recognisable because of the props they use. For example, Indiana Jones is closely associated with his hat and whip. Apart from their literal meaning, props can convey symbolic notions too. For example, the colour red may be used as a theme to indicate a certain emotion or intention. A director always has to keep in mind how a prop will be used. He or she has to consider the following questions: Is the prop essential to the scene? Will it be brought to stage in between an act, or be present throughout the action? If a character is using the prop, how does it add meaning to the narrative and will it aff ect the pace of the story? Have you ever acted in a play? What was your favourite prop and how did it assist you in your performance?

Costume check

What’s a show without the costume, props and makeup? Your outfit must be washed and ironed. Prepare a ‘stage kit’ checklist so that you don’t miss out an important item. Make sure everything is in order.

On time, always

Reaching the venue early will hold you in good stead. A delay in getting to the venue could create chaos — for instance, you could forget an important prop and not have the time to go get it.

Keep calm and… speak!

The shortness of breath due to anxiety is likely to disrupt your performance. Practise breathing exercises, listen, and meditate to soothing music in order to calm your nerves.

‘LOL’, ‘ROFL’, ‘HAHA’

Another way to make sure you remain relaxed is by laughing out loud. This will result in a release of endorphins, which in turn will relax your mind and bring you positivity. Watch a comedy film, maybe.

Goodbye, self-doubt

Staying confident and maintaining a high morale is of utmost importance. You should always believe that you are the best fit for the role. Let no one tell you otherwise!

A different warm-up

It’s always good to warm up your voice before your act. Vocal exercises include tongue twisters, pitching sounds and jaw stretching; these will help control your breath, relax your jaw muscles and improve voice blend and diction.

Turn into the character

Detach yourself from your fellow performers for some time before the show in order to get into your character’s zone. The best of actors follow this guide to deliver earnest performances on screen. Concentrating on the character’s emotions will help you bring maximum authenticity and conviction to the role. And before you know it, you will be ready with an Oscarwinning act.

Silence, please!

Some performers ease their tension by spending time on the stage, staring at the chairs, lights and the auditorium, soaking it all in. Do this before the audience begins to filters in.

Practice is the key

Go over your lines, by yourself or with your co-actors. The more you practise, the more the dialogues become second nature to you.

Follow your heart

We are all unique and have our own ways of dealing with stress. What works for you may not work for someone else. Go by your gut feeling and do what is best for you.

First and foremost, discover which art form you’re passionate about:
This can only be determined after you have made an effort to attend a variety of workshops and experienced different performances. Once you feel strongly about something, then you can proceed with the next step.
Sign up for a serious course on the subject:
Nothing can beat a solid foundation. This will require dedication and time. After all, when you love something, you have to put in the effort. Keep in mind that this should be a certified course, where you can study and appear for assessments/ examination and are able to earn a certification after each level of the course.
Practise will make you perfect:
You must lookout for opportunities to perform in as many possible shows so that you get enough stage time and first-hand experience. This will boost your confidence and help you see how capable and talented you are.
Enter competitions:
Participating in competitions will help you understand where you stand in the bigger scheme of things. Often, we fail to see the flaws in ourselves. But when we view ourselves through another person’s perspective, we may see where we lack. Hard work and rehearsals are usually the only answer to reach your goal. Another skill that you learn in this process is to accept failure as part of the path to success. After you’re done with school, if the arts interest you and you want to choose it as your career option, then opt for an undergraduate course. Do your research well and reach out to education consultants and career counsellors if you’re confused. Apart from formal education, networking, consistency and hard work are the key. rashmi

Then and now

In the Roman era, most amphitheaters were built outdoors, in a way to catch the sun rays that would light up the action on the stage. Gradually, when performances took place indoors, oil lamps and candles were used for the purpose. This was primarily done to attract attention to the action on stage. Eventually, limelights, arclights, reflectors and other equipment were used to create controlled light on stage. Today, we have different light effects for different types of performances.

The purpose of lighting

During a performance, the audience, whether near or far should be able to see every activity taking place. All parts of the stage should be controlled in an effective way to convey the exact emotion the performer wishes to convey. At the same time, the performance should also be aesthetically pleasing and easy on the eyes.

Role of a lighting designe

The lighting designer decides what action or person has to be given most importance to and what needs to be de-emphasised during different parts of the show. The action or person who needs to be focused on is given a spotlight or a pool of light.

Setting the mood

Light designing together with an effective sound design can help you create an ambience. It can also be used to convey events like rain, storm or lightning. Lights also have the ability to transport the audience to another time period. They help to reinforce or elevate the mood of a performance. It plays a great role in enhancing the visual appeal of the performance through the use of colours, angles, intensity and effects.
A sorrowful musical rendition needs to evoke sadness. This can be achieved by mood lighting or dim lighting. If it’s a musical gig and you want the audience to sing along and dance, you can opt for colourful, strong beams of light or even use a crystal ball. For a serious scene or to depict anger, jealousy or fear, red light can be used.

specially trained professionals who do this job. In the olden days, sounds would be produced live for a play or live show, but with modern day advancements in technology, directors can now choose from a variety of options. Today, it is possible to pre-record or procure sound effects (SFX) and music tracks from the internet.

Here are a few points to keep in mind when designing sound for a drama or an opera in your school:

• We hear sound involuntarily every day. Collective sounds differ from environment to environment and also from period to period. For example, sounds in a school will differ from those we hear on a nature trail. A vehicle’s ignition today will sound different from a car engine in 1920s. Therefore, it is important to understand the period or environment that needs to be created.

• These effects are used to emphasise, enhance or signal towards an action on stage. A horror scene will only scare the audience if there are effective and eerie sounds to match. The sudden action of a murder will make an impact when accompanied by related sounds.

• Sometimes, sound is used to depict an action that is happening elsewhere or in another time zone and the depiction of it could be just through sound

because all physical action cannot be shown on stage. A car accident can be portrayed by the use of a car crash sound, accompanied by lighting. Creaking of floor boards, clock chimes, gun shots, door bells, door slamming, telephone rings, rain and thunder, are commonly used for relevant scenes.

• Sounds help in setting the mood for the next action. Suspense, celebration, danger, happiness; can all be explicitly expressed through the use of appropriate sounds.

• The sound designer is usually expected to meet the director and get a clear idea of his/her vision. The designer and the operator (sometimes these can be two different individuals) need to study the script and attend rehearsals so that he/she is familiar with the action and story of the play. He/she should be familiar with the sound board and should prepare a cue sheet well in advance to be able to operate the sound cues at the correct timing. The sound bites need to be saved in order of appearance on their laptop or hard drive. Often, the length of the sound bite needs to be reduced or increased based on the duration it needs to be played for. Imagine a gun has been wielded on stage and the gun shot sounds are played late, because the action and sound did not match, it will not have a desired effect on the audience.

• The sound designer also needs to ensure that written permissions are obtained before using copyrighted sounds/ musical pieces.

Respect

This is the first and foremost thing. Everything else follows. Respect the opportunity you get. There is someone out there who would have happily agreed to be in your position. Respect your director/ organiser/ stage manager/ crew. They are managing more than just one aspect of the event and your help is needed to help them achieve their vision and maintain schedules for the show. Respect your fellow performers. Even if you have personal differences with team members, it should never reflect on stage. Respect your audience because they have made a special effort to be present for your performance and deserve the best of you. Respect the stage. Did you know that in some Asian cultures, performers are taught to bow on stage or touch the stage floor before getting on it? Indian classical dancers are taught to prostate on stage before starting their performance. Do not be haughty. Be humble. Be on time and thus, respect the team and the schedules planned as one person’s absence will affect the whole team’s performance.

Entering the stage


Your entry onto the stage is going to set the tone for your interaction and performance. Remember to smile and walk confidently towards your designated position. Do not try to look out for your parents in the audience. Acknowledge the applause with a smile or a head nod when you get to your position/ instrument. The person who needs to take the farthest position must walk on first. Don’t be nervous. Your audience will enjoy the performance if you enjoy it. The sequence of entries for various participants is decided by the director/ team leader.

Do not talk

One golden rule that you must follow is “not talking” during a performance, especially if you are on stage. If you have long rest periods, simply sit back and listen to the music, while staying alert to perform when your time comes. You are most likely to miss your entry/ cues if you constantly talk. Perform through any mistakes you make and behave as if nothing happened. Avoid moving any equipment during the performance as much as possible.


Outfit

The outfit you wear for your performance must be professional and not something distracting. The sleeves and your shoes must not detract you from your purpose of being on stage. In a theatrical performance, your outfit will be dependent on the demand of your character. It is highly recommended to do a dress rehearsal beforehand.

Sight lines

Sight lines are the lines within the wing area that are visible from the audience side. The audience should not be able to peek into the backstage or get distracted by your movements. Do not be inquisitive to see the audience while you’re there. In a theatrical performance, actors need to wait for their cues to enter the stage, while waiting they must be careful not to overstep the sight lines. Stage clutter

Avoid having anything extra on stage. The only equipment you need is your instrument/ props. All extra things like bags, phones, etc. are just stage clutter and must not be brought on stage without a purpose. Post-performance rituals
Curtain call must be a smooth process. Performers must walk on smartly in character or costume when their names are announced. They must bow from the waist and hold the bow for two counts. A curtsy or namaste is perfectly acceptable too.

No negativity

Do not talk about the mistakes you made during the performance. Never be self-deprecating and do not point out what went wrong to audience.

The type of microphone to be used depends on the type of performance. You have lapel mics, handheld mics, wireless mics and headset mics. The size of the au- dience and the space to be performed in determines the quality of the microphone. Usually speakers and singers use wireless or wired microphones with a stand, where- as musical theatre actors use headsets be- cause they sing while dancing or moving.

While there are definitely advantages to amplifying your voice using a microphone, one needs to get used to it. Hence using a mic can be a nightmare for many as there is a possibility that it may still fail you on stage. It could be a technical glitch, who knows?

Here are some do’s, don’ts and things you need to know while using microphones:


sound which can create a negative impact on the audience.
It is important to test your P. A system (Public Address System) in advance.
Change batteries and check the sound levels.

Never tap the mic to check if its on or working. That looks unprofessional.

Avoid touching the mic to your lips. Just hold it towards you.

Do not cover the mic with your hands as that changes the way the sound is am- plified. Rappers and beatboxers do that to create a desired sound.

Hold the mic six to 12 inches away from your mouth, not near the chest nor too close to your mouth. Keeping it close to the mouth will amplify even your breath, sighs and hisses. Keeping it too far will effect its impact.

Do not adjust the mic when on. If you need to change batteries or make adjust- ments switch off the mic or the speakers to avoid unnecessary noises. Be careful not to sneeze or cough into the mic. It is not a good idea to point your mic towards the audience for feedback or towards your presentation. Use other mics or pointers

usually determined during rehearsals. This process is led by the director of the event and is known as blocking.

In a presentation, the movement is a way of dissipating your adrenalin and getting rid of nervousness. It also takes away any monotony of listening and adds energy to the stage act. These should be controlled and thought out movements as too much pacing will dis- tract the audience, and no movement will make you appear frozen. Movement ensures conversation in the act.

Usually, a speaker should deliver his/ her key ideas from the most power- ful spot on stage which is the centre of the stage, close to the audience. Actors should know how to use different parts of the stage wisely. Different timelines can be described from different areas of the stage. While presenting conflicting ideas, the left and right sections of the stage can be used, just like in debates. Also, if the actor is making use of aids such as a projector, the right side of the stage can be used once and the left side, the other time.

In a theatrical production, the stage can be divided into different settings to show parallel time and environ- ment with the use of different lighting and stage set up. Sometimes one actor plays different characters during a per- formance and can swap roles with the change of position on stage.

Blocking during a play is determined by the director and the actors based on the purpose of the character and the ease and flow of the entries and exits required in the scenes. For example, the director may determine that the left wing leads to the kitchen and the right wing is the main entrance of the house and thus if the scene demands an actor to enter the house from out- side he will need to enter the stage from the right wing. If the actor wants to show that he is hungry he will refer to or fetch food from the left wing to establish that there is a kitchen in the left wing.

One should always try to utilise the stage to the maximum so that the per- formance looks balanced and not lop- sided.

grace and move on. There are many ways to deal with errors made during a performance, depending on what kind of show or routine it is.

Improvise your way out

If you were to fumble with lines or get stuck in a situation on stage during a performance, the best way to get out of it is by improvising. So, what is improvising? Essentially, it refers to performing spontaneously — the dialogues and story are made up on the spot without much preplanning or rehearsal. This usually makes for a separate style of performing but the skills can also be used in a problematic situation on stage. Often, actors are made to train in improvisational techniques. This skill can be useful during a musical performance too.

Ignorance is bliss

Mistakes you make during a performance are usually minor and irreversible. For example, you forget a word or two or simply mispronounce a word. In such situations, it’s best to just move on with your act. Ignore the slip-up. More often than not, the audience wouldn’t even have noticed it.

Smile and acknowledge

Once an error is made and there is no possibility of a cover up, it is best to fess up and end with a flourish or perhaps, just smile and acknowledge your mistake. Now, this formula cannot be used during a dramatic performance because there is no scope for doing so without leaving your character and that is an absolute no-no in a theatrical performance. However, it is possible to acknowledge or joke about your slip-up during a speech.
YoYo Ma, the famous Chinese-American cellist, has an amazing attitude towards mistakes. She even welcomes errors on stage. She says, “After you make that first mistake, you’re free — you can shut off the part of your mind that worries about failing and just let yourself go.” So, remember that your audience usually doesn’t notice a dropped line or missed step. All you need to do is to exhibit grace and maintain your composure; chances are that your audience has long forgiven you even when you have made a rather big fumble

When onstage, the interpretation of spoken words is dependent on voice modulation and the use of breath. You are used to varying your pitch, tone, and tempo in daily conversations, perhaps without realising it. With practice, you can learn to vary these elements and improve your ability to communicate as a performer.

Here are a few tips to achieve this goal:

Warm up your voice

A short voice exercise prepares the vocal cords to project sound louder and clearer. Yawning is a great way to reduce constriction in the voice. Saying syllables like ah, dah, oh, le, etc. in varying pitches makes for a simple vocal warm-up.

Read aloud and enunciate

Reading aloud is an essential part of an audition. Practise it regularly and pronounce each syllable in the words. Remember, a breathing break in the middle of a sentence can alter its meaning — so, use punctuations to your advantage and time your breathing accordingly. For a more fun method, repeat tongue twisters to get familiar with enunciation.
Try facial exercises

Relax the jaw completely and exercise the tongue by sticking it out. You can also touch the tip of your tongue to different points within your mouth. This exercise strengthens the tongue muscle.

Focus on breathing

When engrossed or stressed, we tend to not inhale fully. Breath control will give your voice more power, which in turn makes modulation easier. Stomach muscles contract while exhaling, allowing the diaphragm to lend more support to your voice.

Stay hydrated

Drinking enough water keeps the throat moist and protects your voice.

Practise tempo

Everyone has a certain tempo and rhythm to their talking. But stage fright can make us either speak too slow or fast when it’s time for a speech or performance. For this reason, it’s best to be aware of how you relay your dialogues and practise saying them with the required tempo and pacing. A convincing message needs a sharp, quick delivery while a sad monologue is enhanced by a prolonged pace.

Do a mic test

Your voice is more pronounced on a microphone, and each one is set up differently. Get comfortable with using one, if your performance requires it.