Expert: J. Spyder Isaacson - 1/19/2012

Question
I just landed the role of Rosemary in How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying. This is my first lead in musical. I'm feeling a little intimidated by the part. I'm not sure how to create my character. Any suggestions?

Answer
Thank you for a good question in what is, it sounds like, a tricky dilemma. Sorry for the delay in responding, but we’ve just had an unusually bad ice storm in my region and we’re just climbing out of it.

Character creation is one of the basics of acting, and the key focus of the two most prevalent acting processes currently taught, the Method and the Meisner Technique. If you have studied either of these, I first and foremost recommend refreshing yourself on some of the basics of whichever process you studied.

Beyond that, there are a number of different ways to develop a character. One of the best from my perspective is to take a look at the way the character’s lines (and in this case songs) give you details about the character – how she responds and reacts in different given situations. From this, you can build a character biography. This can give you a much firmer grounding in the character itself, even if what you come up with is completely fabricated (most character bios are).

If you are still at a loss, try researching other productions of your show. Frequently, actors get a much better grasp on their characters by seeing how they were portrayed previously (say, on Broadway or on London’s West End). This doesn’t mean you should necessarily mimic those portrayals, but they might give you some ideas.

Lastly, don’t hesitate to talk to your director about this. Obviously, they felt you were right for the role by casting you, and all directors should have a firm idea of how they want the show to look – this includes how they want the characters to be portrayed. Also, this would be valuable in making sure that your interpretation of the character meshes with the other characters and the overall feel for the show.

I hope this helps. If you need additional or more specific advice, please feel free to ask a follow-up question.

Break a leg, and let me know how you do!

-- Spyder