Expert: J. Spyder Isaacson - 12/3/2007

Question
I am performing in a live theater show and there is a part where I am supposed to cry.  I am having a difficult time making myself cry on stage.  I can do it at home though!  Do you have any suggestions to give me?  Or is there a way that I can look distressed by hand gestures or facial expressions?  I don't want to look like I'm in pain, just sad and remorseful.

Answer
Crying onstage isn't always easy.  While there are a handful of actors who can cry on cue (I know one who can *instantly* cry . . . and watching her do it is heartbreaking!), it's more common to find actors who imitate crying. Some actors even resort to covertly using glycerin drops to make it look like they're crying. (FYI, I can't cry on cue, so I do my best to hide the fact that I'm not crying -- burying my face in my hands, etc.)

As far as your physically showing your sadness (or anger), just think about how you and others look when sad and angry, and try to mimic it.  One thing that's good to remember is that sad people tend to shun others, to close themselves off.  Crossing your arms, turning away from the others, and similar gestures can easily portray the emotion.

However, it's better to marry your physical reactions to the emotional life of your character. One of the keys to doing it successfully is, quite simply, to stay in the moment, and to be completely in character.  In a way, this is a type of self-hypnosis.  Both Lee Strasberg and Sanford Meisner (legendary acting teachers) were big on this, and on the idea that if you don't believe in your character, then neither will your audience. Focus in on what made your character so sad - if you studied Method, connect it to what has made you cry in the past; if you studied the Meisner Technique, draw on how your character feels based on the other characters' interactions with your character.

Lastly, just remember this: a lot of soap opera actors look to be in emotional pain, and some look about ready to emotionally fall apart.  They're actually trying VERY hard not to laugh from the incredibly ludicrous dialogue they're doing!

And, like with any acting technique, it takes practice and experience to do it regularly and consistently, practice and experience that (hopefully!) you will continue to build over the years.

Let me know if this helps, and break a leg!

-- Spyder