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Acting in Plays, Singing/Questions Answered by Expert John T. Aney
| Subject | Date Asked |
| song/monologue selection | 12/2/2010 |
| Q: Son is Freshman in high school and trying out for a role in the Spring musical. It's Les Mis. ... A: Every director does things differently, but, yes, he can choose a monologue from another character. ... | |
| Elizabethan/Jacobean's Playwrights. | 10/3/2010 |
| Q: awhile ago I posted a question about classical acting and if you had any recommendations on what ... A: Christopher, I'm not sure what your question is to me here. Do you need advice as to what you ... | |
| Classical Acting | 8/27/2010 |
| Q: I always have wanted to be an actor and more specifically do classical works from people like ... A: A "classically" trained actor is simply an actor who has taken acting courses that explore classical ... | |
| Comedic Monologue Help | 8/4/2010 |
| Q: I am participating in a cabaret-style show with each of us performing monologues on certain themes. ... A: Just because In The Next Room isn't available from Amazon doesn't mean you can't do a monologue from ... | |
| Broadway Beginner | 6/21/2010 |
| Q: my name is Mary. I'm 16 and there is nothing else that I'd rather do with my life than be in the ... A: Mary, First of all, make sure you know what it is you really want. If you want to be on Broadway ... | |
| Theatre as a Career? or not? | 5/16/2010 |
| Q: i am a junior in high school with one week of school left and then im a senior. Its coming around to ... A: My advice to you is to not be in a big hurry. You are now (or very soon will be) a senior in high ... | |
| Stage combat | 4/6/2010 |
| Q: I'm seventeen years old and I'm acting in a play a fellow student wrote. I play a very butch so to ... A: Kyrsteena, Stage combat is not something that should be taken lightly. If you do not have access ... | |
| Singing | 1/25/2010 |
| Q: I am a 19 year old actor with dreams of living the entirety of my life upon the stage (not ... A: It's not an irrational fear, but it's also not an important one. There is nothing wrong with ... | |
| monologue ideas | 1/3/2010 |
| Q: I am auditioning this week for Oliver and we are supposed to have a one minute monologue prepared in ... A: I'll see if I can give you some answers. Regarding question 1 - only do a British accent if you are ... | |
| College auditions | 12/15/2009 |
| Q: I'm a high school senior prepping for auditions for scholarships at several liberal arts colleges. ... A: Don't worry about the quality or maturing of your monologue. Do something you can connect with, and ... | |
| EMC | 12/1/2009 |
| Q: My 14 year old daughter has the opportunity to earn an equity card within a years time getting paid ... A: A lot depends on where you are located. Pretty much, unless you are in New York, at 14 there is no ... | |
| Good & Bad Acting | 10/4/2009 |
| Q: How can someone notice good acting from bad acting? What do you or an experienced actor look for ... A: This is a tough question to answer. Everyone looks for different things, and is affected by ... | |
| Stage Presence. | 9/7/2009 |
| Q: I am 16 years old and I have been in theatre productions since I was 10. This year my school is ... A: Elizabeth, It sounds to me like you are trying too hard. Don't worry too much about the fact that ... | |
| Becoming a prfessional actor ? | 8/26/2009 |
| Q: I am 5'11, Black, and always get compliments on how handsome I am, what special skills do I need to ... A: Adam, I'm afraid you are looking at things from the wrong perspective. It's a huge mistake to get ... | |
| acting | 8/7/2009 |
| Q: I read your bio. and see the experience you have in theatre is very extensive. I am 34 years old but ... A: I recommend two options. The first is to find a community college in your area that offers classes ... | |
| College Audition | 7/22/2009 |
| Q: I'm auditioning for colleges at the beginning of next year and I have a big list of monologues that ... A: Joshua, I think you'd be better off with #2, rather than #1. It's perfectly OK do to an audition ... | |
| audition tips, nerve control tips | 7/9/2009 |
| Q: I'm having an audition for two shows- A Midsummer Nights Dream, and Equus. I'm really hoping for a ... A: Molly - great question. Thanks! When you are in the audition, you have one friend. The text in ... | |
| acting auditions | 6/22/2009 |
| Q: John, My names Brooke, I'm 14 years old, soon to be 15. I am very interested in acting, it has ... A: Brooke, My advice to you right now is to enjoy your summer. You are only 14. You have your whole ... | |
| Recommended Reading Matter? | 5/9/2009 |
| Q: John! Thank you for reading my question. (In reading this over, I see that I am a bit prolific. I ... A: Michael, Thank you for your question. It's refreshing to see someone asking about something other ... | |
| One-Person Show | 4/17/2009 |
| Q: Hey! I'm really interested in creating a one-man show, but wanted to know how I should do it? Is it ... A: No, a one-man show is not the same as stand up comedy. While many solo performances have been ... | |
| Performing monologues | 4/9/2009 |
| Q: I am supposed to be performing a monologue for my AS drama practical exam and am having some ... A: First of all, any movements you make or variations in your voice should come as a result of choices ... | |
| Talent Show | 3/11/2009 |
| Q: !! I have a school talent show in a month or two and my friend and I are going to sing. We're ... A: As recently as 75 years ago, white performers used to paint their faces black and go onstage to sing ... | |
| The role of servant in theatre | 2/22/2009 |
| Q: I'm looking to choose a suitable area of study for my MA in Performance. One of the areas I'm ... A: Interesting idea! I think in the US today you could argue that the role of the servant is now ... | |
| Comedic vs. Dramatic Acting? | 2/10/2009 |
| Q: and thanks for reading my question. I would also like to apologize in advance if I get any ... A: Mike, Thanks for your question. You can't imagine how nice it is to get a question that ISN'T ... | |
| Too old to start an acting career? | 1/17/2009 |
| Q: My name is Michael and I've always had an interest in pursuing an acting career. I got the acting ... A: Michael, I get a lot of simple, somewhat silly questions on Allexperts, and its refreshing to get ... | |
| Shakespeare | 11/18/2008 |
| Q: My name is Jenny and I'm having difficulty finding a comedic Shakespearean monologue for a younger ... A: Jenny, Don't worry about finding a monologue that fits your age - find a good monologue that you ... | |
| Audition/Monoluge Question | 10/29/2008 |
| Q: I am auditioning for The Miracle Worker - role of Annie or Kate. I've been out of this for a while ... A: Generally, there are two schools of thought regarding monologues to choose for an audition. One is ... | |
| Need Help Finding a Monologue | 7/9/2008 |
| Q: I'm a sophomore in high school and our fall play is Arsenic and Old Lace. I'd like to play one of ... A: Amanda, I think you should reconsider what you think the purpose of a monologue is. The purpose of ... | |
| Acting | 2/27/2008 |
| Q: I am 16 years old. I am having much trouble in high school. I have no family. My mother and father ... A: Antoinette, I feel that I must suggest that you not only speak to your counselor about your acting ... | |
| scholarships | 1/21/2008 |
| Q: !! I wanna ask u if u know places and how to apply for acting scholarshps in san francisco? I wanna ... A: The first thing you should do is connect with Theatre Bay Area (http://www.theatrebayarea.org/). ... | |
| Vaudeville Songs | 1/18/2008 |
| Q: ..I am not faring too well. I was wondering if you may know where to locate: "The Hot Tamale Man" ... A: Matt, I'm not sure what you need. I have found a number of places where you can hear a twenties era ... | |
| Tall ACcress | 12/22/2007 |
| Q: I am a very tall actress (5'9!). I was wondering if you know if/how my height will be an advantage ... A: Joanna, There is no reason you should ever let your height prevent you from auditioning for any ... | |
| Macbeth | 11/15/2007 |
| Q: Aney, I'm reading Macbeth in my English class later this year. Here is my problem: When we are ... A: Dana, You may not like my advice to you, but I'm going to give it anyway... Are you reading the ... | |
| Macbeth!! | 11/7/2007 |
| Q: I'm in Year 10 at Royal Russell School, and as part of our coursework in English we are doing an ... A: Normally I don't do homework questions, but I thought I might give you a hand. You ask what kind of ... | |
| Violet | 11/7/2007 |
| Q: I know it says that you don't answer questions on musisal theatre, but I'm not asking a question ... A: Well, Matthew, you stumped me. "Violet" was written by Jeanine Tesori and Brian Crawley, as I'm ... | |
| Please give me advice about becoming an actress | 11/6/2007 |
| Q: two years ago i discovered that I have a natural acting talent(studying and acting plays from the ... A: Diandra, You have made the first, big step toward your dream of becoming an actor - you have ... | |
| Finding a Specific Character... | 10/12/2007 |
| Q: Mr. Aney. I have kind of a strange question...For a school project, I need to find a very specific ... A: Well, there are a lot of women I could think of. Some would say Stella Kowalski settled for less ... | |
| my lack of audition skills | 9/15/2007 |
| Q: My name is Elizabeth and I am 16 years old. I really want to be on Broadway, and I have the singing ... A: Elizabeth, You said at the start of your message that you "really want to be on Broadway." I would ... | |
| Help with audition | 8/30/2007 |
| Q: I really do want a bigger part than I have in the past. The fall production is The Adventures of ... A: My general advice to auditioneers is only use an accent in an audition of you are 100% comfortable ... | |
| audition material | 8/19/2007 |
| Q: I am hoping to be cast for a specific role, Kitty Duval from "The Time of Your Life" by William ... A: I would look through the plays of Clifford Odets. He was writing a bit earlier, but the language ... | |
| Harvey Audition | 8/17/2007 |
| Q: I really need some help getting the character and our director has told us that he doesn't want a ... A: You should check what you think it means to be "simple." Simple does not mean dumb, or retarded. ... | |
| Equity card | 6/26/2007 |
| Q: I am aware that to act on Broadway you need an Equity card. What is that and how can you get one? ... A: I can tell you what you are asking, but I also will warn you about setting your sights on Broadway. ... | |
| Acting styles | 6/4/2007 |
| Q: It's not a homework question, John. I've had a thirty year career in the theater, published books, ... A: Please accept my sincerest apologies. You should know that I receive many, many questions on ... | |
| Acting | 5/22/2007 |
| Q: Hey there this site is really helpful...well My name is Joshua Knepper I am 17 years old and ... A: Good luck. You say you want to find a "steady job." If you want to get a job as an actor, then ... | |
| auditioning for children's theater | 5/22/2007 |
| Q: I am auditioning to be a resident artist at a children's theater company soon. I've never ... A: I've never auditioned for Children's Theatre, but I think your instincts are right. It's a great ... | |
| Acting | 5/20/2007 |
| Q: Hey there this site is really helpful...well My name is Joshua Knepper I am 17 years old and ... A: First of all, Joshua, get your education. Your community college and VCU plan is a good one, but ... | |
| Try Again? | 5/19/2007 |
| Q: I am going to be a senior in High School next year and have been involved in the drama program for ... A: Unfortunately, while there are many things you can do to try to improve your chances, it is ... | |
| confusion! | 4/29/2007 |
| Q: i am 14 years old and fro the UK and i am nearing my exams and in the school production, i have a ... A: Your first responsibility is to your school work. If you are concerned about learning the lines in ... | |
| making it on non-musical Broadway | 4/13/2007 |
| Q: My name is Emmna, im 14 years old ,a freshman in High School, have always wanted to act. When I was ... A: Emma, My first piece of advice to you is to decide what you really want. If you really want to act ... | |
| "crossdressing" in a play | 4/11/2007 |
| Q: I am a 14 year old girl playing a young man's part. He's sort of cool but a little bit romantic. How ... A: Watch the way guys act. Not only what they do, but how they move, how they walk, how they sit, how ... | |
| First step towards acting | 1/10/2007 |
| Q: This is Arshay Shetty and am very fond of Acting and theatre and wanted to know what advise to you ... A: Style doesn't matter when you are starting out. Working hard is the most important and most ... | |
| Is it really all about conflict? | 12/14/2006 |
| Q: I'm a professional actor and I've had extensive experience/training, and somehow it's always ... A: James, Wow - what a great question! So different from the usual "what monologue should I do" ... | |
| female comedic monologue | 12/8/2006 |
| Q: I am trying to find a monologue to do it front of 12 agencies. I want something funny, witty, and ... A: Try some plays by Caryl Churchill, like Cloud Nine or Top Girls. She's British, so you would need a ... | |
| Classical Comedy | 11/22/2006 |
| Q: John - I will soon be auditioning for a production of Servant of Two Masters. The director has ... A: I'm not sure how well I can answer your question, but I'll try. I think one problem you might have ... | |
| opening night | 11/10/2006 |
| Q: my daughters boyfriend is the lead in the theatrical fable "the love of three oranges" in Our local ... A: Flowers are perfectly OK. If he's graduated from college, he's mature enough to know that flowers ... | |
| A monologue? | 11/1/2006 |
| Q: My English teacher says that if a monologue is not active, it is not considered a monologue. While I ... A: This is a really great question, and I'm glad to lend my opinion... Your English teacher is partly ... | |
| Interp SOI Monologue | 10/20/2006 |
| Q: Aney, I have wanted to be an actress since I was a little kid, and the more I learn about acting the ... A: First thing - what is making you feel mediocre? It's very possible that the only one who thinks you ... | |
| portraying your charcter and sounding dark or evil. | 10/5/2006 |
| Q: well that is some excellent advice, heres another question i was wondering about. I found htis book ... A: No, I don't think a book on mime would help you. Mime is a very specific art form that involves ... | |
| Drama | 10/4/2006 |
| Q: he asked me to prepare a play and to act by myself in front of my friends i love acting and i know ... A: First of all, Marielle, welcome to the United States. I hope you will find mostly kind, friendly ... | |
| portraying your charcter and sounding dark or evil. | 9/29/2006 |
| Q: I'm 16 years old and i'm in a school play called arsenic and old lace. I go tthe role of Jonathon ... A: The big problem is that you are thinking of the character as "evil." No one, even the worst ... | |
| School Production-Questions | 9/23/2006 |
| Q: I'm new to my high school and they're doing a production of 'Crucibal.' I've done one musical in 6th ... A: Probably you can expect that the director will do what's called "cold reads" from the script. That ... | |
| Character help | 9/21/2006 |
| Q: I'm playing Wong, the water seller in my high school's production in "The good woman of Setzuan". I ... A: First of all, find out what is said about him by the other characters in the play, how they react ... | |
| The Liar | 9/20/2006 |
| Q: My local community theater is holding auditions for the play, "The Liar" in about a month. The play ... A: OK, first of all, have you tried reading the play? Your local library should have a copy. If not, ... | |
| my smiles not good enough for the stage | 7/13/2006 |
| Q: I'm only in 7th grade and dream to be an actor but my smiles not good enough for the stage. It's ... A: Your smile isn't good enough? Who is telling you that? Being an actor isn't about smiling. It's ... | |
| audition piece | 10/14/2005 |
| Q: I'm auditioning for the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music in January and they're requiring a ... A: There are lots of good books of monologues - check out anything by Nina Shurtleff - they should ... | |
| Audition | 9/15/2005 |
| Q: I have very little acting experience but I have an audition to prepare for. I was have taken a ... A: Miguel, There is nothing wrong with doing something from an audition book - there are lots of good ... | |
| Acting - Memorizing Lines | 4/11/2005 |
| Q: My 14 year old son has been selected as ?Bottom (the guy who walks around with a donkey head on) in ... A: First, the play he is in is Midsummer Night's Dream, not As You Like It. No problem - just thought ... | |
| First time Drama Person | 7/4/2004 |
| Q: My name is Amanda Edlow, and I am an upcoming sophmore in High school, and I have all of a sudden ... A: Amanda, I'm glad to hear that you are interested in theatre. It's really a wonderful art to be ... | |
Acting in Plays, Singing
Answers by Expert:
John T. Aney
Top Expert on this page
Expertise
I hold a Masters` Degree in Theatre History and Dramatic Literature - I can help with any question on non-Musical theatre, including acting technique, dramatic literature, theatre history, etc. Please note - I do not answer questions regarding song choices for musical theatre auditions.
Experience
Experience: 25 years as actor and student of the theatre Masters` Degree in Theatre History and Dramatic Literature Certificate in Acting and Directing from Moscow Art Theatre Stanislavsky Summer School
Education: MA - Theatre History and Dramatic Literature, Indiana University BA - Lewis and Clark College
Clients: Wooden O Shakespeare Company (Actor and Dramaturg), Menlo Players Guild (Actor and Dramaturg), Bus Barn Stage Co, Dragon Productions, City Lights Theatre
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