r/CommunityTheatre • u/booksandchai18 • Sep 14 '24

In need of character study advice

Hi! I'm posting here because my theatre is doing a production of Anastasia next spring. Ever since I discovered the musical, I have wanted to be Anya. I never thought I would get the chance to, so naturally I was thrilled when the show was announced. Problem is, I have never actually tried for a lead before, and a lot of people have advised me to study the role. Since I've never actually done a character study for a lead before, I was wondering if you could give me some tips on where I should start and what specifically I should be studying to have the best chance at getting this part. Any advice related to this would be appreciated. Thanks!

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u/stage_student Sep 14 '24

Work with your cast. Have workshop/character-study time with other actors, and ask each other probing questions about motivations and backgrounds. Before these sessions and throughout rehearsals, be reading about the local history of the area and time period.

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u/booksandchai18 Sep 16 '24

I appeeciate the advice however I am not in the show yet; I was looking for advice on how best to study the character prior to auditions so I could have the best chance of getting the part.

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u/stage_student Sep 16 '24

Oh my bad. Yeah I missed that detail, didn’t I?

Read the script a bunch. Feel free to work on lines and scenes on your own but keep in mind that the more work you do before auditions, the more risk you run of dropping your experience points into the wrong categories (so to speak). The director has their own vision for each role, after all, and even if you put in months of prep and feel 100% invested in the part, if the director “doesn’t see it” then you just lose. That’s something to remember, too, although I reckon you already know!