Breakdowns...

Sunday Musings have turned into Monday Musings this week!

Let’s talk breakdowns…and not the emotional or mental kind.

Let’s talk casting breakdowns & character breakdowns.

How many times have you, or someone you know, “been right” for a role based on the written breakdown, only to be told, “thanks, but no you aren’t quite right for this.”

Not quite right? Not right? But why?

The age range you posted: check.

The body type you posted: check.

The hair color you posted: check.

The vocal range/type you posted: check.

The implied race/hue/color of said character: check.

What do you mean, I am not quite right for this?????

The reason is, that breakdown has NOTHING to do with the essence a character needs to exude.

Who writes these things?!

Why are they called “breakdowns” anyway?

I have many questions.

All of these “qualities” mean nothing if the essence of the character cannot be captured. (Most of these “qualities” should mean nothing anyway, but that’s another blog for another day…").

The word “breakdown” implies so many things, many of which are not in any way positive or helpful.

A division of something into smaller parts.

Failure. Collapse. Disturbance. Classification. Dissection. Categorization.

hmmm.

So, we, as actors, are required to build and develop a multi-dimensional character with a breakdown that aims to dissect or classify or categorize?

Doesn’t that seem like cross purposes to you?

I have a crazy idea. What if the creative team, the VISION, created the “breakdowns”? And let them start with what they call it: Let’s get creative with naming it, but what it needs to start with is ESSENCE of a character.

What is the journey of that character? What does that character have to do in the arc of the show? What elements of humanity need to be present? What qualities of persona need to be physicalized? What needs to be embodied that is craft, but also, that the actor brings specifically to reveal this essence?

Yes, you need craft.

Yes, you need skill sets like the voice type for the character if it’s a singing character.

Yes, there might be specifics about the story that demand the characters or a character be of a certain ethnicity.

But, what is the ESSENCE that is being sought?

There is great creativity and pliability and energy in CREATING A CHARACTER.

This comes from ESSENCE and how an actor begins with their own and begins to embody that which the character needs in order to come alive.

What if “breakdowns” were called something else (I don’t have a word yet, but I am thinking!) to evoke ESSENCE of character?

We are theatre for crying out loud! We create!

We see the creativity in descriptives for nail colors, lipstick colors, even candle scents, and even how the notes are describes for wine!

Don’t you think we can do better? Don’t you think we SHOULD do better?

I would love to hear your suggestions on what “breakdown” should be changed to. Let me know!

with fondness & fierceness,