Actors are a combination of private eye — and anthropologist

By Jessica Sage

Dear Jessica,

At Rogue Theater Company’s recent Tuesday Talk, someone asked actor Robin Goodrin Nordli about the process of building a character, asking her to contrast that process early in her career versus that process now that she is much more experienced. I wondered how you might answer that question.

— Judith A.

Hi Judith,

Thanks for this question. As I reflected on it, I noticed that my process of building a character has remained fairly consistent, although I’m sure my methods have been refined over the decades. As with anything you do with a certain amount of repetition, building a character becomes easier the more experience you have had. For me, it involves a combination of imagination, research, observation and exploration. This approach can assist with memorizing lines as well.

When I undertake a deep dive into a script, I want to understand my character’s role in the larger story: her relationships with other characters, her goals, motivations and conflicts. I often create a backstory for my character, including her upbringing, relationships, traumas and any significant events that have shaped who she is when the play begins. Then I explore her physical expression: how she moves, gestures, stands, her posture, gait, facial expressions and mannerisms. I consider the character’s voice: accent, tone, rhythm of speech and vocal qualities. This can include exploring variations in pitch, volume and tempo to convey different emotions or states of mind. My favorite component in building a character is understanding her inner world: emotions, desires, fears and conflicts she is experiencing. This involves empathizing with that character’s experiences and finding ways to authentically express her emotional journey. I experiment with various presentations until I get that sense of “rightness.”

Actors often ask: “What is my motivation and objective?” I want to know what drives her actions. I explore the dynamics between my character and others in the story and how these relationships influence her behavior and choices. I consider her social/cultural environments and imagine how these impact her worldview and behavior. As I navigate, I’m able to identify her personality traits, strengths, weaknesses, quirks and idiosyncrasies. These details help bring depth and specificity to my portrayal.  As you can see, it’s like being a private eye investigator or cultural anthropologist as I make a relationship with this character.

Now, having said all that, I will need to surrender any of these choices if they conflict with the director’s perspective, as the director has the final say on how a character behaves on stage. Also, once I’m working with the other actors, their valuable insights and perspectives may alter how I’ve built my character. The challenge is to come into the first rehearsal with enough information about the character without being wedded to what I’ve discovered. Remaining open to new insights, interpretations, and discoveries throughout the rehearsal process, and even during performances, is an actor’s strength. My hope is to be comfortable in the skin of my character, while renewing a fresh relationship with her at each performance.

Theater lovers, what would you like to know about theater, acting, stagecraft, etc.? Send your questions to contact@roguetheatercompany.com. In the meantime, bring up the houselights, and let’s have some fun!

Jessica Sage is artistic director of Rogue Theater Company. Up next for the company is Dan Donohue and Ray Porter in Marie Jones’s Stones in His Pockets, performing at Grizzly Peak Winery at 1 p.m. July 17 — Aug. 4. Get tickets and information at roguetheatercompany.com.