By:
Tabitha Garnica
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| Which one are you? |
If you take part in enough
theatrical productions you begin to become very familiar with the different
personas found in the world of performing.
Almost every company has its own cast of characters offstage. Here are a few of the personas I have come to
know well and even have become myself:
1.
The
Quiet Fireball
There
always seems to be that shy little person who sits in the corner and does not
take part in the usual onstage gimmicks.
However, once they hit the stage they have so much energy that it
surprises everyone. All their shyness seems to disappear before the footlights.
2.
The
Ham
Of
course there are those people who decide it is their job to be the comic relief
offstage, if not onstage. They always
have a joke to tell and seem to always know how to bring their humor into their
character. They seem to be best friends
with the entire cast and crew because of their luminous personality.
3.
The
Diva
Male
or female, there must always be a diva.
A diva is someone who always expects to get the lead, and once they do,
knows how to flaunt it. The diva believes
that they are the most talented in the entire cast and makes it a point to
remind everyone of it. Additionally, if
the diva ever got cast in a small part, they would most likely refuse to take
part in the show because it is “beneath them.”
4.
The
Wannabe
Nothing
is more entertaining than a wannabe during the course of a show. This person most likely did not get the part
they wanted, and is probably in the ensemble.
They make it their job to point out the flaws of every lead, especially
the actor who “stole” their role.
5.
The
Helper
The
helper seems to know everything about all parts of stage production. Not only are they part of the show, but they
help out with costumes, painting, set construction, ticket sales, and the
program. They mean no harm. They just happen to be very passionate about
ALL aspects of the theatre, and as long as they are not conceited, they can be
very likable.
6.
The
Suck-Up
A
Helper can become a Suck-Up if they are not careful. The main difference between the two is
motive. The helper simply wants to help
out, while the suck-up tries to stick their nose in every part of production
simply to win favor with the director.
They are the people who hope to become close to the director so that
they will be secured a lead role in any future productions.
7.
The
Daughter of…
This
person is similar to the suck-up, except they do not even have to work for it!
It can be the daughter/son of the costume lady, makeup lady, or even the
director. On the occasions that this
person happens to be talented, they can be tolerable. However, this can be the absolute most
annoying person if they are not talented.
Everyone knows that they only got the role because of who they are and
it gives the theatre group less dignity in the long run.
8.
The
Old-Timer
There
always seems to be that older person who has a supporting role, and takes on
the persona of the teacher. They are not
the lead, yet, they feel they have more experience than the rest of the cast,
and tell stories of when they played that part or when they were in this
show.
9.
The
Unexpected Talent
It
can be annoying when a person seems to fall into a leading role. This person has very little theatre
experience. It can be that guy who
usually plays sports and decided to do the play his senior year. Or it can be that girl whose friends forced
her into the show. Yet, this person
lands a leading role on their first try, and deserves it!
10.
The
“Just for Fun”
Every
show has that group of people who joined just for fun. There is no harm in it since theatre is often
purely recreational. Yet, they can be
annoying to those who take it more seriously.
They have no problem missing rehearsals or talking when the director is
giving notes. They actually talk about
what they are doing next Saturday while they are onstage, and when the time of
the show comes, they still do not get the story.
I hope that while you read this post
you caught yourself thinking, “I know that person!” or “I have done that!” The truth is the dynamics of different types
of theatre people can be so interesting.
It is important that we are able to laugh at ourselves and realize how
entertaining this environment can be.
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Copyright (c) Tabitha Garnica 2013 All Rights Reserved
Photo Credits:
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Copyright (c) Tabitha Garnica 2013 All Rights Reserved
Photo Credits:
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