1 Foundations of Acting Free Online FlashCards

What is acting?

Acting is making purposeful choices in response to imagined circumstances, a story, and other people.

What does presence mean in acting?

Presence is an actor’s engaged availability to what is happening now, including the partner, the space, and the unfolding moment.

What makes listening active in a scene?

Active listening means letting what you receive affect your next choice, rather than waiting for a cue to deliver a memorized line.

What are given circumstances?

Given circumstances are facts established by the text and production, such as who is present, where and when a scene occurs, and what happened before it.

What supports strong ensemble collaboration?

Ensemble collaboration involves preparation, shared focus, listening, clear communication, and respect. Actors can test different choices together and adjust in service of the scene.

What is essential before acting exercises involving touch?

Discuss boundaries and ask permission before exercises or scenes involving touch. Consent can be changed or withdrawn.

What is presence not?

Presence is not simply standing still, projecting confidence, or displaying strong emotion; it means noticing what is happening and responding to it.

What can an actor listen for beyond spoken words?

Actors listen to words as well as timing, tone, movement, and changes in a partner’s behavior.

How can an actor practice separating observation from assumption?

Describe only concrete details actually noticed, such as a change in breath or a pause. This separates observation from assumption.

How does imagination help an actor?

Imagination makes the script’s world vivid and playable by helping actors picture what characters perceive, need, and encounter.

How can an actor make imagined circumstances playable?

Choose a clear, playable focus—such as keeping a bag dry or locating a friend—and let that task shape attention and behavior.

How should intimate or violent stage action be handled?

Intimate or violent stage action should be agreed upon and carefully choreographed with appropriate supervision, not improvised as surprise contact.