More than Make Believe

By: Ray Deck III

i o n
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tr o A c A publication of:
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Acting is one of the most misunderstood artistic disciplines around. Most people have no respect for acting as an art form or as a legitimate min-
istry. Let me tell you, it can be an extremely powerful tool of communication. Acting is easy to practice but impossible to master. It is the king of
Communication arts. Okay… so maybe not on that last one. I am a little biased.

It is my goal in this eBook to demonstrate to you the basics of serious acting. I believe in excellence – in doing “If we’re
things well in order to glorify God. The church today is full of lousy dramatic arts. It saddens me to see poorly
executed drama and weak skits about the most powerful topics ever conceived. Hollywood cannot compete with gonna do
our material! What we talk about has eternal ramifications, and yet we often do a worse job with our drama than
many public, elementary schools assuming that “God will use it anyway.” If we’re gonna do it, let’s do it right!
it, let’s do
That mentality makes me sick. We should be excellent in what we do in order to bring glory to God and to do
justice to the messages of God’s Word. it right!”

If you are not an actor, but you would like to be, this is the right place.

If you are interested in enhancing your lesson or sermon with living illustrations of Biblical truth, you’re in the right pace.

If you have never done this kind of thing before, you’re in the right place.

If you are a serious actor who is interested in moving from secular theatre to dramatic ministry, this is the place for you.
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Before we get stared, let’s make one thing very clear.

Drama will never EVER replace the preaching and teaching of the Word of God.
That being said, it can greatly increase the amount of preaching that your audience remembers. The truth being taught or preached isn’t going to
matter if it doesn’t stick. Drama can act as an illustration, introduction or conclusion. It could even contain the message itself on a rare occasion.

BUT (big but) it can never do any of those things unless the hearts of those involved are right with the Lord. God will not use an unclean vessel.
Just like any other ministry, acting requires spiritual and mental preparation. The actor is highly susceptible to attitudes of arrogance, selfishness
and self-gratification. The spotlight can quickly melt the heart of a Christian. Do not operate under any illusion that you as an actor are any better
because of your position on the stage. Recognize that God is choosing to use you, and it is He who has gifted you in this area. Without His bless-
ing and sustaining hand, you will not succeed. Always Remember that always.

Ask yourself: why do I want to be an actor?

If the answer is: ‘to communicate the Gospel’, or ‘because there is a need’ then great!

But if the answer is something more like, “applause, recognition, to be in front of people,” you need to lock up that kind of thinking right now. You
will never succeed as a minister, regardless of how much talent you may have. God resists the proud and gives grace to the humble. (James 4:6-
7) That applies to Actor’s too.

James spends quite a bit of time talking about the dangers of speech. You would do well to memorize the entire chapter of James 3
before you ever set out to memorize a script. Take special note of verse 1. The more people that hear you, the more strictly you will be
judged for what you say. This is not a reprimand, just a sober word of caution. We all need a reminder ever now and then.

Words are powerful; be careful with them.

Hey, words are powerful. Just be careful with them.
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If your motives are pure, I’m glad you’re on board! Let’s get started.

There are basically three schools of acting: Method Acting, Form Acting & Improvisation. There are others, but no one uses them.

Method Acting – Russian in derivation. First taught by Stanislavski. (never heard of him? Don’t worry.) He was a pretty eccentric gen-
ius. He used to teach in a costume, posing as other people. Many of his students never knew they had been taught by the master. An
actor in the truest sense. Anyway, this form of acting is basically a display of genuine emotion on cue. Instead of pretending to be angry
(or whatever), an actor recalls from memory what it feels like to be angry and displays it.

Form Acting – British school. Some method actors call it “mechanical acting”. That’s a little harsh in my opinion. The basic idea is that
the appearance of emotion is manufactured. Form acting is kind of like playing copy-cat. An actor may mimic what another person has
done, or act according to a, “do it this way” style of direction.

Improvisation—The American school of acting. Improvisers literally make up their lines, characters, and even the plot while standing
on stage. It is a unique style of performance that is usually associated with comedy, but the best improvisers can be dramatically stoic
as well as comical. This school is underappreciated. Maybe someday I’ll write an eBook about it specifically. Hmm…

There is a whole lot more that goes into each school of acting, but this should give you a starting place and the ability to tell them apart. If you are
serious about acting, it would be good to study the methods practiced by others.
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Some books to read (if you are interested)

All of these books will approach the craft from a Method Acting point of view. I am a
method actor.

In truth, Method acting is a more complete approach to acting, and form acting is a
shortcut. Stanislavski’s Method allows for a more believable and realistic display of hu-
man emotion. Method Acting begins from the premise that all men are capable of feel-
ing the same sensations. While our response to those sensations may vary, we all feel
the same things in the same way. Using one’s own experiences to conjure up genuine
emotion will lead to an accurate interpretation of the character.

The argument then follows that an actor is not able to play a role unless he has experienced those specific
circumstances himself. This is flawed thinking. It may be easier for you to play an abuse victim if you have
been abused, but it is certainly not required. While you may not have first hand experience with abuse, cer-
tainly you know what despair, helplessness, anger and sorrow feel like.
...no good
Is Method Acting better? Yes. art is done
Harder? Also yes.

It can be extremely difficult to portray genuine emotion on the stage. It means opening up, and exposing
without risk.
yourself. That is no fun. Most of us would rather hide behind our character, rather than bear our souls in this
way. Criticism hurts much more when it is your own heart on display, but no good art is done without risk.

Do you have the courage to expose your heart on the stage?

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A More than Make Believe
By: Ray Deck III

As you begin to prepare for a role, one of the most helpful things that any actor can do is study the background, setting, characters, and original
intent of the playwright. Political
views had a
Do your homework. lot to do
Research. with how I
played the
Study. character of
Judas.
Ask as many questions as you can think of:

What are his motives?

What is his character like?
How does he dress?
What are his political views?
Religious views?
How was he raised? The answers may be in the script
? itself, or you may have to go to an
? ived
outside source. If you are playing a
f him erce historical role, many of these ques-
o e p elf?
k s tions already have answers but if
? thin to b him not, use your imagination. Double
old ll? hers ant of check your findings with your direc-
w t w k tor. You always want to be on the
Ho w ta do o he thin
same page with him/her. What you
decide should affect how you play
Ho hat oes s he
W w d doe that particular role.
Ho hat
W
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How do you think a porn addict thinks?

Judas again...

As a director, I tell my actors regularly,

“You’re role in this production will be as big as you make it.”
It doesn’t matter how many lines you have, or even if your character is called by name. If you believe in the role that you are playing,
the audience will too.

You will be amazed how much all of the random information that you accumulate will affect your acting. I never thought that it would matter
until I started doing it. Learn as much as you can before you ever step onto a stage or start memorizing lines. If you believe in what you’re
doing so will the audience.
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When it comes to actually learning lines, determine how you learn best. I could never memorize a script just by reading it over. I must hear it.
That’s just how I’m wired. I memorize by hearing. I record myself delivering the lines and replay it until my family is sick of it. I sneak away to a
private place and read through the script out loud.

Some other memorization ideas for you:

Read out loud: My Dad does this. He reads a section over and over again to himself until he can do it Memorize
without looking.
Memorize small chunks: Don’t try to take it all on at once. You will probably have better success if you thoughts,
are patient and memorize smaller portions and then piece them together.
Don’t procrastinate: If you get in a jam and have to memorize a large portion in a short amount of time,
you could really be in trouble. Start on it as soon as possible.
not lines.
Use memory cues: What will bring it to your mind? A song? A visual association? Use whatever it takes.

Bottom-line: do whatever you gotta do to get it done. Everybody’s different. Identify how you memorize best, and do it that way.

One of the best pieces of advice that I ever received on memorization was to memorize thoughts rather than lines. Memorize the thought pat-
terns instead of just a collection of words in order. If you memorize the thought process of the character, then each time you rehearse or perform
it, the inflection will be there as well.
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A technique associated with Method Acting that has come in handy for many actors is called Image Trans-
ference. In short, Image Transference is attaching personal thoughts to elements of the plot, or the char-
acters with which you are interacting.

For Example: In playing the disciple John, an actor might think of his own father when relating to Jesus. We
know that Jesus had a special mentorship relationship with Jesus, and that the disciples respected and
loved Jesus, much like a son would a father. Thinking of one’s own father in the situations such as Jesus
faced can help an actor portray honestly the relationship between John
and Jesus.

Some have called image transference a crutch. I don’t agree. It is a tool, What personal life situation could you think
and if it is effective for you, then use it. Personally, I struggle with using of to conjure the emotion of despair?
image transference. It just doesn’t jive with the way my mind works. I do
better with just imagining what it must be like to… fill in the blank.

When was the last time you were

genuinely in awe?

I hope you are getting the point that in order to act effectively you must be personally invested in what is going on. Emotional investment is not
cheep. It will cost you something to do a good job acting, but the return in people’s lives being changed is well worth it. That’s why I call it emo-
tional investment rather than cost.

Where are you investing your emotions?

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Rehearsal is the actor’s laboratory.

It’s your place to experiment, struggle through difficult lines, and build chemistry with the other people on stage. Nail down your cues, get a
handle on your lines and the blocking and then start trying new things. Quality rehearsal time is the major difference between a professional
and an amateur. You must view rehearsal as work (not play). Sure, work can be fun, but it should also be productive. Don’t expect to throw
away your rehearsal time and have a good show anyway.

Do your absolute best to be “off book” as fast as possible. The sooner you put your script
My 5 biggest tips down, the faster your character will really come alive.
on rehearsal time: The more time that you spend “in character”, the better. Your role will be more developed
when performance time rolls around if you have spent time and effort working through the nuances of
how your character thinks. This can only happen if you actually spend time “in character”. Talking
about it, reading about it, thinking about it just don’t have the same effect as being the part.
Be consistent with your rehearsals. Try to do each scene/line/gesture the same way every time. Even if you are experimenting with
something new, keep all of the other elements surrounding it consistent.
Experiment with one element at a time.
If you don’t know, try it! The only way to find out if a line/gesture/movement/inflection is going to work is if you try it out in rehearsal.
Never EVER experiment in a performance. If you didn’t do it in rehearsal already, don’t try it live.
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An important part of rehearsal time is enunciation. Every line must be heard, and rehearsal is the time to work out the kinks and find out if you are
being heard and understood or not. It is a battle that every actor fights, and I am no exception. I’m a redneck from North Carolina, so you can
imagine the kind of accent that comes with that sort of background. I had a speech coach actually break my
accent. It took hours of work, but we did it. I can speak perfect accent-free American (distinctly different than
English). You can too. You may need to break an accent, and it’s going to be hard, but you can do it. Consonants
“Consonants give the word identity!” My director used to shout with perfect diction. He was right, of course; it
is just irritating to get called out because my picture perfect performance was totally wasted due to sloppy dic- give the
tion. Enunciation can be a frustrating fight for the actor. As I was just beginning my own struggle, that same
speech coach classified consonants into three groups based on how they feel in the mouth. word identity.
Crackly – c, k, ch, t, x
These are the easiest to execute with precision, but can be awkward if there are many in close proximity.
This group is going to require you to slow your delivery in order to use them effectively, but can bring a
large degree of clarity. Substitute one of these sounds whenever possible (i.e. k in place of g, or t in place
of d)

Bubbly – b, p, j, w, q, h, d, g
These tend to color the vowels. Your accent will be determined most readily by how you manage these consonants and the vowels that are
associated with them. They often have similar sounds (b & p). Be aware, and make them as crisp a “bubble” as you can.

Fuzzy – s, l, v, z, m, n, f, r
These are the tricky ones. The fuzzy consonants are easy to drop, and doing so likely changes the word entirely. All of the other consonants
cannot be sustained, but these can be drawn out for as long as you have breath. They don’t dead end the word in your mouth. A crisp finish
with one of these takes work.
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The key is work hard. I know that doesn’t sound like much of a “key,” but I’m telling you diction just takes work. Work at it; don’t be lazy and you
can speak clearly. Listen to yourself and remember that if it sounds exaggerated to your ear (inches from your mouth) then it probably sounds
just about right to your audience. The problem comes when we are unwilling to sound weird to ourselves. You must be willing to accept the fact
that your voice will sound different in the house than it does in your head. If you must, make a recording of yourself and listen to whether or not
you can be understood.

Avoid the trap of trying to overly enunciate the vowels. Enunciation is in the consonants. If you work hard at enunciating the vowels, you will end
up sounding like… well… really funny. The emotion is in the vowel while the identity of the word is in the consonant.

The best tip that I can give you is to listen to your critique and make adjustments as your director rags on you for being unclear. If you don’t re-
ceive any critique about diction, ask.

Whatever you do, never assume that you are being understood. Find out. Like anything
else, clarity comes with quality practice time. But in time, good diction is like riding a bike.
Once you get to a certain point, it never really gets away from you.

Some have suggested using a mirror or a video camera at rehearsals to work out the deliv-
ery kinks. These tools can be helpful, but be careful not to become dependant with them. If
you never practice without a mirror, when performance time comes you are really going to
miss the instant feedback.

Work slowly from a rehearsal environment to performance environment. Start eliminating

elements like mirrors and video cameras for rehearsal and slowly start introducing perform-
ance elements like costume, makeup, microphones, lights and finally audience. Rehearsal
should be a steady buildup to performance environment.
Rehearse to the point of, “No surprises.”
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Above all, listen to your critique. I know that I just said that, but it’s really worth a second (and probably a third) mention. Critique is extremely im-
portant. Whoever happens to be watching your rehearsals is going to have an opinion. Your director is going to see the big picture, and a random
bystander is going to catch isolated elements and form an opinion. The feedback is not going to be hard to find, but what you do with it can be
challenging. It’s humbling to accept criticism, but doing so is only going to make you better.

There is a balance to be struck here. You know what you want to accomplish, and the critic may
not understand that. You must be careful to communicate what you intend, and sometimes that
means ignoring criticism. Other times it is going to mean that you listen to feedback and make
adjustments. What you are looking for is comments like, “I didn’t really understand what you
were trying to do.” If that person should have understood, then you have some work to do. If that
person didn’t see the whole product, then evaluate if that would have changed their opinion. Be
careful that it isn’t your own pride that is preventing you from accepting correction or criticism.

Some of the most valuable critique for me is from non-drama people. They can see a skit or a
play and tell me what the average audience member is thinking. I might appreciate the artistic
flair that we have brought, but if the average person doesn’t understand it isn’t going to be effec-
tive.

I tell my drama team that critique is my love language. Please understand that your director and
the other actors are not going to criticize you just to put you down (hopefully, if not, find a new
drama team), but rather to make you better. Critique does not mean that you are doing poorly, it
means that you could do better. Critique means that you are on the right track. Never let critique
discourage you.
Critique is my love language
Think about this: What is the difference between critique and criticism?
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After rehearsal comes… you guessed it, performance. I have a few words to say about it.

The most overlooked element of performance is warming up to it. No one think about how to prepare for a show. As an actor, I was blessed to
have directors who ingrained in me the importance of warm-up and I am thankful that I had those directors early in my career. At the urging of
one director in particular, I developed a pre-performance routine that I still maintain to this day. The routine does a number of things beyond just
warm-up. The familiarity can calm nerves and the routine can help you find a groove over a long run.

Pre-show routine can go a long way in making your more consistent as an actor. Professional
are consistent. Build a routine, be a professional.

The finale of The

Sights and Sounds
of Christmas pro-
duced by Word of
Life in Hudson, FL.
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My routine contains four distinct warm-ups.

Voice – Acting can be as hard (or harder, depending on the accent required) on your voice as singing. With proper technique neither should be
damaging to your vocal chords. Part of proper technique is warm-up. Regardless of the time of day, your voice requires some attention before a
serious workout. Practice good breathing habits and stretch your range slowly by gradually moving from your normal speaking range into the
higher and lower extremes of your register.

Mouth — There is a different discipline involved here. The voice box generates raw sound and those sounds are converted into coherent sylla-
bles in your mouth. The tongue, lips and facial muscles are all involved. Those muscles can be sluggish when cold. Why do you think we slur our
speech early in the morning? Try tongue twisters. They are a great way to warm-up your mouth for precise diction.

Mind — Serious acting requires a sharp mind. It can be tough to keep your mind engaged. Actors tend to switch into auto-pilot at some point dur-
ing a long run. Professionals are proactive in preventing this. It can be discouraging to get a critique like “stale” or “shallow” from your director
when you didn’t feel any different. The difference could have been your level of mental dedication to your work on that particular day. Don’t feel
bad, it’s easy to slide into flat performances. Mental warm-up is the best preventative medicine. I usually take about ten minutes to clear my mind
before a show (or skit, size of performance is arbitrary). Find a quiet place and evaluate your own heart for motive, and spiritual focus. If we are
not walking with our Savior, how can we expect to be an effective minister of His message?

Body — Identify any muscle that you are going to be using (hands, legs, arms, shoulders, and face) for a particular piece. Don’t leave anything
out, even the smallest muscles are still muscles and require warm-up just like biceps. Flex and relax each individually until you feel loose. It may
seem like overkill, but the day that you step onto stage and are unable to duplicate the face that you made everyday in practice, you’ll be back. It
feels silly, I know, but it is worth it.

Hokie-Pokie — In High School, we did the Hokie-Pokie right before going on stage. It is a tradition that has faded over time, but it still brings a
smile to my face when I think of “putting-my-right-leg-in.”
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Okay, you’ve rehearsed and warmed-up. You have done everything to ensure a stellar performance, and then… it happens.
f or ge
You: t you
r lines Break y
Fall down the stairs our mic
rophone
li ne
Lose your prop Pass out on stage (hey, it’s happened) dle of a
mid
cue Get a cold e
in th
our eze
i ssy Call a character by the wrong name Sne
M

… what then.
And
Let’s be honest, these things happen. I had one director who used to call them “hiccups”. It was a pretty good then…it
term for things like this, because they happen regardless of how well you have prepared. Stuff happens. When
you run into hiccups on stage, it is important to remember that people hiccup in real life too. happens.
Realism is a crucial but unsung element of effective dramatic communication. Many times the playwright will use
the first scene to establish his reality, and invite the audience to buy into the legitimacy of what is happening on
the stage. In other cases, a particular character will be chosen to bring authenticity to the stage. In The Importance of Being Earnest, for exam-
ple, Algernon is introduced playing the piano. His first few lines are apologetic for the quality of the music. He does not play perfectly. He plays
realistically. The scene that follows benefits from the realism of a man who loves music but cannot play as well as he wished that he did.
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The stage, like the real world, should be full of people who have faults. Many
times as producers or directors, we cringe when an actor miss-speaks, uses the d
himle
e p
wrong name, or enters early. Those “mistakes” seem to be non-existent in a pro- call sim
fessional production, but they can add an element of realism that was missing t a I
before. , I jus ng,
ti ou ld e
h
ha et Sh en t the
h a nal s e ? e ,
The key to being able to execute a successful ad-lib cover like these is practice. h, “ otio t im betw and thing d
l
g d t l
That’s right: practice is the key to ad-lib. If a mistake in practice leads to a full
break of character and scene, then it will in the show too. When a mistake comes o r lau nt em
a
ba k ou t we f any n an
i I a -
m in iffere
d th is bac red de. cle
p e a s r ex
along, as a director, use the opportunity to teach. a li v a h e
d
by In a
as
“Is d s co en m r w
an g e e te I rat
re . a b l a “
ve red ch ne st d s p le,
co requi su a li on ” ha inute
be er sim
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line such ctors take m
is w a
h
e
co hara nt. ad-li just the a “m a fe
c r r wit
m i e n e t a e te
le : g
na k of uffic g a deliv , bu that ranc
a s i n d t arac
on re r r ie re n ch
mp er
exa e wr o b y be an b acto orrif awa His e
N a c n h n th
r th u o
Fo in an
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co arly I w dire com ore up _.”
e it?” he was s m ed __
n
A w s. ce a T wa pick ____
be ____
tab dien ene n
ca say,
au e sc l. e
th tura d lin u to
na ppe yo
dro ted
A pec
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One time, while playing Sir Joseph Porter, in H.M.S Pinafore, I was
standing in the wings awaiting my entrance. The cue line snuck up on
me, and I bolted onto the stage without my hat. My jacket was un-
zipped, and my hat was on a chair in the actor lobby. My stately and
sophisticated Porter had become uncharacteristically unkempt. I was
well on the way to a disaster, but my acting coach had prepared the
whole cast for just such a happenstance. The setting was at nighttime
on the main deck of the ship, and in the storyline, I was supposed to be
coming from my cabin. Losing some of the characteristic propriety was
not horrible in this scene, because Sir Joseph could very well have
been sleepless that night anyway. I ran my hands through my hair,
quickly creating a bed-head effect. One ad-libed line about being em-
barrassed without my hat, and I was back on track.

A comment by a protégé of mine

after the show told me that I had Never be
succeeded. He said, “Nice touch
with the hat. I liked the decision
The HMS Pinafore by Gilbert & Sullivan to leave it off for the duet scene.” afraid of be-
It is impossible to prepare for everything that might happen on stage, but you can prepare mentally to im- coming more
provise. I had a director that used to teach this principle by saying, “We make each other look good.”
Meaning, we cover for each other’s mistakes.
realistic.
Never be afraid of your scene becoming more realistic because it has real people in it.
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Well there you have it, a crash course in acting for non-actors. Honestly, there is no teacher like the stage. You will learn more by stepping up
and giving a line or two than I could ever convey in a book like this. Start piling up experiences and watch your skills develop. It’s going to take
time, but you can do it.

So what are you waiting for?

Take the plunge.
What are
Start acting.
you waiting
I wish you the best as you minister through the dramatic arts. It is an incredible ministry, and I have seen for?
countless hearts affected by a ministry from the stage. Allow me to make one final observation.

Your heart should be the first one to change. It should be your own spiritual life that is impacted first. Only growing Christians are able to help
other Christians change. One of the people that I work with at Word of Life Bible Institute is known for saying that every Christian should study
theatre because of how drastically it has affected her view of God and the Christian life. Beware the gremlins of pride and self-gratification that
always seem to be creeping around. If you let it, the dramatic arts will change you… dramatically.
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A By: Ray Deck III

Ray Deck is an actor, dramatist and playwright.

He has been actively involved in creative arts
ministry for ten years. His experiences have
ranged in variety from the conventional to the
non-traditional, from small skits to Broadway
style musical productions. In his career he has
written or co-written over thirty skits and six min-
istry plays. He currently coaches two traveling
drama ministry teams from Word of Life Bible
Institute in Schroon Lake, NY.

It is Ray’s personal mission to equip and em-

power other Christians seeking to use the me-
dium of drama to communicate the Word of God
and the message of the gospel.

He can be reached via Email : raydeck@wol.org .

He Blogs at::
Language Revolution
The Preaching Thespian
Ministry LIVE