REHEARSAL: Phase Three

The final rehearsal phase is often the most tense. This is when your student actors will begin to doubt themsleves and some negativity may also erupt onto the stage. You also may begin to doubt yourself as to whether or not you will be able to pull it off in time. You may even be considering asking to postpone the production to a later date even.

However, don't despair! Everyone goes through this in phrase three. It is important to stay strong (and positive) and go forward with the plans that you have. By this rehearsal phase you and your student actors should answered all of the hard questions and have blocked everything. Now is the time to begin full runs. Although, when we say Full Runs, it really does mean stops and starts.

Viola Spolin coined the phrase, sidecoaching. A dramatic term used for a director/teacher to talk to the student actor while they are on stage, and hopefully still in character. You can often refer to students experience with sports coaches, when they are playing on the field and their coach tells them to do something for the team.

It is also important as the theatre director to take down notes to give to the students at the end of each run as well. This will enable them to also take down the note to ensure that it happens or doesn't happen in the next run.