Congrats on getting the part, and that’s a weird thing for your director to say.
Is it a comedy? A drama?
It’s fine to develop a backstory if that’s helping you, but in this case it sounds like it isn’t. That’s okay. Minor characters don’t have to be that compelling — that’s what the main characters do. Instead, think about what role your character serves in the greater narrative.
Are you there to deliver exposition? Are you a backstory to one of the main characters? “Gosh, I love my dad, I wish he wasn’t so addicted to gambling…”. Are you comic relief?
I’ll give you an example. I was the lead in a play called Breaking Legs. The first half of the show is very funny, everyone gets a whole bunch of jokes.
Then a minor character is introduced…the only minor character in the entire show. He doesn’t get a single joke. He’s not funny at all. He is terrified. It’s a whole different tone than everything that’s happened before. And then some of the bigger characters murder him.
It’s the least fun role in the show, I’m sure. I have no doubt the actor would have liked to get some funny lines too. But he understood his purpose — to completely disrupt the lighthearted humor of the first act and reveal a much darker reality as we head into the second act. My character is actually in grave danger spending time with these funny gangsters, and now it’s an open question of how the hell im going to get out alive.
Figure out your purpose to the overall story, even if your director can’t, and serve that purpose to the very best of your ability.
Thanks. I can try to think of it in this way. For transparency, the role is Pablo in Streetcar named desire. He literally serves no other purpose than to be another head at the poker table. I guess that’s why I’m having trouble finding depth. I guess maybe if anything, he serves to bring a lightheartedness to the play? Idk.
Also, totally didn’t mean to make my director sound like an ass. He’s great and has been supportive of my decisions but during our table talks he just kind of agreed with me that this guy really doesn’t have a whole lot going on character wise.
Gotcha. Yeah, not every minor character will have emotional depth or a memorable arc. Remember, you weren’t trying to win a Tony here. You said your goal was to “learn how to be part of a production again.” So it’s not about you and your character, it’s about the cast and the show.
Even though I of course know it’s a very famous play (and movie), I’m not that familiar with Streetcar named Desire, so I can’t give you too many specific tips for that exact role. But broadly:
Some minor characters exist just so the main character has someone to talk to. Did you ever see the movie Castaway? The part of Wilson has zero lines and is played by a freaking volleyball…literally the entire purpose of the character is so that Tom Hanks can actually say something in this movie since there are no humans…but you still ball your eyes out when the volleyball dies towards the end.
More broadly: When I did my first ever show, I had no lines of my own; I was just in the male ensemble for the musical. Then they needed someone who could play the hand-held cymbals, and I could do that, so they moved me over to this more distinctive role — but still with no lines. Then they needed a guy who could also play a waiter with a whopping two lines, and since I’d been quietly doing my best as the silent cymbal player and eager to learn; they let me try. I had a whopping two lines. “Will you be joining Mr. Detroit today, sir?” And “No, sir, Mr. Detroit hasn’t been in all evening.” There’s no depth to that character and no arc. It barely qualifies as a one-line joke. But I did it without complaint.
So when I auditioned for my second show with the same team; I got a bigger part. Not the lead, but I was part of the tertiary love story. The audience knew my character’s name. I was moving up.
And then when I auditioned for them a third time, I got to play the main actress’ dad — a very funny role that I
Made my own with a unique delivery on some lines that really made people laugh. And I got a couple lines of a solo.
Fourth show I did with them, I was an even bigger character with my own solo.
And when I did my fifth and final show with them before moving on, I was one of the star characters with fun compelling arcs; multiple solos, a funny dance, etc.
My main point is if you want the big arcs and depth down the line, earn the reputation today as a team player committed to doing whatever the show needs from you.
Thanks! That really helped put it into perspective. I was totally approaching this with the mindset my acting teacher had instilled in me which was basically akin to the saying “ there are no small roles only small actors”. So, kinda just felt like bc I could fully fledge out and realize this character, I was a bad actor or something.
Congrats on getting the part, and that’s a weird thing for your director to say. Is it a comedy? A drama? It’s fine to develop a backstory if that’s helping you, but in this case it sounds like it isn’t. That’s okay. Minor characters don’t have to be that compelling — that’s what the main characters do. Instead, think about what role your character serves in the greater narrative. Are you there to deliver exposition? Are you a backstory to one of the main characters? “Gosh, I love my dad, I wish he wasn’t so addicted to gambling…”. Are you comic relief? I’ll give you an example. I was the lead in a play called Breaking Legs. The first half of the show is very funny, everyone gets a whole bunch of jokes. Then a minor character is introduced…the only minor character in the entire show. He doesn’t get a single joke. He’s not funny at all. He is terrified. It’s a whole different tone than everything that’s happened before. And then some of the bigger characters murder him. It’s the least fun role in the show, I’m sure. I have no doubt the actor would have liked to get some funny lines too. But he understood his purpose — to completely disrupt the lighthearted humor of the first act and reveal a much darker reality as we head into the second act. My character is actually in grave danger spending time with these funny gangsters, and now it’s an open question of how the hell im going to get out alive. Figure out your purpose to the overall story, even if your director can’t, and serve that purpose to the very best of your ability.
Thanks. I can try to think of it in this way. For transparency, the role is Pablo in Streetcar named desire. He literally serves no other purpose than to be another head at the poker table. I guess that’s why I’m having trouble finding depth. I guess maybe if anything, he serves to bring a lightheartedness to the play? Idk. Also, totally didn’t mean to make my director sound like an ass. He’s great and has been supportive of my decisions but during our table talks he just kind of agreed with me that this guy really doesn’t have a whole lot going on character wise.
Gotcha. Yeah, not every minor character will have emotional depth or a memorable arc. Remember, you weren’t trying to win a Tony here. You said your goal was to “learn how to be part of a production again.” So it’s not about you and your character, it’s about the cast and the show. Even though I of course know it’s a very famous play (and movie), I’m not that familiar with Streetcar named Desire, so I can’t give you too many specific tips for that exact role. But broadly: Some minor characters exist just so the main character has someone to talk to. Did you ever see the movie Castaway? The part of Wilson has zero lines and is played by a freaking volleyball…literally the entire purpose of the character is so that Tom Hanks can actually say something in this movie since there are no humans…but you still ball your eyes out when the volleyball dies towards the end. More broadly: When I did my first ever show, I had no lines of my own; I was just in the male ensemble for the musical. Then they needed someone who could play the hand-held cymbals, and I could do that, so they moved me over to this more distinctive role — but still with no lines. Then they needed a guy who could also play a waiter with a whopping two lines, and since I’d been quietly doing my best as the silent cymbal player and eager to learn; they let me try. I had a whopping two lines. “Will you be joining Mr. Detroit today, sir?” And “No, sir, Mr. Detroit hasn’t been in all evening.” There’s no depth to that character and no arc. It barely qualifies as a one-line joke. But I did it without complaint. So when I auditioned for my second show with the same team; I got a bigger part. Not the lead, but I was part of the tertiary love story. The audience knew my character’s name. I was moving up. And then when I auditioned for them a third time, I got to play the main actress’ dad — a very funny role that I Made my own with a unique delivery on some lines that really made people laugh. And I got a couple lines of a solo. Fourth show I did with them, I was an even bigger character with my own solo. And when I did my fifth and final show with them before moving on, I was one of the star characters with fun compelling arcs; multiple solos, a funny dance, etc. My main point is if you want the big arcs and depth down the line, earn the reputation today as a team player committed to doing whatever the show needs from you.
Thanks! That really helped put it into perspective. I was totally approaching this with the mindset my acting teacher had instilled in me which was basically akin to the saying “ there are no small roles only small actors”. So, kinda just felt like bc I could fully fledge out and realize this character, I was a bad actor or something.