Roleing In & Out of Character

Abstract

This thesis explores different methods for an actor to safely get in and out of character. There is a myriad of methodologies for actors to get into their roles, but not much public information on how actors should get out of character. My research navigates how to release a role, or ‘de-roleing,’ along with what actors need in preparation for taking on a role, or ‘pre-roleing.’ The risks of not having an efficient pre-roleing and de-roleing method are emphasized. Using a combination of ideas brought on by Augusto Boal, Susana Bloch, Suzanne Dieckman, and others, I explore methods to de-role and elaborate on what I found has worked. The lack of a sufficient pre-roleing method is directly linked to why so many actors suffer from boundary blurring. As a theatre educator, it’s our responsibility to educate theatre students on the risks of not having a healthy methodology, along with guiding them towards sufficient pre- and de-roleing methods. By cultivating awareness about pre-roleing and de-roleing, we prevent future actors from self-detriment. Inspired by my experience of boundary blurring with a past role, I have implemented pre-roleing methods in my roles over the past year. My methods have enabled me to separate myself from my character with more ease and have led to new discoveries. Through exploring different de-roleing concepts, pre-roleing techniques are revealed along with a call to action for theatre educators. Analysis from roles done during my master’s program and vernacular to be familiar with if wanting to continue acting is discussed. My intention is to showcase the necessity of having a healthy pre-roleing method if one wants to de-role safely out of a role, which in turn would minimize the effects of an emotional hangover on an actor post-production