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Theater etiquette isn’t just important from an audience perspective, it is also important for actors and stage members to follow certain rules when in or around the stage. Aside from remembering your lines, stage etiquette comes a long way to everyone involved in the production as it helps to keep everything on track and helps make the production run smoothly each performing night.

Rehearsals – Rehearsals help everyone stay and remain on the same page, so always arrive on time for warm ups. Learn your lines, and follow along for tips and updates on a character.

Stick to the script – The script takes a long time to get it perfect and it is written the way it is for a reason. Unless you are doing improvisation, stick to it.

Before the Show – Stay off the stage and out of the theater once the house is open as it can spoil any surprises or part of the show. Especially avoid it when in costume, too.

Don’t talk backstage – Talking backstage can bring noise and distractions that the audience can pick up on. Instead, avoid speaking behind the scenes or while a play is happening. Avoid talking, whispering in the wings, or even noise in the dressing room. Sometimes a microphone can be left backstage leaving the audience to hear everything. If you wish to see the show backstage, instead hang out in the monitor or green room. It is also very important to stay out of the way for actors who will frequently be going in and out of the stage.

Food and drinks – Never eat behind the stage or near the wings. Instead, consume drinks and food in the Green Room. Things can spill and can possibly ruin costumes or create a trip/slip hazard for actors and production staff. It is also important to never put food, drinks or any object on a prop table.

The 71st annual Tony Awards premiered last night and it was a whirlwind! Kevin Spacey hosted the show, which aired on CBS from Radio City Music Hall in New York. Among many different shows throughout the night, “Hello, Dolly!” and “Dear Evan Hansen” were the biggest winners. For best musical, “Dear Evan Hansen” star Ben Platt won lead actor. Bette Midler however, won lead actress and best revival of a musical for “Hello, Dolly” giving a memorable speech after her win.

Check the list below to see if any of your favorites won?!

Best Play: “Oslo” (WINNER)

Best Musical: “Dear Evan Hansen” (WINNER)

Best Book of a Musical: “Dear Evan Hansen” — Steven Levenson (WINNER)

Best Original Score: “Dear Evan Hansen” — Music & Lyrics: Benj Pasek & Justin Paul (WINNER)

Best Revival of a Play: “August Wilson’s Jitney” (WINNER)

Best Revival of a Musical: “Hello, Dolly!” (WINNER)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play: Kevin Kline, “Present Laughter” (WINNER)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play: Laurie Metcalf, “A Doll’s House, Part 2” (WINNER)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical: Ben Platt, “Dear Evan Hansen”(WINNER)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical: Bette Midler, “Hello, Dolly!” (WINNER)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Play: Michael Aronov, “Oslo” (WINNER)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play: Cynthia Nixon, “Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes” (WINNER)

Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical: Gavin Creel, “Hello, Dolly!” (WINNER)

Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Musical: Rachel Bay Jones, “Dear Evan Hansen” (WINNER)

Best Scenic Design of a Play: Nigel Hook, “The Play That Goes Wrong” (WINNER)

Best Scenic Design of a Musical: Mimi Lien, “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812” (WINNER)

Best Costume Design of a Play: Jane Greenwood, “Lillian Hellman’s The Little Foxes” (WINNER)

Best Costume Design of a Musical: Santo Loquasto, “Hello, Dolly!” (WINNER)

Best Lighting Design of a Play: Christopher Akerlind, “Indecent” (WINNER)

Best Lighting Design of a Musical: Bradley King, “Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812” (WINNER)

Best Direction of a Play: Rebecca Taichman, “Indecent” (WINNER)

Best Direction of a Musical: Christopher Ashley, “Come From Away” (WINNER)

Best Choreography: Andy Blankenbuehler, “Bandstand” (WINNER)

Best Orchestrations: Alex Lacamoire, “Dear Evan Hansen” (WINNER)

Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre: James Earl Jones

Special Tony Award: Gareth Fry and Pete Malkin, sound designers for “The Encounter”

Regional Theatre Tony Award: Dallas Theater Center in Dallas, Texas

Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award: Baayork Lee

Tony Honors for Excellence in the Theatre: Nina Lannan and Alan Wasser

A voice is a vital instrument and tool that is important to the theatre. A voice can carry a scene, can inspire goosebumps in the audience with a song, and it can be a huge different between an average to an outstanding show. However, with the talent and brilliance of a voice, also comes the responsibility of taking care of it.

Doing 5 to 10 week shows can be a strain to your voice, or cause an actor to get sick. There are several ways that a voice can be injured. Here are some tips to take to maintain your voice in good condition:

Warming up/Exercise – Vocal warm-ups and exercise are not only great voice lessons, but can also maintain the vocal chords strength. Always find time to warm up your voice and before every practice session, rehearsal and performance. Without the warm ups, you can physically harm your chords. Exercise has numerous amounts of benefits. Exercising regularly will strengthen and boost your immune system which can help reduce the chances of unwanted congestion, and strengthening your lungs.

Staying healthy – Staying healthy is important for both, your vocal chords and body. The voice is a delicate instrument and it is easier to harm than one thinks. From getting a good nights sleep to eating well can make huge differences to your voice! Fruits, veggies, lean proteins and whole grains should be a staple in your diet, which can boost your sail through the flu season without a single sniffle.

H2O – Water! Water! Water! Water has incredible benefits for your voice! It can maintain its proper functions and it is highly recommended to stay hydrated during cold and flu season. Certain beverages like caffeinated can cause your vocal chords to dry out, so maintain hydrated with water is key.

Having a theatre voice can be wonderful and important for every production, but, whatever the issue, remember to always keep your voice healthy and maintain its health with the best tips and tricks that are known in the business.

Theatrical superstitions and myths are real. Among the superstitious actors, it’s important to know them before ever entering or participating in a show, whether as a cast member or as an audience.
Follow along for the most famous superstitions that still linger on stages today.

Having three lit candles onstage – Having three lit candles on stage can bring bad luck. It is said that whoever is nearest to the shortest candle will be next to marry or die. Today, this is nothing but a rumor. Today, stages are instead lit by electrical lights. Instead of bad luck, having lit candles on or around the stage around flammable fresh paint, dim lighting and busy people will only burn the theater down.
Saying ‘Macbeth’ – If the name, ‘Macbeth’, is mentioned in a theatre there is a cleansing ritual to rectify the mistake. The ritual requires the person who said the name to leave the theatre building, spit, curse and spin around three times, before begging to be allowed back in. Other tricks also include, reciting a line from another Shakespearean work, brushing oneself off or running around the theatre counterclockwise. It is believed that Shakespeare got the words from a coven of real witches, and by using the word placed a curse on the play so no one, other than him, could correctly direct the play.
Bad Dress, Good Opening – Many stage actors believe that a bad and terrible dress rehearsal means a great opening night will occur. Although the origin is unclear, the comforting concept still continues today.
“Break a Leg” – Always replace the phrase “good luck” with “break a leg.” The saying might have originated from the ancient Greek practice of stomping feet instead of applauding. Others believed it could’ve originated from understudies jokingly wishing actors would “break a leg” so that their standbys were able to perform.
Flowers before the performance – Receiving flowers and a beautiful bouquet before a performance or recital is believed to cause a lackluster show. Instead, old school and new actors today require their flowers after the curtain call and never before!
Mirrors – Breaking a mirror can bring seven years of bad luck. However, breaking a mirror on stage will cause seven years of bad luck to the theatre. It is also believed that reflections from mirrors are distracting for lights, audience members and actors.

Interactive theatre is known as a presentational or theatrical form of work that breaks the “fourth wall” that traditionally separates the performer from the audience, physically and verbally.

Traditionally, theatre performance is limited to a designated stage area and the actions of the play unfolds within interplay with audience members, who function as observers.

Conversely, in interactive theatre, performance may happen amidst audience members, and often involves the audience in more active roles. They may be asked to hold props, supply performance suggestions (as in improvisational theatre), share the action’s real-world (non-theatrical) setting (as in Site specific theatre), or become characters in the performance. In addition, the audience may be asked to participate in altering the course of the play altogether by taking part in a collective vote to help steer the plot in a new direction, as with Augusto Boal’s forum theatre. In therapeutic and educational settings, the audience may even be invited to discuss pertinent issues with the performers.

Interactive theatre is an engaging, exhilarating and transcendent experience. Here are the top two tips that engage the audience in a new, complete and convincing world.

Being consistent is the most important rule that keeps interactive theatre together. Without consistency, it creates a no point of entry that confuses the audience. Regardless of what world you create, as long as it is consistent, the audience will love it.
Accurate ratio – It’s important to have an accurate number of actors as audience members instead of having an audience outnumber the actors. When the audience effectively contribute to the atmosphere, it works. Both actors and audience equally working together on performer energy.

Interactive theatre popularity has increased and will continue to increase as more creative shows come to the stage. Check if your city or town has any interactive theatre showings!

There are unspoken rules that any theater love must know. Learning the proper way to act in a theater not only increases your level of enjoyment, but also allows you to participate as a courteous audience member, giving you the full enjoyment of the theater.
Here are a few tips on what not to do:

Don’t Use Your Phone – Leave your electronic devices in your car or turn them off once the show has begun. Along with those sitting around you, actors can see when a phone is being used and they can specifically look in the audience and see who it is. It can be very distracting and cause several interruptions to production. Instead, be respectful of the actors and the rest of the audience and remain attentive to the show.

Leaving During A Show – Leaving during a performance is considered to be highly disrespectful. Unless there is an extreme emergency, it should never be done. Visiting restrooms and getting snacks before, after or during intermission is always highly recommended. It’s also important to always remember to never rush towards the exits after the performance. It is very rude to the actors.

Snacking – Do not eat or drink during the performance. It can be too distracting and out of consideration to the actors and your neighbors, save it for intermission.

Don’t Take Photos – Taking pictures, audio-taping and video-recording during a theater play is illegal. If caught, you’ll be asked to leave. Why? Flash photos can be dangerous to the actors, causing them to be temporarily dazzled by the flash and step off the stage. It also goes against copyright issues with taking of photos and videos. In most cases, performers are always available after the show in the lobby for autographs and pictures.

Don’t Mimic – Please do not sing along, hum, whistle or whisper during a performance.
Applause – Performers greatly appreciate enthusiastic applause, shouts of “Bravo” or “brava” and standing ovations. Applaud only after a well performed song or dance during a scene, after each scene or act and at curtain call.

Attending the theater is fun, but it does require perfect manners to ensure everyone’s good time. With the help of this list, you will optimize your chances of having a memorable experience.

Ever thought of which plays have turned into movies?

It is very common for a popular play, after all the success it has, be turned into a movie. Among the most popular is Hamlet, and although there are several variations of the movie, everyone knows the most common one: The Lion King.

There are some academics who believe stage plays can easily lend themselves to big screen adaptations– Both have traditional resemblance of narrative structures, use actors to transmit dramatic actions, as well as the use of spoken dialogue.

Here’s a list of plays turned to movies that you should check out today!

The Philadelphia Story

Play by Phillip Barry and screenplay by Donald Ogden Steward, the play was a huge success on Broadway and is known as Hepburn’s greatest comeback. The play was turned into a film in 1940, starring Katherine Hepburn. It’s a story of a divorced socialite, Tracy Lord, who’s preparing for her second marriage, but things get complicated with a simultaneous arrival of her ex-husband.

Amadeus

Written by Peter Shaffer, the play was adapted into the big screen in 1984 casting Mark Hamill as Mozart. It’s known as one of the greatest plays and movies about the creative and genius process. It tells a story of Antonio Salieri, who gets jealous that God favors Mozart with divine inspiration.

Les Misérables

The first stage production was presented at a Paris sports arena. However, in 1983 produce Cameron Mackintosh received a copy of the French concept album and was impressed enough to produce an English-language version of the show. It premiered on Broadway in 1987 and after sixteen years with 6,680 performances, it closed on May, 2013. Many adaptations of film were made with the most recent one in 2012, with Anne Hathaway winning an Academy Award for Best Supporting actress.