Twenty Tips on Stage Etiquette

Etiquette in all areas of life, not just the stage, has gone the way of the Thylacoleo carnifex. “Please, thank you, I’m sorry, excuse me” have been booted out of our vocabulary. However, here are a few examples of bad and good stage etiquette.

ARE PRACTICAL JOKES ON STAGE GOOD OR BAD ETIQUETTE?
I was in a regional production, playing the mother of a young actor whose type we all have unfortunately met. “I am the best. You are a bug under my foot. I am clever, witty, destined for stardom” — an obnoxious actor whom I, as an older, theoretically more mature, tolerant adult, should have been able to treat graciously and all times smile and smile, and rein in my villainous feelings. (Do you Hamlet types recognize the mangled allusion?)

I was polite during rehearsal and on stage. Polite. Period. Off stage I stayed as far away from him as I could.

So being polite and staying away is one route (not, however, I emphasize, the ideal route) to stage courtesy. There must be ten thousand better ways to handle obnoxious people, on and off stage. But ignoring and avoiding are two ways to avoid confrontation.
During a matinee well into the run, we get to the scene where he and I have our big scene. He starts rewording and rewriting every line in our lengthy dialogue. No cues, no nothing. Just him being cute. No, he did not “go up” on his lines. This was his idea of a joke.  He asked me later if I enjoyed his little exercise in improv. Now that’s one genuine example of bad stage etiquette.

ETIQUETTE TIP: Learn your lines. Say them when you are supposed to. If nothing else, at least give the cue for the next actor. Don’t joke around on stage, either in performance or rehearsal. The example cited here was a very well-paid regional production. Actors are paid to perform, not play jokes or pranks or kid around during performance. The audience deserves something better for their money.

It is absolutely essential that those of us out there together in a scene help each other, not play one-upmanship. If someone genuinely forgets his lines or loses his cue, it is professional etiquette to rescue the lost actor. Feed him his own lines in any way possible, until he gets back on track. That’s one kind of etiquette. It’s also called being professional.

OTHER SITUATIONS CALLING FOR ETIQUETTE
What about props?

TIP: Check them before curtain. See that you do not remove or move your props or someone else’s. The prop table has been set up deliberately. Follow the design of where things are placed. Replace your props. That’s another form of stage etiquette.

TIP: The same goes for costumes. Hang them where they should be hung. “Hang them.” Important words. Don’t throw them over the back of a chair.

DRESSING ROOM ETIQUETTE
TIP: Keep the roar down. Some people actually like to focus and run their own lines before going on stage. Keep your makeup in your assigned spot. Another pet peeve of mine (actually an Equity rule, I believe) is smoking in the dressing room. And that peeve is followed very closely with a hiss/boo for those actors, male and female, who drown themselves in perfume or shaving lotion. These acts of carelessness all fall under the umbrella of stage etiquette.

PUNCTUALITY
HUGE TIP: The most important of all stage etiquette, right up there with learning your lines, is being punctual.

To summarize the most important rules of etiquette in acting (in semi-rap):

Learn your lines.
Be on time.

ETIQUETTE ON STAGE (As contrasted with “off stage”)
Watch out for those actors who insist on upstaging you, forcing you to turn your back to the audience.

TIP: Solution: Let’s hope the director or stage manager catches on. But if they do not, then just deliver your lines out front. Remember in real life you do not have to face someone to talk to them. In the theatre the line of authority if from you to the stage manager, not from you to a fellow actor. If you must discuss this upstage problem, do it with the SM.

What if someone keeps jumping your lines (not allowing you to finish your lines)?
Tip: First thing is to be sure you yourself are not plodding. There are technical ways to stretch out an important word without taking interminable pauses. Sometimes the other actor just does not know whether your pause is intentional or whether you have forgotten your line.

So first look in the mirror when someone steps on your lines.

If it continues, keep your fingers crossed that the stage manager or director notices. If they don’t, then grin and bear it. Keep it in proportion. It will pass. Just don’t create a hurricane about anything, if you can possibly avoid it.

That covers fellow actors, your props, dressing room, responsibility about lines and times. Now to the other side of the table:

THE DIRECTOR, AND OTHERS

ONLY ONE TIP: Handle with velvet gloves.

Life will be a lot easier for both of you. Yes ma’am and yes sir — or at least have the attitude of yes ma’am and yes sir even if the titles of address are omitted. It really is quite possible that the director does indeed know more about the character and how it should be played than the actor does. It really is quite possible that the director does indeed know how to block skillfully. It really is quite possible that the director does indeed know what he is doing. After all, he cast you. So he must be smart. Even if he proves otherwise — that is, not “smart” — respectful behavior is the key.

No gossiping, no “attitude,” no arguing. He or she’s the boss. Your professional life will flourish much more rapidly if you recognize that.

If you have them, discuss your objections privately with him if he’s the kind that can be talked to. If not, just keep quiet, do a superb job, get great reviews. Learn when it is wiser to say nothing than to win an argument.

There are probably dozens of other situations or people who fall under the umbrella of  etiquette. Remind me if I’ve omitted something/one important. And again, thank you to our Philippines’ actor for the question. They — your comments and questions — are all welcomed.

Thank you for reading ActorTips.

Please continue to do so.

Excuse me for omissions.

And all those other lost phrases of etiquette!

May etiquette spill over into all our hours, not merely those on stage!

By Ruth Kulerman