The Art Of Villainy: How To Play The Bad Guy

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Villains are often construed as unimportant, flat characters but that shouldn't be the case. There is more to an antagonist than just wanting to conquer the world and do bad things. Not everyone can appreciate a well-portrayed villain, but here are some tips on the art of villainy: 

Understand the character's story

In every role, it is essential to understand a character's backstory. Knowing where the character is coming from and why he acts the way he does can help in the acting process. This is even more important when playing a villain because it's the villain who usually suffers the most. 

Watch how villains act in other plays and/or movies

A good way to learn how to be a villain is to watch one in action. Whether it's a movie or play, you can learn a lot by observing the mannerisms, quirks, and psyche of any villain. From learning how to do an authentic evil laugh or how to look menacing without saying a word – there is a lot to be gained through research and practice.

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Have a redeeming quality

Taking over the world and destroying mankind are not, by any standards, noble ambitions. However, there should always be at least one redeeming quality about the villain to make him or her more realistic. Villains should be diverse characters: intelligent, charismatic, and even vulnerable. 

Hello there! I am Joshua B. Eaves and I love Broadway shows and the Blue Man Group. Subscribe to this for more about theater, acting and other related articles.

Forgive And Forget: What To Do When You Mess Up Your Lines

One of the worst things an actor can do is to forget his or her lines. However, it's not as uncommon as some may be led to believe. Forgetting your lines is fine, as long as you keep your composure. As they say, the show must go on! Here are some tips in order to handle these situations:

Practice regularly

To address the problem before it arises, practice is key. Rehearse your lines alone or with a partner so you can be confident about knowing your lines. Sometimes, confidence is all you need to overcome stage fright and help you deliver your lines smoothly.

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Keep calm and don't panic

Obviously, this is easier said than done but it's sound advice. Panicking will get you nowhere and will only alert the audience of your blunder. Instead, take a deep breath and think about your next line.

Ad lib

A good habit to practice is ad lib. You don't have to say the lines in your script verbatim, especially in cases where you forget them. If you find yourself struggling for the exact words, c0nsider rephrasing your lines or doing an ad lib to avoid dead air on stage.

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Move

Find an excuse to walk around or do something on stage while thinking of the lines you've forgotten. Walking on stage will give the illusion that you know what you're doing rather than forgetting what your lines are.

Hell there! I am Joshua B. Eaves, a big fan of theater and the Blue Man Group. Subscribe to my blog for more stories about stage plays and other related topics.

REPOST: The Blue Man Group Covered the Game of Thrones Theme Song

Global entertainment company The Blue Man Group is more than excited for the return of hit TV series ‘Game of Thrones’ as seen in its unique cover of the theme song originally composed by Ramin Djawadi for the popular HBO series. Time has more details on the unique cover by The Blue Man Group.

 

Video Source: time.com

They may have taken a vow of silence, but the Blue Man Group is as excited about the impending return of Game of Thrones as the rest of us. In a new video, the group puts its unique set of musical skills to work and played the Game of Thrones theme song on a collection of pipes, tubes, jars and other well-tuned flotsam. The result is an excellent facsimile of the song composed by Ramin Djawadi for the HBO series.

The Blue Man Group also managed to make a silent plea to bring Hodor back for season 5. Despite a season 4 cliffhanger that left the fate of Hodor and his charge, Bran Stark, in flux, the two characters are not slated to appear on this season of the show, much to the chagrin of some (blue) fans. In the text accompanying their new video, the Blue Men have sworn to continue their silent streak (which is rivaling Teller’s at this point) until Hodor’s status in season 5 is confirmed and used their instruments to dramatically state their case.

Hi, I am Joshua B. Eaves, a theater lover and an avid fan of The Blue Man Group. Follow meo Twitter for more exciting updates on this award-winning creative ensemble and the latest on Broadway from New York to London.

REPOST: Billy Porter Brings BROADWAY AND SOUL to LIVE FROM LINCOLN CENTER Tonight

Billy Porter took the stage in a concert featuring Lincoln Center’s American Songbook series. The concert was part of the 40th anniversary celebration of Lincoln Center. Read the full story in this article from BroadwayWorld.com.

Image Source: broadwayworld.com

Live From Lincoln Center - the pioneering, award-winning performing arts series - continues its 40th anniversary season with another concert from Lincoln Center's American Songbook series, featuring Billy Porter tonight, April 3, in BROADWAY AND SOUL. Tony Award-winning actress and singer Audra McDonald hosts the broadcast.

Song selections include: "But the World Goes 'Round" (Fred Ebb and John Kander); Don't Rain on My Parade" (Bob Merrill and Jule Styne"; Kinky Boots Medley (Cyndi Lauper); and "I'm Not My Father's Son" (Cyndi Lauper).

The incredibly talented Pittsburgh-native Billy Porter is a singer, composer, actor, playwright and director. He starred as Lola in the Broadway hit Kinky Boots, a role that won him 2013 Tony, Grammy, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards. His other theater credits include Miss Saigon, Five Guys Named Moe, Grease, Smokey Joe's Café, Dreamgirls, Angels in America, The Merchant of Venice, Radiant Baby, Birdie Blue, Songs for a New World, Ghetto Superstar (one-man show), Topdog/Underdogand King Lear.

Porter has appeared in films and on television, including Law & Order: SVU, So You Think You Can Dance (as a guest judge) and The Big C among other shows, and will appear in the upcoming film The Humbling, starring Al Pacino.

Porter's solo albums include his first CD, Untitled, on A&M records, At the Corner of Broadway + Soul - LIVE on Sh-K-Boom Records and his most recent recording, Billy's Back on Broadway, on Concord Records.

Porter's concert credits include opening for Rosie O'Donnell and Aretha Franklin, Carnegie Hall, John McDaniel and the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, as well as the Buffalo Philharmonic, Peter Nero and the Philly Pops, soloist for President Bill Clinton and various benefits throughout the United States.

This episode, taped on January 28, 2015, features music direction by James Sampliner and directed for television by Andrew C. Wilk.

Joshua B. Eaves is a theater geek who is a big fan of the show Blue Man Group. Follow him on Twitter for more links to articles about Broadway.