As discussed in Stand Up Comedy Scenes Acting Out the Characters, Part 1, the tips were, “Show, don’t tell,” “Find more characters,” “Let go of reality,” and “Study the characters. Next, we’ll go into how to go about studying the character you wish to act out in your stand-up comedy scene.
As discussed in Part 1, the tips were, “Show, don’t tell,” “Find more characters,” “Let go of reality,” and “Study the characters. Next, we’ll go into how to go about studying the character you wish to act out in your stand-up comedy scene.
So, when you use a character in your stand-up comedy routine, ask yourself:
Who is this person?
Is it he? She? They?
- Black? White? Latino? Asian? Some other ethnicity?
- How old are they?
- Do they have an accent?
- What do they wear?
- How do they move?
- Where did they grow up?
- Do they have a job?
- Are they married?
Ask yourself as many specific questions as you can. The answers may not be funny, or even particularly interesting, but knowing their answers will help you be more specific when playing the character. Vague choices lead to vague characters.
But Just As Important Is the Inner Life of the Character, So Figure Out:
- What kind of a person would say this?
- What are your character’s values?
- What are they trying to achieve?
Become the Character
Once you figure out who a character is, become that person and go out into the world for a test drive. You don’t have to tell anyone; just imagine you’re that person while you jog, or stand in line at the grocery store, or speak with a bank teller. Figure out how that person walks, talks and thinks about things. Have fun with it.
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