The Hidden Acting Agenda - Kids Act LA

1. The Hidden Acting Agenda - Kids Act LA A Hidden Acting Agenda is a new term to describe an old phenomenon: actors hiding some trait, condition or quality of theirs because one or more of these ingredients was the source of upset earlier in their lives. It goes like this; an actress who has been told since she was a child that she "gets upset too easily and it's annoying," might word an agenda like this: "I must never let myself cry." This unstated agenda becomes an ingredient that is a main ingredient of this person's behavior. This, for an actor, ensures that the actor will not reveal or select the ingredient that has caused them prior anguish. This choice ensures that the character will be weak and less affecting than if the actor allowed herself to cry. Hidden Acting Agendas prevent actors from developing their talent. This happens because; their talent may lie behind, connected to or within these "undesirable conditions." In our work our actors students at Kids Act LA Acting School, it often takes us some time to uncover these well-protected agendas. By bringing this acting problem to their attention, we hope to speed up their progress and enable them to realize the extent of their talent. Adventuring into, uncovering and resolving your Hidden Acting Agenda(s) is essential to develop your acting to the height of your ability. By not harboring these crippling agendas your vital ingredients are freed and could well be part of your success. Your ingredients, prohibited by hidden agendas, become dormant and un- acted. Un-acted personal ingredients can't arouse feelings in the audience, a casting director or anyone. However, these un-revealed ingredients cause distress in actors who are restricted by these agendas and compelled to hide them. These actors make their ingredient choices to avoid these ingredients or faults.

2. The faults of great characters are not imperfections but are extensions of, essential to and indivisible from their personality. The adventurer in an actor should defy the illogic and the "demands of a Hidden Acting Agenda" resulting in how a character "must be" portrayed. Actable ingredients include qualities you would rather hide or avoid - all of them. Hiding or avoiding your own ingredients only weakens your characters. Actable ingredients are always personal. Connecting with, and then developing what you may consider your flaws are life giving to characters. Your unique qualities are what differentiate you from other actors. All people have some imperfection and these flaws resonate when you allow one of your flaws to exist as part of your character presentations. We are only impressed by what we are attuned to and most of us are attuned to the flaws we protect. And when we see an actor reveal what we know to be an imperfection, we are moved. For more reading, visit: http://kidsactla.weebly.com/