To be or Not to be?

All you intelligent (*ha*) literary people might notice that the title if from Shakespeare's Hamlet. In the play, Hamlet is wondering whether it would be better to kill himself or not. My topic isn't so depressing. Rather it is a thought on the theater.

A lucky few who are in my inner circle should know that I am right now in a production of The Count of Monte Cristo, here are Taylor. Since I'm only a few minor characters with little to say, I've had time to watch some of the more "professional" actors work. Every now and again, they would replace a word, or use a similar word, instead of the one written in the script. The director, at one point, went into a long speech about how the actors need to get the words exactly right. There was no room for anything but word for word recital.

Here's what I'm wondering. That same director has told us all to pour as much as we can into our characters. We are supposed to think like them, feel like them, be them. But this strict holding to the given words seems restricting. I'm a writer, and I know how important my words are, and i want people to use them right, but more importantly to me is that the story I want told is being given. What I've seen are words that mean the same thing, and sometimes add to the character. Using wish instead of want in some parts actually sounds better.

I am making no claim to know more than a practiced director. She's a good director and I respect what she thinks. This whole thing just seems like a set of mixed messages. We;re good enough to seem like the character's but not enough to speak like them? How little faith people have. I guess as long as the show turn out well, then this really doesn't matter too much.

Also, I'm amazed how powerful the urge to push certain theater majors off the stage can be.

Just something to chew on.