Stage acting is the art of performing in front of a live audience, bringing characters and stories to life on the stage.

Stage acting is different from TV or film acting. It’s much more demanding in terms of vocal and physical energy, and actors need to maintain focus and deliver sustained performances, not just for one full scene or play, but over an entire run – which can go on for months. And, of course, it’s all happening live, in front of an audience, with all the unpredictability that comes with it. Live audiences keep you on your toes! For stage acting, as with all acting (stage, screen, audio – all of it), authenticity and truthfulness are essential – what matters is the size and type of space within which that connected thought is taking place.

In this article, we’re going to run through the basics of stage acting, offering insights and tips to help you deliver impactful performances.

Stage Acting: The Fundamentals

Building a strong foundation in stage acting, also often referred to as classical acting, starts with mastering the basics. These include:

Vocal training: On stage, your voice is one of your primary instruments, and its effective use is essential. Training focuses on clarity, articulation, and resonance to ensure every word lands with the audience. Rather than “pushing” the voice, the actor learns to support it through proper breath control and alignment, allowing for natural amplification and expressive range.
Awareness/movement: Your body is your next vital tool. Movement training such as physical theatre, clowning, fundamentals work, and dance enables you to master physical storytelling and presence. This work helps you connect intention with action, crafting a grounded and dynamic physicality on stage.
Character development: Understanding your character is at the heart of compelling performances. Training includes in-depth script analysis and exploratory exercises, such as Stanislavski’s “Magic if?”, to help actors inhabit their roles authentically and imaginatively.
Emotional connection: Accessing emotional truth is key to engaging performances. Techniques like emotional memory—drawing on personal experiences (that are safe to do so) to connect with the character’s inner world—are employed carefully to ensure safety and professionalism in performance.
Improvisation and adaptability: On stage, there are no retakes. Improvisation skills train actors to respond flexibly to missed cues, technical issues, or unexpected moments, maintaining composure and staying fully engaged in the scene.

Truthfulness in Modern Stage Acting

One of the biggest changes in modern stage acting is a shift towards truthfulness and naturalism.

Audiences today are looking for performances that feel real and relatable. They don’t want exaggerated gestures and melodrama (unless you’re performing in something that requires that style… say, a panto!). Instead, performers should aim for vulnerability and honesty.

This shift in audience demand aligns with a shift in acting training, with many schools focusing on naturalism.

Naturalism Performance

Naturalism performance is a style of acting that is most associated with Konstantin Stanislavski, a Russian actor and director.

Stanislavski’s methods have had an incredible impact on modern acting. He believed that performers should aim to understand their characters deeply and emotionally. They should embody their character’s thoughts, feelings and motivations, to deliver the best possible performances.

This seems like a given nowadays, but Stanislavski was talking about these beliefs in the late 1800s/early 1900s, at a time when acting was overly dramatic.

Stage Acting Courses at Italia Conti

At Italia Conti, we provide well-rounded stage acting training to help students develop their skills as actors. Vocal and physical training, as well as techniques for creating and developing character, are a huge part of our courses.

We offer a wide range of training methods, including naturalism acting, to help students develop a personal ‘toolbox’ of techniques that work best for them. This prepares them for success following graduation, ensuring they can thrive across a variety of performance styles and mediums.