Drawing parallels with the stage

I often wonder about what the connections are between a Stage Actor and a Journalist. To my surprise, the similarities was clear after listening to environmental reporter Mark Schleifstein today in my journalism class. Mark said that it was his curiousity that led him to became a reporter. I understand this very well because curiousity was my only reason for stepping onto the stage for the first time as an Actor. At the time I didn’t know anything about acting and I wasn’t even familiar with famous plays and playwrights except for Shakespeare. According to Mark “environmental stories meant something to the people they are about.” What does that mean in terms of acting? Well, to become an effective Actor. the story being played out on stage must have an effect (negative or positive) on the emotions of the Actor, other Actors in the play and most importantly, the audience.

But in order to get something concrete out of the situation the Actor or Journalist must always “ask specific questions about the subject” says Mark. Questions beginning with Who, What, Where, When, and Why or as Actor’s call it “The 5 W’s.” Questions in this format ensures that everything about a certain subject matter will be answered. And the Actor or Journalist gain “experience by doing and by asking what he/she don’t know” says Mark.

Mark also added that when all is said and done the Journalist should ask “what questions should I ask that I haven’t already ask.” This is a good way of discovering information that wasn’t answered based on the questions ask. This is very important to me because I often ask myself tons of other questions about my character besides “The 5 W’s.” And most importantly, I choose Stage Acting because it is fun and I enjoy touching people everytime I step on the stage.

--Kerry Simmons