Tag » Theater « @ Backstage Blogstage Archives -

Aug

11

Then vs. Now

ihscropped-COLLAGE For many years I was used to hearing comments like, “You look younger in person than in your publicity photos.”

Then there was a time when I heard, “You look just like your publicity photos.”

Recently someone said, “You look older in person than in your publicity photos.”

Okay… I guess it is time for some new photos.

I believe in truth in advertising! I enlisted a good photographer, who happens to be my son, Jon, and spent a bit of time this month updating the website with new photos that I hope will give a more accurate depiction of what this actor guy really looks like. (If you like the photos and need a photographer, please consider Jon. Check out his work here: Jon Neighbors Photography.)

chuck08-COLLAGE But this whole issue of my not looking like I used to look got me to thinking about all the things we once took for granted that are no more. When it comes to my profession as a performer working in churches, I came up with these observations:

I used to hear, “We might book you for a potluck dinner.”
Then I heard, “We would like to book you for our worship service.”
Now I hear, “We don’t book outside artists or speakers.”

I used to hear, “Drama, that would be great for the kids.”
Then I heard, “We have our own drama ministry that performs in our worship services.”
Now I hear, “Drama, that would be great for the kids.”

I used to hear, “We can’t move the pulpit; it is bolted to the floor.”
Then I heard, “We bring out the pulpit after the band finishes their set.”
Now I hear, “What’s a pulpit?”

I used to hear, “No food or beverage allowed in the auditorium!” chuck11-COLLAGE
Then I heard, “Only water is allowed in the auditorium.”
Now I hear, “Grab your latte and find a seat.”

I used to hear, “Turn in your Bibles to Acts Chapter….”
Then I heard, “The scripture from Acts is on the overhead screen.”
Now I hear, “Click on your Bible app and scroll over to Acts…”

I used to hear, “We meet twice on Sunday and once in the middle of the week.”
Then I heard, “We only meet on Sunday mornings.”
Now I hear, “We watch our church service in our pajamas at home via livestream.”

I know, this all smacks a bit of the ol’ “Why, when I was a kid…” stories we heard from our grandparents. But maybe that’s not so bad. Times do change…some for better and some for worse.

For now I hope to hear once again, “You look younger than in your publicity photos…” Hey, a guy can dream!

Posted by Chuck Neighbors | 8 comments

May

15

Live vs. Video

Arts / Blog Archive / Drama Ministry / How To's

From my inbox:

“How do you feel about doing live stage performance, that has been carefully, planned blocked, with sets, entrances costumes, lighting etc, and then have video camera crew shoot the whole thing onto three giant screens floating above your head? Do you feel as I do that this pretty much sucks the life out of the art form and the relationship between the actor and the audience – especially since the audience stops watching the stage and watches the giant screens instead?”

Can you feel the frustration coming from the question? And did you notice that the writer sort of answered the question—assuming I would agree—before I had a chance to answer? In this case the assumption is correct. And then there is this:

“I have no control over the camera angles, close ups or long shots. The person in the booth who never sees the rehearsals takes it upon themselves to shoot the action on the stage any way they want to and thereby interprets for the audience what they want them to see.”

No question about it, church is not what it used to be. Technology, like it or not, is here to stay. As much as some may long for the “good ole days” they aren’t coming back when it comes to technology. Oh, there are the hold-outs—mostly churches that are more limited by finances and know-how, rather than desire. But it is rare indeed to see a church that doesn’t have a video screen and making use of power-point, video, and even interactive question and answers via texting from the congregation.

Technology is great and I love all the things we can do with it. But just because we have the technology doesn’t mean we should use it in every conceivable situation! The drama department—if you even have one—is one area of the arts that has suffered the most… that and add the printers of hymnbooks. Both, it seems have been replaced by the video screen.
Live theater and video are two very different art forms. A stage play is directed with the understanding that a live audience is viewing the scene. It is up to the director to control the audience’s attention through the dialog, movement on stage, and the lighting. Video is very different and attention is focused through the camera’s lens. There is no choice for the viewer on where to look, the camera tells you. I have seen some very professional stage plays shot on video… I am rarely impressed.

I can truly identify with the struggle expressed in the email. I am often in situations where they want to project my image on the screen while I perform. I usually discourage it. The only exception being in the truly large auditoriums that seat thousands, and it is a legitimate concern for everyone to be able to see. But that is not the case in most churches and in the scenario expressed in this email.

My advice for those that are caught in the middle of live performance vs. video is to make a choice. Is this script better or more effective as a live play or as a video? If it is video, then go shoot a video outside the service time where the script is set up and shot properly as a video shoot. And if it is better live, then turn the camera off during the service!

No question, I have a bias. We are inundated with video today. There is a power in live performance. There is a relationship between audience and performer that you can not achieve with video. So I say again, just because we can, doesn’t mean we should.

Do you have any other helps or advice for the writer of this email? How would you suggest the person handle this issue with those making the decisions to shoot the video?

Posted by Chuck Neighbors | 9 comments

Jan

04

Kirk Cameron and Me

Arts / Blog Archive / Drama Ministry

Here I am as a “Christian actor”—notice the beard and man-dress. (Circa 1991)

was reflecting the other day on my profession and made the observation that I have something in common with actor Kirk Cameron. If I asked you to make a list of “Christian actors,” we would both probably be on that list. (It would be a very short list.) Kirk’s name would likely be very near the top of the list and mine near the bottom. Mine would only be on your list if I happened to come to your mind because I had recently performed at your church, and you remembered my name. It would probably listed like: “That Christian actor guy that performed at our church a few months ago.”

I have commented in the past about being labeled a “Christian actor” as opposed to simply an actor who is a Christian. When it comes to my profession and my faith I prefer to have both those words be nouns.

Somehow putting the word “Christian” in front of an occupation is either extremely limiting or sets up an expectation that is false or impossible to fulfill.

Examples:

Christian Plumber — When he finishes your pipes will only drip holy water.

Christian Carpenter — He makes lovely crosses but his doors won’t stay closed, they are always open.

Christian Mechanic — He converts all your parts, giving them new life.

Christian Doctor — No pills… but make sure he washes his hands before he lays them on you. You don’t want the last infection he healed.

Here I am as Count Dracula…a role performed by an actor who is a Christian. (Circa 1972)

You get the idea… I mean you don’t have to be a Christian to do a job well and frankly I have met some Christians in certain professions that aren’t very good at their jobs. I want a plumber that can unclog a drain, a carpenter who knows how to make a good cabinet, an honest mechanic that can fix my car, and a doctor who is willing to prescribe an antibiotic… I don’t care if they are a Christian, a Jew, a Muslim or an Atheist.

There are times when “Christian” as an adjective makes sense… Add Christian in front of minister, missionary, or maybe counselor and I understand that.

Add Christian in of front actor and you feel doomed to play only parts that require a beard and a bathrobe (unless maybe your name is Kirk Cameron). And I happen to know there several famous actors who are Christians. I won’t mention their names out of fear that you might start thinking of them as “Christian actors.” Sometimes I want play the bad guy — every good story has one. An actor who is a Christian can do that… a Christian actor… probably not.

What are some of your favorite misuses of the label “Christian?”

Posted by Chuck Neighbors | 4 comments

Nov

01

Choked

Arts / Blog Archive / Drama Ministry / How To's / Stories

It happens. Actors, singers, speakers… if you do this work often enough, you will have those moments when the unexpected thing catches you off guard. Sometimes it’s something totally outside your control, a baby cries, the lights go out, or the elderly man in the 3rd row has a heart attack (true story). The seasoned performer learns to pause or power through depending on the situation.

I’m not acting!

I have a long list of those unexpected moments. The ones I hate the most however are those moments that are seemingly “in my control.” This would be the forgotten line (daydreaming again!), the pants ripping out (wardrobe malfunction), or the missing prop (that I forgot to preset on the stage).

I had a new one catch me off guard this last weekend. I was suffering from a bit of post-nasal-drip and was having a hard time getting the voice to work properly—trying to avoid the constant throat clearing that accompanies this annoying little ailment. This is not a new thing for me, and I am used to powering through, and usually find that once I hit the stage and start talking, the symptoms go away… a mystery or a miracle… take your pick.

I’d just begun my performance of Not The Way I Heard It, and was about 5 minutes into the presentation when a bit of “drip” found its way down the wrong pipe. I desperately needed to cough! Being a professional this was a big “no-no” and also knowing that I was wearing a microphone only an inch from my mouth a cough would result in an ear-splitting sound effect that was clearly not in the script. I tried a muffled throat-clearing and that wasn’t working. I tried to power through, hoping that by speaking I could clear out the offending slime… All that came out was a whisper of my normal voice… clearly I was in trouble.

Fortunately the scene takes place in a doctor’s office, where I had already established the character as ill (carrying a handkerchief and blowing my nose). Also fortunately I had water on stage—something I have been doing regularly ”just in case” for all my performances. The acting code requires that you deal with the unexpected “in character,” so I made the character act like he was having hard time speaking (no acting required!), suppressing the cough, I went to the water and drank. It took a few drinks and a few failed attempts at speaking before I was able to get the voice back. I had to fight the urge to cough for about 10 more minutes into the performance but by God’s grace was able to power through.

After the performance I apologized to a few people for my voice failing me… their response, “I thought it was part of the character.” Which was the best thing you could have said to me at the time.

What about you? Do you have a story to share about dealing with the unexpected in front of an audience? Anybody have a cure for post-nasal-drip?

Posted by Chuck Neighbors | 10 comments

Mar

31

Truth Be Told… from a Guy Who Makes Stuff Up

Blog Archive / Drama Ministry / Stories

I am very excited about our newest presentation, Truth Be Told…from a Guy Who Makes Stuff Up. Last Friday was the premier performance followed on Sunday by the first booking at a local church. The response has been better than even I had hoped for as people are really connecting with these stories. The exciting thing is this is causing them to revisit their own stories. A very good thing indeed!

Here are a few of the comments I have received so far:

It was authentic and such an encouragement to so many who thought they didn’t have a story worth telling. I pray they now have the boldness to share their story with others, pointing the listener(s) to our LORD. Thanks for making me laugh, cry and think!!!”

“I was delighted with your new presentation. As a pastor I look at most things with an eye of how it would work in church. Your authentic and up personal presentation of your own story gives those in the audience a chance to look at their own stories from a new perspective. Congratulations on a job well done.”

“Thanks for a delightful evening! We enjoyed ‘your story.'”

“Thank you for allowing us to hear some of the most intimate events of your life…Your story reminded us that we all have stories to tell and is a great encouragement for us to share the grace and mercy of God with others.”

“This was my favorite piece I’ve seen you do, although I certainly love the way you make Scripture come alive in other works. But, I liked this most because it was so real. It was real stories, from real life, showing the wide range of ways we get to trust God. You, in a sense, acted out your stories; you didn’t just stand up there and speak casually to us…telling them with dramatic emphasis and an actor’s skills.”

“So authentic and real….it made me realize I too have a story to tell.”

“Story is a powerful tool for God to use, and He is telling His Story through your story! I was really moved by this presentation.”

“Your piece really touched me. I know others who have dealt with grief or guilt will also be touched.”

“It was great Chuck. I dreamt about your story all night long. So clearly, it had an impact.”

“I LOVED your presentation last night, Chuck! You did a great job not only compiling your story but the way you presented it. I could hear it over and over again… I believe everyone needs to hear your story. And thank you for impressing on all of us that were there that we have a story to tell!”

I am looking forward to sharing this new presentation and would love to bring it to a venue near you. Truth Be Told is perfect for a worship service, dinner/dessert theater, outreach event, or conference. I have also developed a retreat package to make this a great weekend event for a congregation or group who want to become better at telling their own stories! Contact me for more information or to request a booking!

Posted by Chuck Neighbors | 0 comments

Feb

09

A Stage That is Hard to Fathom!

Blog Archive / Drama Ministry / Stories

In a recent conversation with a pastor about performing at his church, he was concerned about having too small a stage for the presentation. If you were staging a Broadway show, that would be a legitimate concern… but for a one-man show…. not so much. Especially a one-man show that was designed as a touring performance TO churches.

My acting career is full of performances in spaces that are less than ideal. While I do occasionally get to perform on a real stage in a real theater with real theater lights, etc….that is the exception not the rule. In addition to church sanctuaries of all shapes and sizes, I have performed in gymnasiums, college lunch rooms, street corners, a baseball field, airplane hangars, and even on board a submarine.

You learn that theater can happen anywhere there is an audience, and a little imagination can go a long way. On one tour sponsored by the military we would go wherever the soldiers were in their everyday routines taking the show to them, sometimes doing up to 16 mini-shows a day. Imagine performing in a field with with 50 soldiers in full camouflage and rifles in their laps with a Jeep as your “backstage.” I did that! (Something about performing before a gun-toting audience makes you want to do a really good job!)

Often the leadership at a church will want to know what can be done to make the platform ready for my performances. Usually this is asked with a hopeful tone of “please don’t make us move too much stuff.” While I am very flexible and accommodating to any and every situation, here are some things to consider to make for a better experience on a church stage, for any guest, be it a speaker, musician, or even an actor!

Look at your stage as if it were a piece of art–a painting perhaps. Anything that would take away from presenting a pleasing picture to the audience is a candidate for removal. When I perform In His Steps, a period piece set in the early 1900s, the set is a pastor’s office. Having an electronic drum kit in the office detracts from the setting and mood of the piece.
While logistics and space may limit what can be moved, consider ways to at least tidy up the space. Microphone and music stands can be removed. Some portable screens could be used to hide drums, keyboards, etc.
If you have theatrical lighting, consider moving things out of the pool of light so that they are less visible and creating, with light, the space for the performance.
Take a moment to consider time and priorities for the service. If your guest is going to be on the platform for 45 minutes and your musicians for only 10 minutes, consider “downsizing” the music for that service. Go acoustic with fewer musicians, so that less is required on the platform, making it an easier, cleaner transition to the “main thing” of the service.
Also under priorities, give ample pre-service time and attention to the guest’s stage, sound, and lighting needs. I typically arrive at a church an hour before a service to set up and do tech rehearsal–for me that is plenty of time. However, no one has told the worship team this and they expect to use the stage for their warm-up and rehearsal at the exact same time. They often eat up so much of the pre-service time for their 10 minutes on stage and leave me feeling rushed and unprepared for my 45 minute presentation.
Assign a person to the guest to see to all their needs. Have them assist in set up, packing and unpacking, making sure there is good communication amongst the personnel of the service (tech, musicians, pastor, etc). Provide bottled water and a private room or space for the guest to prepare and pray before the service… it’s the little things that can mean so much.

I am sure there are other things I could add to the list. But I do know attention to these details does make a difference to both guest and audience and will create a better experience for all… whether on a real stage or in a submarine!

Do you have any tips for churches to consider when hosting a guest speaker/artist?

What unique and memorable performance venues have you experienced?

Posted by Chuck Neighbors | 5 comments

Apr

07

Those Rhetorical Questions

Blog Archive / Stories

One of the challenges of doing one-man shows is handling “dialog” without the benefit of another actor to play against. There are tricks you learn… one being to ask a question, pause as though listening, and then respond to the imagined response of the other person (kinda like listening to one half of a conversation when someone is on the phone). It is a technique I use often in my dramas and is a great way to add some dynamic and interest to the presentation.

Obviously the question asked is rhetorical from the audience perspective… they understand you are alone and that no one is really going to respond out loud to your questions. But then again… maybe not so obvious to everyone. A few years ago I was performing “In His Steps” and as the pastor in the story addressing the “imagined” congregation I ask the question: “Do you understand what you are undertaking?” One dear elderly lady stood up and began a long explanation about her personal challenges in following Jesus. I paused let here talk for a few moments, then thanked her for her input and continued on with the story. I am sure a few people thought she was actually part of the show.

On Palm Sunday I was performing my drama “Encounters” in Flint, Michigan. One of the characters I portray is a Roman soldier who is addressing the idea that Jesus actually raised himself from the dead. He asks this “rhetorical question” to his imagined crowd: “How many of you believe this nonsense!?” There is barely a pause and a child’s voice comes loud and clear from the back of the auditorium: “I do!”

Out of the mouths of babes. Out of an audience of 800 people this child comes forth with a clear testimony of faith and belief. Some in the audience laughed and a few actually started to applaud! I love the fact that this child was fully engaged in the presentation and felt compelled to respond. Normally I would classify this as one of those moments when something “went wrong”… but in this case it just felt right! A child shall indeed lead them.

Chuck Neighbors