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Curtain Up on Comedy: Unleashing Authentic Laughter in Your Performances
Hello comedy enthusiasts, welcome to our summary of Brad Heller’s comprehensive guide on playing comedy successfully, from the Heller Approach Professional Acting Studio. Here are the key learning points, perfect for those keen on taking online comedy improv or stand up comedy classes.
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- Realness is Key: Even in comedy, characters need to be honest, truthful, and relatable. Successful comedic roles are played by actors who can portray their characters honestly and realistically.
- Build a Strong Foundation: Think of creating a comedy scene like baking a cake. The foundation, or the cake itself, is the honesty and truth of the scene. The comedic principles – being funny to look at, playing with audience expectations, causing laughter through character suffering – these are the icing.
- Start with Drama: Before adding the comedy, play the scene as a drama. Understand who the characters are and how they operate. After the scene is memorized and played dramatically, add the comedic principles.
- Understand Timing: Comedy is all about timing. There should always be a slight pause before a punchline, a signal for the audience to laugh. Practicing this timing is essential for it to become second nature in a performance.
- Comedy Requires Practice: Comedy is one of the hardest styles to play. It requires a lot of practice and familiarity with the character and the scene. Even a single joke needs to be run over and over again for perfect execution.
- Invest in Professional Training: Working with a professional coach who can push and guide you is valuable. Actors need to constantly work on their craft, just like athletes or musicians.
- Comedy is Different, Yet Similar to Drama: While there’s a slight difference between playing comedy and drama (actors need to be aware they’re in a comedy), the best comedic performances come from honest and real scenes, with believable characters and situations.
- The Importance of Muscle Memory: As in sport or music, building muscle memory through continuous practice is crucial in acting. Training your body to remember the physical and emotional states helps create a more organic and authentic performance.
The takeaway? Comedy isn’t just about being funny. It requires a thorough understanding of the characters, the timing of jokes, and constant practice. This comes easier with the guidance of professional stand up comedy classes or online comedy improv training.
Keep smiling and keep acting! And don’t forget to check out Brad Heller’s other videos for more great tips and insights
LEADERBOARD
Rank | Name | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jade | 30/30 |
| 2 | Alan Salzbank | 30/30 |
| 3 | Jane Joan Costagliola | 30/30 |
| 4 | Julie | 30/30 |
| 5 | Suzanne Linfante | 30/30 |
| 6 | karin margaret | 30/30 |
| 7 | Robert | 30/30 |
| 8 | Roxie Monique | 20/30 |
| 9 | Jennifer B | 20/30 |
| 10 | Zygy | 20/30 |
