Name: ______
Blocking Rules
The audience’s ability to see is your top priority.
Do not: Turn your back on the audience
Obstruct the audience’s view of you
Interfere with the audience’s view of another actor
1. Always sit or stand in Full Front and Q-Turn positions, where the entire audience can see your face. Avoid Profile, 3Q and Full Back positions, because the audience cannot see well.
2. When you sit or stand in groups, you should be in a V position so each person’s face can be seen. The point of the V should be @ Full Front, the sides at Q turns. Even #s = no point
3. When you enter or exit, turn first toward the audience (downstage turn = DST) so you spend as little time as possible with your back on the audience.
4. When you move across the stage with another actor, the Upstage Actor should be 1 ½ steps ahead of the downstage actor. This allows the audience to see both actors.
5. When you make a hand movement, gesture, or hold something, you need to do so with your upstage hand (USH) so the gesture or object doesn’t block the audience’s view of you. If you have two things – one in each hand - usually put the bigger item in the upstage hand… if in doubt, ask the director. The exception… if you are in FullFront position, there is no upstage hand. You might need to experiment with what works best.
6. Balance/counterbalance – when one actor moves, other actors need to adjust/move to make the scene look more balanced. This should happen any time someone enters or exits… or when someone makes a big area or position change. Try to always enter from the side closest to where you are going. Avoid crossing in front of another actor, if possible.
7. Balance #2 – If you can’t avoid crossing in front of another actor, there MUST be a large counterbalance move. See the director for suggestions!
8. Make use of different areas of the stage (upstage, centerstage, downstage) and remember that one actor can move behind another as long as the downstage actor is lower than the upstage one. For example, you can stand/walk behind someone in a chair, or you can kneel upstage of someone on the floor.