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Question:i recently got a declaimation acting/voice part to compete with other schools. my voice is very strong and convicting, my acting is very good, and i am able to fake cry but not on cue. can you help?? the part where my coach told me to cry is:

//and i killed him/ i killed my brother/ i stabbed him until he was swimming admist his own blood// i promised to never/ take drugs again/ or my family could be next// i could still imagine the look on my mothers face// oh my mother/ my mother!/ tell her// tell her// tell her that i love her//

key:
/ = pause
// = dramatic pause/done


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker: i recently got a declaimation acting/voice part to compete with other schools. my voice is very strong and convicting, my acting is very good, and i am able to fake cry but not on cue. can you help?? the part where my coach told me to cry is:

//and i killed him/ i killed my brother/ i stabbed him until he was swimming admist his own blood// i promised to never/ take drugs again/ or my family could be next// i could still imagine the look on my mothers face// oh my mother/ my mother!/ tell her// tell her// tell her that i love her//

key:
/ = pause
// = dramatic pause/done

Ok where to begin!
this has always been a struggle for me but I finally got some good advice at a workshop recently.
First off you need to really analyze what your saying, and really get to know the character. Real actors/actresses do extra work. To really know your character you need to know there life history. What are they thinking as there talking? Why were they taking drugs to start with? and very importantly: how does your character feel. You have to completely lose yourself and become the character. It can also help to take an event from your own life: such as the death of a loved one: and draw upon that event to cry. You are not yourself anymore, you are your character, your brother is dead and it's all your fault. You are addicted to these drugs. You are scum, youre lost, and you feel there is no hope for you! you are an awful horrible human being that doesnt deserve to live. You want to die but you cant without your mother knowing you love her.

Hope that helped, a bit anyways! I'm impressed you really broke apart you script and thought about beat changes (pauses or changes in thought) that's great. Just do a little more work and the tears will come I promise! Break a leg!

The answer above me is great, im not sure what else to add.
Apart from, if you can get the tears out, move your face around so it looks liek you are crying. When you cry what does your face look like? Note that down and when you need to fake cry- do that- it might even help you actually cry.
Sometimes, its also powerful if the character if fighting back the tears...

Good luck :D