Fiction and Theatre Part II

Rob Arbaugh
Rob Arbaugh is originally from Michigan.
He is an actor, director, teacher, fight choreographer
and designer. Rob is finishing his MFA in Acting
degree at Regent University this May. He and other graduates
have already started a theatre company that
will be moving to Chicago next fall.


Rob, you once told me how a director has to look at the stage and “see” a picture. As writers, we have to help the reader “see” the picture in his/her mind’s eye. How do you do it on stage?

First, as I’m directing, I’ll see in my head what I think

a scene should look like. The whole play picture,

they become stills, each individual picture and then

I let that go and let the actor do whatever. Meld my

overall picture with their individual pictures to see

what I have to get. But then you have to let the actors

flow to be able to create themselves.

As a director, I let the world of the actor play into the story.

That’s interesting because as writers,

our characters often

take off, so to speak, and turn

into personalities we never expected.

It’s the same with an actor’s character, seeing what the actor will

bring to the table. It’s a collaborative process.

Sort of like the writer and character working together to create a “real” person. Our characters often seem to have minds of their own, like your actors.

After this first step, I watch everything I’m creating

and make sure every moment and every thing

is grounded in reality. In other words,

don’t create a picture just for the sake of the picture on the stage.

It’s easy for a writer to get caught up in that and

put in an action just for the sake of the character

doing something during dialogue.

When a crit partner tells us, we need some

action here, it’s easy to want to

just fill in. And sometimes that doesn’t

move the story along at all.

Well, I had a professor once say, if you start with the phrase,

“Wouldn’t it be cool to…” then it’s probably not too

brilliant an idea because you’re doing something

just to be cool. “Oh, I’ve always wanted to do this.”

Whether it fits or not.

So there has to be a reason for every action/reaction

on stage just like in a book?

Yes.

Why did you choose the expression “a picture”?

Because a picture is used to reflect life back to people.

So they can see life in a mirror. And take the message

to instill it in their own lives. The picture grounds them

in reality. A springboard for self-reflection.

I guess that’s similar to readers seeing themselves

on the pages of the book. We can have reality

reflected back or the suspension of reality

for a while, but still,we want to see ourselves

in the characters. Okay, I realize scripts aren’t

filled with description,but what piece of advice

would you offer from the director’s point

of view to help us make our readers

see what we want them to see?

I think from the directing side of things that you have

to present real people, not characters.

“Characters” are a misconception in theatre or any

aspect of the arts. One of the biggest mistakes is that

you play a mood or character stereotype.

When you do, what you have becomes a

two-dimensional object instead of being real.

As a director and actor, you have to become a child

of psychology, a student of human nature.

I can imagine that would help the writer as well.

As a director, my job is to

bring a script from page to stage.

I have actors to help me. For the writer, it should

be the same thing. When I read a character in a book

going through situations, I tend to cast the roles in my head.

How does your faith impact what you do?

I am faith-filled so everything I do is Christian.

But truthfully it all comes down to speaking truth.

God is truth, and whether the truth comes

from a believer or a non-believer, truth still comes from God.

Sometimes in the strangest places.

Rob, thanks so much for taking time from your schedule.

I know finishing this year has you really multi-tasking

to complete your degree. Do you mind if I

shamelessly let you promote

your site for Uncovered Theatre Company?

Not at all. Just want to say as artists, our whole goal in

our company is to create art that helps people

self examine. I can send that same charge

to writers; stories shouldn’t be in vain, just like

shows on the stage.

Be passionate about what you’re writing.

Visit us at: http://www.uncoveredtheatre.com/