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A prompt is a person who during rehearsals and the performances will sit; script in hand, ready to feed anyone a line they have forgotten, to hopefully keep the flow of the dialogue going. The premise being that, if successful during rehearsals, by the time of the performance they will not be necessary. This is unfortunately not always the case. |
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| During Rehearsals |
| The task of prompting is a skilful one, to be able to do it well. You should mark up the script during rehearsals with the location of all the pauses and learn what actors need prompting sooner, or they’ll waffle forever – or later as they can usually get themselves out of trouble. It requires a person both of strong voice and of strong character. No actor like their prompt. You came in too slow, too quickly, were too loud, too quiet, gave them too much of the line or not enough. When desperately trying to recall the line they remembered perfectly when they practised during the drive to rehearsals the prompt is the symbol of their fallibility. As such you need to be prepared to be the subject of vents of frustration as opposed to cries of admiration. As with all backstage tasks you need to be your own champion, for the applause is only ever for the actors. The rôle is therefore, for the sort of people who receive gratification from knowing in themselves that they have done a good job rather than from the praise of others. |
| During The Perfomance |
| To be a good prompt you need to be fully conversant with the script and the actors for if the cast decide to skip 5 pages, you need to know exactly where they’ve gone and if what they missed out is essential to the plot. An exceptional prompt is someone who knows how to bring them back again and in as few words as possible. A prompt needs to have a strong, clear, forceful voice that the actors can hear on the opposite side of the stage. Even better if you can get the balance so as few of the audience hear you as possible. Alertness is the key factor - there will always be the time you need to prompt on that one line they never forget or for the person who never forgets and to all these skills add good eyesight, for you only have a tiny little light to read the script by.
In short – if you want a challenge, be a prompt. |
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