Week 6: "Furniture in Scene Setting and Practice Staging"
Composition with Actors
The Group: Creating Emphasis
Because all compositions are made up of two or more actors, a question immediately arises as to which actor (or character) will have the emphasis. If a director looks at a composition purely as a member of the audience, he realizes that he must create that emphasis or the audience cannot follow the dramatic action simply and effortlessly; that is, it will be difficult to tell who is talking or who is strongest in the action. But when the director looks at his possibilities for director-actor communication, he knows that his best hope of finding the appropriate emphasis is to convey to his actors what he thinks is important in the action and how important it is. Only out of this sort of suggestion will a natural emphasis flow. He thus encourages specific groupings in order to suggest not only literal meanings to the actors but sublimated ones, as well. He is working on the principle that sensitive and varied compositions will arouse appropriate tensions in the actors (organic blocking), who will then communicate directly and much more sensitively to an audience. An actor who is given a dominant position will certainly exploit it fully in his forcing of other actor-characters.
Emphasis, then, is a basic necessity in good composition. It is created by contrasting the four variables of composition—body position, levels, planes, and horizontal locations—in the following group arrangements: focuses, diagonals, triangles, space and mass, repetition or support, climactic compositions, stage areas, and compositions with furniture.
Focuses. There are two kinds of focuses: (1) eye focus, in which one actor looks directly at another actor (see Figure 22); and (2) line focus, in which one actor turns his body directly toward another actor and may emphasize it further by pointing with arms, legs, or torso, or all three simultaneously (see Figure 23). Both eye and line focuses are frequently used at the same time (see Figure 24). Both work on the principle of imaginary lines that run from one actor to another; the lines may be only partially suggested, but such is the nature of the imagination that it is able to complete the lines by seeing them in the mind’s eye. (Note the dotted lines in Figures 22, 23, and 24.)
EXERCISE 1.
1. Think of the ways to illustrate the eye focus. You can think of two actors placed on stage in contrasting one-quarter positions with eyes straight ahead. Without moving their head, imagine A turns his eyes on B. What is the effect? Now have A turn his head and look full face at B. Is the effect even stronger? What is he turning his body, as well? What is the effect? Think of and describe different variations of what effect can two actors make by simply moving their eyes and changing body positions.
2. Think of the line focus by setting up many compositions like the examples given in Figures 23 and 24. Be sure to be at a distance from the compositions yet so that you can actually see the lines. What would the audience feel watching it? What do the compositions mean? In real-life work, you can even see the lines in a literal way if you use a piece of cord attached to each actor. A large piece of rubberized material, such as an elastic band, works even better because the tension between the two actors can be literally illustrated.
Diagonals. A composition of two actors may be made with the actors in the same plane. This is a shared composition because each actor has equal emphasis (if the level and body positions are similar), as in Figure 25. However, they will take on different meanings if the planes are contrasted, thus creating an imaginary diagonal line (see Figure 26). Note that the emphasis here is on the upstage figure. The diagonal is more emphatic than a line parallel to the front line of the stage because it moves both horizontally and vertically (upstage) in the imagination of the spectator. Directors learn to employ diagonal compositions because of the tension that they readily create.
EXERCISE 2.
Illustrate and describe the strength of diagonals by showing the contrast they make to those lines parallel to the front of the stage. What do the individuals feel?
Triangles. Compositions of three or more actors are arranged in triangles. It is obvious that if three actors stood in the same plane, they could not easily see one another, for the actor in the center would block the vision of the other two (see Figure 27). In addition, triangles employ diagonals, the dynamic lines on the stage. By varying the four basics of composition (body positions, levels, planes, and horizontal locations) at the points of the triangle, a variety of meanings will emerge.
An endless variety of interesting compositions can also be made by varying the triangle in the following ways:
Shorten or lengthen the legs of the triangle (see Figure 28).
Increase or decrease the angles (see Figure 29).
Change the total area of the triangle (see Figure 30).
Change the position of the base leg from a line horizontal to the front stage line (see Figure 31) to a line that runs diagonally to it (see Figure 32).
Break the legs of triangles when there are more than three actors by inserting actors at points in the legs (see Figure 33).
You must learn to avoid flat triangles (those having little depth) because they can neither be seen by an audience (their flatness tends to cause viewers to perceive them as more of a horizontal arrangement of figures than a triangle described by lines connecting figures in different planes) nor can they convey to actors much sense of character relationship. Make a rule for yourself not to allow triangles of less than two or three planes in depth (see Figure 34).
EXERCISE 3.
Think of and describe the use of triangles by placing your actors in all the examples described in this section. Identify the location of the points of the triangles and the length of the lines. Make some flat triangles and illustrate their ineffectiveness in contrast to deep ones. What do the individuals feel? Do you see differences in meaning as the triangles change? Does it correlate with any scene of your play?
Space and mass. Effective compositions can be made by isolating one actor on one part of the stage and contrasting that isolation with a number of actors on the other side (see Figure 35). The single actor is thus surrounded by space, which gives him emphasis and individuality, and the others make a mass with only group identification.
EXERCISE 4.
Why is it essential to make emphasis through space and mass? Consider several variations of illustration of the space and mass and evaluate each of them.
Repetition or support. When four or more actors are used, the dramatic action frequently places them on two opposing sides. The supporting actors who stand behind the principal actors are said to repeat or support the principals, thus giving emphasis to the principals (see Figure 36).
EXERCISE 5.
Find on the Internet an example of performance or even a scene from the movie where there is a clear illustration of making emphasis through repetition or support. Share your example and evaluate each of them.
Climactic compositions. As previously noted, old compositions give way to new compositions continuously throughout a performance because they are the still shots that an audience can easily comprehend, simply because it knows who has emphasis (and thus who is speaking). These changes consist of variations on the actual distance of separation between actors, which depends on the illustration needed to show the forces between the actors. Thus, two actors may play at the extremes of the stage or very close together, with each composition having explicit meanings. When they are close together (less than six feet) they are in a climactic composition.
Climactic compositions should be used for only two actions, including all their variations: (1) extreme love, which the actors are about to embrace; or (2) extreme hate, in which they are about to fight. Climactic compositions must therefore be saved for the climactic moments of a play. Young directors and actors tend to overuse climactic compositions on the stage as a matter of course because they see them so continuously used in motion pictures and television, where it is necessary to bring two people close together to get them on camera. But they forget the alternating use of multiple isolation shots (close-ups) that make the actors appear to be well separated. This technique of breaking long shots, however, cannot be used in the theatre, where the continuous long shot is the way of life. A climactic composition has the force of a close-up and must therefore be used sparingly for this purpose or it will have no meaning at all. Think of compositions as a succession of shots that show actors in successive stages of either making contact or breaking it (see Figure 37).
EXERCISE 6.
Think of an example of a scene with climatic composition. Describe it shortly. You may also use sketching.
Stage areas. Compositions may occupy (1) the entire stage, (2) the left or right half of the stage, or (3) a quarter of the stage (see Figure 38). Compositions that occupy less space are usually climactic and can be placed in any location on the stage. But because climactic compositions must be used sparingly, the director must learn to use a wide variety of larger compositions placed contrastingly in all the areas (see Figure 39)
EXERCISE 7.
Think of different scenes from the play where you can illustrate stage areas by setting up compositions on (1) the full stage, (2) a half-stage, and (3) a quarter-stages and variations. Describe your choices. Draw some simple sketches.
Tasks Assignment
Complete the exercises. Write an essay. If you have an opportunity to apply to the practice with a group, it would be wonderful.
If yes, describe the process and the results.
Deadline: January 17, 2026
Studying Materials
Useful books to download:
Collaborative Stage Directing: A Guide to Creating and Managing a Positive Theatre Environment
