Jeff Daniels: Acting On Stage vs. Film

Jeff Daniels was nominated for a Tony Award for Leading Acting in a Play (God of Carnage). Although he didn’t win (that went to Geoffrey Rush), I’m sure it was still an honor just to be nominated. Right? Hello? Q: “God of Carnage” is full of actors recognized most for

Jeff Daniels was nominated for a Tony Award for Leading Acting in a Play (God of Carnage). Although he didn’t win (that went to Geoffrey Rush), I’m sure it was still an honor just to be nominated. Right? Hello?

Q: “God of Carnage” is full of actors recognized most for their work in other mediums. As an ensemble, how do you approach the stage?

A: You’ve got four actors up there who are of film. We all know how to do it onstage, whether it’s projection, the vocal work and all that stuff. There is stagecraft in a Broadway house, but we’re film actors. That means we talk to each other and listen to each other.

There is very little presentational acting going on, and I think Broadway has a weakness for that, where during the big speech, the person turns and delivers it to the balcony, and everyone else listens to the back of their head. We’ve been directed away from that, so it drags the audience onstage.

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