by Shockadelica

Created on: February 22, 2007

As human beings, non of our socialogical traits are automatic at the push of a button. It's just now how we're programmed. We're not robots.. and we can't do almost anything at the drop of a hat. It's just not how people operate.. and for this reason, the task of having to cry on cue is often a scary summons for any actor. In fact, having to cry on cue is a laborous request, enough to make any stressed out actor cry in their private life. But like anything, it can be accomplished. I've taken various drama classes for years and worked in theatre, tv, & film. Crying on cue is not always easy, but like anything, it can be mastered and attained. I used to not be able to do it at all. I'd have to work and muster up salty tears of pain for hours just to get one single drop to fall.. but I worked at it.. and now, honestly I can cry at the drop of a hat. In fact, sometimes I'll get so worked up or emotional that the tears will now come involuntarily when I don't mean them too. Ironic? Perhaps. Convenient? Definitely. Let me share some tips that helped me on how you can learn to cry on cue, whether needing it for a play, a film role, or even just to evoke someone sympathy. (Hey, we've all done it.)

1.) DRAW FROM WHAT YOU KNOW / HAVE - No, I'm not preaching the Stanislavsky method here. For the most part, that method is unreal because if you're portraying a serial killer or an ailing old man with cancer, there's no way you can draw from experience.. or let's hope not. What I am referring to is that, again, as human beings there are a billion little things that we repress everyday. Think about it. How many times in a day or a week or a month has someone said or done something that hurt you? How many times has something not gone quite right or you've had a personal crisis or strife in your life? And of those times, how many times have you just pushed it away and repressed the emotions, and kept yourself from breaking into a ball of tears? It's human nature to repress hurt feelings. As a society, especially now a days, we're taught to try and be tough and no one cries over every little thing. So we tuck these trampled feelings away and forget about them.. but guess what? They don't go away... they're just tucked away for a rainy day. Well this is your rainy day. This is the time to let yourself cry for every little thing that you repressed before. Play out all those feelings. In this way, learning to cry on cue can also be very theraputic because you can get out all those

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