1. Actors need to be selfish.

2. Actors need to have a “poker face”.

3. Actors need to be emotionally aware and emotionally accessible..

4. Actors need to listen.

5. Actors need to trust their instincts.

6. Actors need to be team players: collaboration is key in theatre, film and television production..

7. Actors need to be decisive and able to take direction..

8. Acting is reacting: it’s important for actors to react naturally and believe their own reactions..

9. Controlling your fear: actors are often afraid of making mistakes, being rejected or being judged…

10. Taking chances: it’s important for actors not to be too safe in their work..

Actor and acting coach Bob McAndrew talks about the importance of rehearsal in acting. “The best way to make sure you are ready to deliver a great performance is to rehearse well. This means rehearsing often, thoroughly and with as many people involved in your scene as possible. Actors should try to get together at least once before the actual shoot. The more you rehearse, the more prepared you’ll be.”

1. Keep the Flow of Your Acting Audition: keep the audition flowing by being prepared to start talking as soon as you enter the room and by answering questions directly and briefly.

2. Don’t Take Acting Rejection Personally: take acting rejection in stride.

3. Be Prepared for a Long Wait: be prepared for a long wait at your acting audition by bringing something to do or read.

4. Ask Questions about Your Acting Audition: ask questions about your acting audition before you are in front of the casting director so you know exactly what is expected of you.

5. It’s Best to Be Professional: it is best to act professionally while waiting your turn at an acting audition, especially if there are other actors waiting with you and there are people walking around the room.

1. Do not wait for inspiration. Begin, and inspiration will find you.

2. Always try your best, never give up!

3. Be open to criticism and keep learning. Surround yourself with teachers and other actors that can help you become stronger as an actor.

4. Make sure you have fun while doing it!

5. Read the stage directions!

6. Check the meaning of any unfamiliar words in the script, if you are playing a foreign character make sure you understand how they would say these words.

7. Use physical actions to develop your character’s personality; also to discover their body language, posture and movement..

8. When you are happy with your initial ideas about your character, start to work on them in more detail; consider what they like or dislike, their beliefs, opinions and attitudes towards people and situations in the play..

1. Remember the lines.

2. Feel the lines.

3. Carry a crossword puzzle in your purse or wallet.

4. Do not say “This is a stupid line but I’m going to say it anyway”

5. Do not skip words when you are reading the scene. (It is tempting when you do not know what they mean.)

6. Do not say “And so forth” or “Blah Blah Blah” when you skip words

7. Use the right name for people and places in the scene, even if you have to look at the script to find out what it is. If you can’t remember it just guess, but do not call her Sally if her name is Jane!

8. Do not ad-lib because you don’t remember a word or line; instead pause until you can find your place again and then pick up from there by saying the first word of the next line. If necessary, say ‘and so forth’ or ‘blah blah blah’ until you find your place again!

More than a hundred people sent me questions in response to my request for acting tips. I’m still catching up and responding personally, but I wanted to share my favorite questions and answers here, as well. If you didn’t get the e-mail but still have a question, please send it!

Far and away the most common question was: How do I get an agent? There is no one answer (it’s not even the most important question), but I’ve written about it twice before: here and here. For more about agents, check out and .

The second most common questions concerned how to deal with auditions: How do I prepare for an audition? How do I deal with nerves? What are some ways to calm stage fright? Check out this great post from and . And if anyone has any additional suggestions, please share them in comments!

Here are some of my favorite responses I’ve received so far:

Do you have any exercises for improvising when the audience is not laughing?

Yes! We did something similar at Second City all the time. If you’re on stage and the audience isn’t responding, it’s often because they don’t understand what you’re doing/saying or they’re confused by where they are in the scene

1. You can’t steal the audience’s attention. They have to give it to you.

2. You’re there to tell a story, not to show off.

3. Less is more. It is better to underplay than overdo it.

4. The audience wants to see you fail, so make them love you before you do anything else.

5. If it isn’t on the page, then it isn’t on the stage. The script is the bible; we are just actors in the story; don’t rewrite the story unless permitted by your director or if you are on an improv stage!

6. Relax and be yourself as much as possible, but always be aware of what is going on around you and where your focus should be (it helps if you know your lines backwards and forwards).

7. Serve the playwright by serving his or her words, not your ego or need for attention!

8. Focus on being specific as opposed to being general; don’t just say “hi,” say “hi,” with a tone that implies something deeper – such as sarcasm or flirting or aggression; even small things can make a big difference!

9. Use subtext: what are you thinking when someone says something