Why Notes Matter (and Why They Sometimes Fail)
Notes are not a review of an actor’s talent or effort; they are a tool for aligning what happened onstage with what the audience needs to understand and feel. Notes fail when they are vague (“be more intense”), personal (“you’re not listening”), or too frequent (constant stopping breaks concentration and makes actors play “for approval” instead of playing the scene).
Your goal is to give feedback that is specific, respectful, and usable on the next run, while keeping morale stable. That means choosing the right timing, using a consistent structure, prioritizing what matters most, and confirming understanding.
1) When to Give Notes (and How Not to Stop Too Often)
Three common note timings
| Timing | Best for | Risks | How to do it well |
|---|---|---|---|
| End of scene | Quick fixes that must be applied immediately (safety, major clarity breakdown, repeated missed cue) | Interrupts flow; actors may lose emotional thread | Keep it to 1–3 notes; apply and re-run a short section only if necessary |
| End of act | Patterns you want to address while the material is fresh (pacing drift, unclear relationships, repeated stage picture issues) | Can become a long lecture; energy drops | Group notes first, then 1–2 key individual notes; set a time limit |
| After a full run | Story-level clarity, pacing arcs, consistency, and polish | Actors are tired; too many notes overwhelm | Prioritize ruthlessly; schedule a short break before notes; give written follow-up if needed |
A practical rule: “Run first, fix second”
Stopping too often teaches actors to wait for correction instead of solving problems in character. Use this decision filter before you stop:
- Stop immediately only for: safety issues, a technical cue that must be reset to continue, or a story error so large the rest of the run becomes meaningless.
- Let it go for: small line flubs, minor spacing errors, moments that are “not ideal” but still playable. Write it down and address later.
- Flag it when you want to note it later: jot a timestamp/line reference and a 3–5 word label (e.g., “Scene 3: apology unclear”).
Step-by-step: how to avoid constant stopping
- Tell the room the plan: “We’ll run the whole act. I’ll only stop for safety or if we can’t continue.”
- Track notes quietly: use a notebook with columns: Moment / What happened / Story impact / Adjustment.
- Batch notes: deliver them at the agreed time (end of scene/act/run).
- Re-run only what earns it: if a note changes behavior, re-run a short section to lock it in; don’t re-run to “punish” mistakes.
2) A Note Structure That Actors Can Use: Observation → Impact → Action
A reliable structure keeps notes clear and non-personal. It also prevents you from giving “taste notes” that actors can’t play.
The three-part note
- Observation (what we saw/heard): concrete, neutral, specific.
- Impact on story (what the audience likely understood/felt): connect to clarity, stakes, relationship, or rhythm.
- Actionable adjustment (what to do next time): a playable change in behavior, timing, focus, or physical choice.
Examples of the structure
Example A
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- Observation: “On the line ‘I’m fine,’ you smiled and looked away.”
- Impact: “It reads as you’re hiding something, so the apology that follows feels less sincere.”
- Action: “Try holding eye contact through ‘I’m fine’ and let the smile drop; keep your hands still until the next line.”
Example B
- Observation: “You crossed upstage during the reveal.”
- Impact: “The audience’s attention follows the movement and misses the reveal line.”
- Action: “Stay planted for the reveal; cross only after the other character reacts.”
Language that keeps morale stable
- Prefer “When X happens…” over “You always…”
- Prefer “It reads as…” over “It is…”
- Prefer “Try…” or “Let’s test…” over “Don’t…” (unless it’s safety)
- Address the work, not the person: “The moment is unclear” instead of “You’re unclear”
3) Prioritization: Clarity → Pacing → Polish (and Limiting Note Volume)
After a run, you will have more notes than the cast can absorb. Prioritization protects morale and makes rehearsal efficient.
The priority ladder
- Clarity first: Who wants what? What changed? What must the audience understand right now? If clarity is missing, everything else is decoration.
- Pacing second: Once the story is readable, shape timing: where it drags, where it rushes, where transitions blur.
- Polish last: Fine-tuning gestures, micro-timing, vocal color, tiny traffic cleanups—only after the first two are stable.
Limit note volume with a “Top 5” system
For beginner productions, a useful cap is:
- 3–5 group notes (things that affect everyone or the whole run)
- 1–2 individual notes per actor (only the highest-leverage items)
If you have more, park them in a “later” list. Too many notes create two problems: actors stop trusting priorities (“everything is urgent”), and they stop remembering.
Step-by-step: choosing what to say today
- Circle clarity breaks: moments where the audience might not know what happened or why.
- Pick one pacing pattern: e.g., “answers are delayed,” “transitions are muddy,” “laugh beats are stepped on.”
- Select one polish theme only if time allows: e.g., “cleaner picture holds,” “consistent prop business.”
- Assign each note a home: group note, individual note, or “later.”
- Timebox delivery: decide in advance (e.g., 12 minutes total notes).
4) Group Notes vs Individual Notes (and Fixing Recurring Issues Without Blame)
When to give group notes
Use group notes when the issue is shared, systemic, or created by the rehearsal process.
- Multiple people are stepping on the same laugh/beat.
- Several entrances are late because the offstage cue is unclear.
- Energy drops in the same section across the cast.
How to phrase it: describe the pattern, name the impact, propose a shared adjustment.
“Across the act, we’re starting lines before the previous thought lands. It makes the relationships feel less specific. Let’s all add a half-beat after a new piece of information—especially after questions.”
When to give individual notes
Use individual notes when the adjustment is specific to one person’s choices, timing, or consistency.
- A character’s intention reads opposite of the scene’s need.
- One actor consistently misses a cue or sightline.
- A repeated physical habit distracts from key text.
Protect privacy when needed: if the note could embarrass someone (voice cracking, costume fit, repeated line trouble), give it quietly one-on-one.
Addressing recurring issues without blame
Recurring issues usually come from one of three sources: unclear target, inconsistent reinforcement, or competing tasks (lines + blocking + props + cues). Treat it as a process problem first.
- Name the recurrence neutrally: “This is the third time the reveal hasn’t landed.”
- Remove moral judgment: avoid “you’re not trying” or “you don’t get it.”
- Diagnose the obstacle: “Is the cue hard to hear? Is the cross too long? Are you watching the wrong partner?”
- Give one experiment: “Let’s try freezing the stage picture for two seconds on the reveal.”
- Reinforce when it improves: “That hold made the reveal readable—keep that.” (Reinforcement is not flattery; it’s information.)
Sample Note Sets After a Run: Vague → Actionable
Set 1: Clarity notes
| Vague note | Actionable rewrite (Observation → Impact → Action) |
|---|---|
| “I didn’t understand that moment.” | Observation: “After the letter is read, you both start talking at once and turn away from each other.” Impact: “The audience can’t tell who is hurt and who is defending, so the conflict blurs.” Action: “Let Character A take the first line alone, facing Character B; Character B waits, then answers after a clear beat.” |
| “Make the relationship clearer.” | Observation: “In the greeting, you stand two meters apart and avoid touch.” Impact: “It reads like strangers, not close family.” Action: “Start closer—within arm’s reach—and add one familiar contact (hand on shoulder) before the first disagreement.” |
| “The reveal needs to land.” | Observation: “On the reveal line, you cross downstage and pick up the glass.” Impact: “The movement pulls focus away from the words.” Action: “Hold still for the reveal line; pick up the glass only after the other character reacts.” |
Set 2: Pacing notes
| Vague note | Actionable rewrite (Observation → Impact → Action) |
|---|---|
| “It’s too slow.” | Observation: “In Scene 4, there are three long pauses before answers, even when the question is simple.” Impact: “It feels like you’re searching for lines, not choosing silence.” Action: “Cut the pauses on practical questions; keep a pause only before the confession line.” |
| “Pick up the energy.” | Observation: “After the door slam, the next four lines are delivered while looking at the floor.” Impact: “The scene loses forward drive right after a peak.” Action: “On the first line after the slam, lift your focus to your partner and take one decisive step toward them.” |
| “Don’t step on laughs.” | Observation: “You start the next line immediately after the punchline.” Impact: “The audience doesn’t get time to respond, so the comedy feels flat.” Action: “After the punchline, hold your reaction for a full beat; begin the next line only after you hear the laugh start (or after one silent beat in rehearsal).” |
Set 3: Polish notes (only after clarity and pacing)
| Vague note | Actionable rewrite (Observation → Impact → Action) |
|---|---|
| “Be more natural with the prop.” | Observation: “You pick up the cup, set it down, then pick it up again within two lines.” Impact: “It reads as nervous fidgeting and distracts from the text.” Action: “Pick up the cup only on the line about the phone call; otherwise keep both hands on the table.” |
| “Your reactions need to be bigger.” | Observation: “When you hear the accusation, your face stays neutral and you keep folding the cloth.” Impact: “The accusation feels low-stakes.” Action: “Stop the folding on the accusation, look up immediately, and let the silence sit for one beat before you answer.” |
| “Clean up the ending.” | Observation: “On the final line, you both start moving to exit before the line finishes.” Impact: “The ending image doesn’t land; it feels like you’re rushing offstage.” Action: “Finish the line facing front, hold the picture for two beats, then exit together on the light shift.” |
Protocol: Confirming Understanding (Actor Repeats Back Intention)
Even clear notes can be misunderstood. A short confirmation protocol prevents repeated mistakes and reduces frustration.
The 20–40 second “repeat-back” loop
- Director gives the note using Observation → Impact → Action.
- Actor repeats back the intention (not the critique): what they will play and what change it should create for the audience.
- Director confirms or adjusts in one sentence.
- Immediate test: re-run 3–8 lines (or the specific moment) to lock the change.
Repeat-back examples
Director: “On ‘I’m fine,’ you smiled and looked away. It reads like you’re hiding something, so the apology feels less sincere. Next time, hold eye contact and let the smile drop.”
Actor (repeat-back): “So I’m playing that I want them to believe me, and I’m choosing direct eye contact and no smile so it reads as honest.”
Director: “Yes—honest and a little exposed. Let’s take it from two lines before.”
If the actor repeats back something different than you meant
- Clarify the target: “Close—what I’m after is less anger, more disappointment.”
- Reduce the note to one action: “Just do the eye contact change first; we’ll adjust tone after.”
- Offer two options if they’re stuck: “Try it as ‘protecting yourself’ once, then as ‘asking for help’ once.”
