"Where oxlips and the nodding violet grows"

Fairies, as you design your costumes you can begin to ponder how you are going to move in that costume. I know for the afternoon cast we are going with a nature theme but the morning cast can use this advice too.

For example, if you are a fairy who is like a certain type of animal or even a plant, first take a moment to act as if you were that animal. Not as if you were like that animal, as if you were that animal.

Next, note the movements you make as you pretend to be that animal. If you were pretending to be a snake you would probably have clapped your hands to your side and slithering from side to side and scaring your younger siblings by staring them straight in the eyes. However if you were a squirrel your movements would have been more abrupt and you'd be keeping your eyes wider.

Next, pretend you are that animal/plant that is somehow trying to pretend it is a human. Keep all those motions you noted before but otherwise act totally natural. Try to act like a snake without letting anyone figure out that you are acting like a snake. Slithery motions and prolonged eye contact, but don't get out of hand by flicking your tongue in and out as if you just drank a glass of pure quinine or something. That'll give you away.

Now apply these motions to your character. Remember the key is not to act like an animal but like an animal pretending to be a human. It's tricky but it looks more natural.

This exercise is not only for fairies. You can liken your character to an animal and use this same exercise. Your character could just as easily be as flittery as a sparrow as it could be as slow and measured as a lion. Your choice. Go ahead and try it out. I dare you to try it at the next practice. Make it subtle enough that no one catches on but obvious enough that everyone understands when you tell them what you were doing afterwards.