All children dread the forced Easter speech by your parents and grand folks…but not LaCora Stevens. “I remember it like yesterday, performing my first monologue as Pontius Pilate’s Wife at the age of nine or ten. I wish I could exaggerate this and say the crowd went wild, tossing their bibles and prayer clothes in the air, but they simply applauded and said “Amen”. And I was like, “I did that!” It felt so good. Most are intimidated by a crowd, but I loved that all eyes were on me. This was the beginning of a beautiful thing that grew during high school, hot puberty in college, and matured here in Hollywood. However, I’m still growing,” says LaCora.
indieactivity: Did you study acting?
LaCora Stephens (LS): There was a moment that became clear I was going to study acting. I went out to watch a play, my freshmen year of college, “Dearly Departed”. Loved it so much, I saw it twice because I was so awed by the acting; it was so natural! I praised the lead, Charles Wesley Lattimore, after the show. He asked about my major which was undecided, but how the theatre was of interest. He pointed the way to the one and only Luther D. Wells of the FAMU Essential Theatre. One thing you must know about Florida A&M University is that the professors at this HBCU have real care, passion, and authentic love for their students. They don’t piss on your leg and call it rain, nor do they beat around the bush to call a spade a spade. They shape you to be the best you can be, despite your feelings, mood, or circumstance. And Professor Wells taught me to keep my emotions at the door when I step into the theatre. Honing your craft requires a blank slate. He, along with Dr. Matthews, Ms. Harding, Keith Tucker, and Mr. Robinson all prepared us for any stage.
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What acting technique do you use?
LaCora Stephens (LS): During undergrad, we studied all the techniques. From Meisner to Stanislavski and even sense memory. This perhaps, is what I enjoyed. Every day, our professor would have us write assiduously about what we see, taste, hear, smell, and touch. For me, I had never taken the time to “smell the roses”…too busy worried about craft, your craft ultimately is the catalyst to get you to slow down and observe the beauty of life around us. From the very sound of your heartbeat to the gentle touch, the breeze reminds you to feel. That was amazing. A decade later, I still have my journal. It comes in handy when you’re character building.
What wrong impressions do actors hold about acting?
LaCora Stephens (LS): What is my Motivation? Can you hear me? Being and Doing. To be or not to be, that is the question. There are rules that all actors must know and the first I learned was: Actors must be and not do. Anytime, you are forcing something and you don’t know what is your motivation because you haven’t a. scored your script and b. not listened to the other actors on stage. Yes, you have your lines, but what are you really saying? What is the other actor really saying? Have you read your script enough to know….to really know? You may have been the top student in your high school drama class and lead in college plays, but it’s a different world in show business. Samuel L. Jackson mentioned how actors don’t take the time to learn their lines verbatim to give room to build, listen, take chances. Always read, read, read with a pencil in hand.
Do you take courses to improve your craft?
LaCora Stephens (LS): This sounds so bad, but I currently am honing my producing skills and I haven’t been to a steady acting class in maybe two years. Classes and workshops become very expensive in Los Angeles. So, in lieu of paying for a class, I will audit one for free. They normally provide you with one free session which gives you time to “date” the acting coach and see if you want to keep the relationship going. I also have gone back to my roots in theatre. Nothing like your first love under a great director to sharpen your skills.
What acting books do you read?
LaCora Stephens (LS): A great book that I have is “Acting from a Spiritual Perspective” by Kathryn Marie Bild. If you decide to get the book, make sure you have a highlighter and pencil in hand for the built-in exercises.
How do you keep fit as an actor?
LaCora Stephens (LS): Actors have it hard. This is a cold business. People are committing suicide because rejection can lead to depression and stress. Because my family is away, I know I need a recharge to stay mentally and physically fit. Praying is essential for me. I pray to God that I never lose my faith in this walk because once you do, it’s hard to get back to yourself. From the physical aspect, I run. Jogging through the city with some great tunes like Mali Music keeps the endorphins flowing…oh yeah…runners high!
When you’re offered a role, what do you do next?
LaCora Stephens (LS): The first thing I do when offered a role is Thank God because offers don’t come every day! Once I say amen, I read the script like a machine gun. I read it several times for different reasons. If I read it at least six times before learning my lines, I feel like I can actually begin some homework. For instance, I may read it once for pleasure, then twice for the sake of understanding the story. Next, I may read with the theme in mind. There is so much to a script, you want to cover all bases before jumping into character work.
How do you take a character in a script to an honest, believable, and breathing person?
LaCora Stephens (LS): Master the Art of Observing. It can be hard to make certain characters honest, especially if they’re nothing like you. I recall playing a young school teacher in love with a bi-sexual man and a pregnant foul-mouth HIV patient in one play. Man…talk about breathing life into a character. I knew I liked the story, but I didn’t believe some of the choices made by the characters. And since it wasn’t believable to me, it was hard to make the characters believable to the audience. I realized in this moment, if the actor isn’t naturally vulnerable in reality, it is a challenge to become emotionally naked on stage. So the director encouraged me to go to the clinic and watch people. Look at their demeanor, the way they walk and hold their head. Pay attention to their speech pattern and idiosyncrasies. I watched and wrote, watched and wrote. Engaged in dialogue and wrote some more. Sometimes starting from the outside in can help you find the breathing person you want that character to be.
How do you stay fresh on set?
LaCora Stephens (LS): Staying in a character is hard for me when I’m on a film set because of the delay in time and the amount of technical aspects. I’m still looking for a solution to this question. I notice that some actors stay distant and request privacy, which comes off to me as a bit “too much”, but who am I to say? There has to be a solution that’s a middle ground out there somewhere, once I find the answer, I’ll certainly update you!
Describe a memorable character you played
LaCora Stephens (LS): Lampito from Aristophanes’ “Lysistrata” was one of my most memorable theatrical characters. People may now know this play from Spike Lee’s Chi-raq, but this play is an oldie and goodie. Lampito is a Spartan with a thick accent. It was my first comedic role and I loved it! This character called for development to stand out from the other ladies, according to the director. My subject to emulate was my Aunt Wanda. She had a strong commanding presence and a voice to match, which was the beginning of something beautiful. My character strolled around with her huge Michelle Obama arms and sexy fur anklets. With comedy, I was able to do so much with the character while having a great time
Explain one creative choice you took on set
LaCora Stephens (LS): A director told me to walk through the door like I owned the place without saying a word. In my mind, I’m like, “What?” He told me to trust my instincts. And again, I’m like, “What?” So he calls to action, I walk, he isn’t impressed, calls action again and nothing. Well, upset that I didn’t get the bells and whistles, I thought, how and what can I do. The magic of props and beaming eyes go a long way. I imagined what will a high-maintenance woman do upon entrance and bam…just like that magic happened. I nimbly strutted through that door like fire was under my feet and the man answering was my personal ice cube. I commanded everyone’s attention and the director threw his hat down and said…”Now that’s how you own a place!”
What do you want most from a director?
LaCora Stephens (LS): Great directors are priceless and hard to come by. What I want most from a director is to make me think. Don’t tell me what to do or how to feel, help me by asking me certain questions to get to that “Aha Moment”. The magic of great questions is a marvelous thing.
What actors do you long to work with?
LaCora Stephens (LS): My heart has longed to work with one of the most brilliant actors of all time: Denzel Washington.
Why?
LaCora Stephens (LS): His work is spectacular. Sure, we see him on-screen and marvel at his talent, but when I saw him on Broadway in Julius Caesar, as Sophia from “The Color Purple” would say, “I know there is a God!” I know, a little dramatic, but it’s almost the truth! The audience stood and applauded for five minutes before he could get his first word out. His performance was superb, like in any performance. And not only is he an actor, but he also directs young talent and inspires me when I see his performance. You all have seen “Glory” right? When that solitaire tear runs down his face as he’s whipped in front of the entire company, THAT…my friend…is ACTING!
What advice would you give to actors?
LaCora Stephens (LS): Actors, perform to inspire…you never know who’s watching!
Briefly write about your career
LaCora Stephens (LS): To quote Malcolm X: If you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything. In all I do, I try my best to have a career that can inspire and empower people to do more. From my theatrical performances in college to the students I taught in drama class to my roles in film, and host of a talk show, I want to be an actress that will not only act but create content that others can perform in and be great. Whether this is digital, tv, film, or theatre, my career will be more than the characters I play, but the character within that I inspire. You can learn more about me and my current projects on my YouTube page
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