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| Q. | What are The Noble Blades?
| A. | The Noble Blades are the resident stage combat troupe of the Reston Community Players and the area's only professionally trained, community theatre-based fight group. (See Home Page.)
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| | Q. | What are the Reston Community Players?
| A. | The Reston Community Players are a community theatre group based in Reston, Virginia. (See Home Page.)
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| | Q. | What is the Society of American Fight Directors?
| A. | The SAFD is a non-profit organization of theatre professionals, academicians, friends, and supporters, all of whom share a common interest in the art of stage violence. The SAFD stands for the very highest standard in effective and safe theatrical fighting. (See Home Page.)
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| | Q. | What is stage combat?
| A. | Stage combat is the art of theatrical violence, comic or dramatic, as performed by actors upon a stage.
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| | Q. | How is stage combat different from stunt work?
| A. | Stage combat is usually performed in front of a live audience. Unlike television and film, which often use stunt men and women for action scenes, stage actors must perform their own fights, performance after performance, in a safe and convincing manner.
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| | Q. | Is stage combat just swordfighting?
| A. | Certainly various types of swords (including the single handed broadsword, double handed broadsword, rapier, and small sword) are often used in stage combat, along with other historical weapons such as the quarterstaff, shield, hammer, axe, dagger, and knife. However, many modern theatrical works call for non-traditional weapons (often called "found objects"), such as a frying pan, wine bottle, umbrella, teddy bear, and even a rubber chicken!
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| | Q. | So all stage combat fights involve props?
| A. | No. In fact the most common fights are "unarmed" where actors use their bodies to deliver or receive a punch, kick, slap, choke, etc.
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| | Q. | Where can I find a qualified fight director?
| A. | Check out the SAFD Web site for your closest regional representative. Our representatives here in the mid-Atlantic region are Michael Johnson (Washington, DC), Spencer Humm (Virginia) and Lewis Shaw (Maryland).
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| | Q. | Does every play that has a fight, even if it is just a little one, need a fight director?
| A. | Yes! Often those moves that seem the easiest (such as one actor pushing another) hold the highest risk of injury. Whether the theatre group is at the professional, educational, or community level, every producer or director of a play that involves any type of physical violence should seek out a qualified fight director.
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| | Q. | When should a fight director be brought into the production process?
| A. | As early as possible. Ideally, the fight director should be part of the original production staff, so he or she can help shape aspects of the production, such as set and costumes, which may have a direct impact on the actors' ability to perform.
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| | Q. | Is it ever too late to call a fight director?
| A. | No, though the sooner a fight director is brought in, the more help he or she will be able to provide. Unfortunately, recent theatrical history is littered with examples of productions where the staff and actors pressed forward without any fight direction expertise. The results have ranged from a scene that simply failed to live up to expectation to actors being seriously injured.
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| | Q. | How can I learn more about stage combat?
| A. | Contact your SAFD regional representative to find out what classes are available locally, along with information regarding regional, national and international workshops. Washington, DC area residents can also monitor this site. (See Classes.)
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