Mastering The Multi-Character Solo Show

S1 E9 of What the Fringe?!

In solo performance, there is nowhere to hide. The performer is the cast, the narrator, the scene partner, and the energy source for the entire show. For fringe performer Steve Budd, this challenge has become his signature. Known for works like What They Said About Love, What They Said About Sex, Seeing Stars, and his newest piece, Oy! What They Said About Love, Budd has built a career on the art of inhabiting many lives in a single evening.

Steve Budd in Oy! What They Said About Love

Budd's Unique Blend of Documentary Theater and Personal Storytelling

Budd’s approach is rooted in a combination of documentary theater and personal storytelling. For his interview-based shows, he speaks with real people, sometimes dozens of them, on topics ranging from marriage to intimacy to interfaith relationships. From hours of recordings, he shapes a script that preserves roughly 95 percent of his subjects’ actual words. He then weaves these voices together with threads from his own life, creating a work that is both intimate and diverse in perspective.

“I wanted to treat my interviewees with respect, not make fun of them, and not play caricatures. As an actor, I’m not that interested in seeing caricatures, and I don’t want to be doing that. I want every character to feel honest and real.”

The transition from being a traditional stage actor to playing a dozen characters in a single show did not happen overnight. Early in his career, Budd did not see himself as a character actor. The thought of convincingly portraying men, women, and people from different backgrounds felt daunting. Training with directors skilled in character work gave him the tools to succeed. Physicality, vocal changes, and precise blocking became his means of drawing clear distinctions between characters. The goal was never caricature. As Budd puts it, the intention was always to honor the authenticity of the person’s words and avoid slipping into stereotype.

Crafting Authentic Characters and Narratives in a Solo Show

Creating Authentic characters is especially important when playing characters of a different gender. Budd’s female characters, for example, are drawn with nuance and realism, sidestepping the campy or exaggerated choices that can easily creep in. The result is performances that feel genuine, not gimmicky, and that resonate deeply with audiences.

For Seeing Stars, a deeply personal story about his father’s mental health crisis, Budd again employed multiple characters, including himself, his father, his mother, and several supporting figures. Even when the cast list is shorter, the same principles apply: each character must be clearly defined and emotionally truthful.

While character work is at the heart of Budd’s performance style, it is the integration of those characters into a coherent narrative that makes his shows compelling. His directors often remind him that even in documentary theater, the performer’s personal arc matters. By weaving in his own story, sometimes reluctantly, Budd adds dramatic weight and emotional through-lines that elevate the piece from a series of monologues to a cohesive journey.

Where Technique Meets Transformation

The technical execution of this work is demanding. Each transition between characters must be instantaneous yet clear, which means every gesture, vocal inflection, and shift in focus is deliberate. The audience should know immediately who is speaking without being told. This is where rehearsal discipline meets the playfulness of improv. Even in a scripted show, staying present and responsive ensures that every performance feels alive.

For anyone attempting to create a multi-character solo show, Budd’s process offers valuable lessons: start with strong, authentic material, define each character with physical and vocal precision, respect the source, and connect the stories to your own. Whether drawn from interviews, personal history, or both, the characters are most powerful when they are fully lived in, not simply performed.

This blog post was inspired by S2 E9 of the What the Fringe?! podcast, and was written utilizing AI technology, in conjunction with human oversight and editing.