GOTE

GOTE, which stands for "Goal, Obstacle, Tactics, and Expectation", is an acronym devised by Robert Cohen to remind actors of four basic elements to consider while preparing a character for the theater.

Cohen introduced the acronym in his book, Acting One, which has become one of the most widely used textbooks for college theater students in the United States. GOTE is also often taught as part of the larger field of Practical Aesthetics.

The GOTE method, briefly stated, is as follows:

Goal refers to what a character desires—what drives their actions. Goals often involve specific details (e.g. "I want to create peace in the West Bank") but the strong verb (in this case "to create") is the crucial part of the goal because it impels actor and character to action. Beginners may use the verbs "to be," "to get," or a verb in the negative form. These choices often muddy the acting. Teachers differ on using goals that attempt to evoke specific emotions from other characters (e.g. "I want to make him cry.") Such phrasings may put one's scene partner in a difficult position. At the same time characters do not always succeed and this may mitigate problems while this usage may help create emotional vitality. Teachers also differ on using physically oriented goals. Some find them petty while others find they help actors act more convincingly by lending a sense of physical truth in addition to mental/willful truth.

Obstacle refers to what stops the character from achieving their goal. Drama needs (both in terms of practice and the need for interest) conflicts, which arise not only from the goals but from fighting against obstacles to achieve those goals. Obstacles will often define the possible range of tactics (see T), help an actor define emotions, help integrate new information, clarify the drama and plot and many other vital elements. The obstacle, however, should not be "played." In other words the actors should pursue their goals, rather than looking whiny about their obstacle. Note: O can also stand for "Other" in which case it refers to the other characters in the scene. Ideally, actors see other people in the play as the object of goals or tactics for good interplay.

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