Advice for actors trying to portray blind characters?

I'm directing a show in which all the characters save for one are blind. I'm planning on doing exercizes %26amp; working with them during rehearsal to explore/experiment with the ideas of using other senses besides sight/how to move without sight, and I'm looking for suggestions for exercizes I could do with them. Anything with blindfolds is good. I'm not working with white canes.


So yea, anyone have some good ideas? Has anyone ever had to portray a blind person? Advice? Thanks!Advice for actors trying to portray blind characters?
The advice I will give to actors portraying non-sighted characters is the same advice I would give to all actors:





Listen.





Let your ears lead your focus. Do not fall in to the ';blank stare'; trap. Simply make your ears the conduit. Those who are non-sighted typically fall in to three categories: Eyes that cannot see (typically congenital), eyes that are nonexistent, and eyes that have been damaged. The congenitally blind person still moves his/her eyes.





All rely on sound and touch to stay connected. A sighted actor who is portraying a non-sighted character MUST listen.





Use blindfolds if you must (I am assuming that your actors are young), but teach the actors portraying non-sighted people to lead focus with their ears, not their eyes. Many non-sighted people have the appearance of ';ducking the head'; as if in deference. They are merely trying to focus.





Come to think of it, an exercise using a ';deferent'; posture would be helpful, as well. There is much strength in humility.Advice for actors trying to portray blind characters?
you have to literally spend hours blind folded so you can not see, you need to spend most of your days without seeing anything, so you can understand what is like and what you need to do do get around and eat meals and turn on fossets and such. Also when being blind never make eye contact with another actors and when you look somewhere don't move your eyes rapidly like something is catching yourt eyes pick a very random thing to stare at while you talk until you move again then pick a new place