All Grown Up
It’s a rough day when you’ve been away from a teacher whose opinion you know can help you, and you go back knowing you have work to do. I’ve been fortunate to have a couple of auditions a week and haven’t booked. I knew there were reasons that I couldn’t see, so I went looking for them in the eye of my teacher. My teacher is subtle, kind, and extremely accurate.
Everyone in the industry has an opinion. Therefore, you have to find the voices or people who resonate with you and/or offer you information that rings true and accurately. Opinions can break you if you get the wrong ones, but they can help make you if you get the right ones.
Today I found out some tough things. I’ve forgotten to play and I’ve grown up. I’ve lost some of my child-like qualities by taking my daily responsibilities and myself too seriously. Actors need child-like qualities. They are an important part of our work and our creativity. I’ve also created the bad habit of playing it safe in my work. The antidote will be to sign up for improv and to figure out how to play again. The latter will take a minute, but I will do it.
I am also a bit rusty because I took a break from class over the holidays and didn’t go back. I’m back. I’ve been auditioning regularly, but that’s not the same as improving your craft. An actor needs to practice just like musicians and other entertainers to grow and to keep improving. An actor must act. This actor will be working on improv and performing live on stage in early June.
Also, I’m in the thin class of actors and my teacher asked me if I work out. It was a subtle and gentle suggestion that I need to get in better shape. In fact, it was so subtle that it didn’t register until this evening when I was sitting quietly doing nothing. Subtlety is a form of kindness. If a suggestion is made with subtlety, then at some point, the suggestion will sink in. The truth is that I have been going to the gym 2-3 times per week for the last couple of months, but I have also recently developed a penchant for nightly chocolate chip cookies…and it shows. I cut the caffeine out earlier this year. Now, I want to cut out the sugar. Once I give up the sugar and work out more frequently, then I’ll be in great shape again.
Here are some suggestions for actors: 1) get in shape –it builds confidence; 2) take classes when you’re not working and sometimes even when you are; and 3) play - play courageously. These are important qualities toward being hired. As my teacher said, “People like to hire people with confidence.” Being prepared builds confidence.
I didn’t learn anything new today, but I remember what I forgot.
Thought for the day: Ever notice that improv and improv-ing are inseparable?
Everyone in the industry has an opinion. Therefore, you have to find the voices or people who resonate with you and/or offer you information that rings true and accurately. Opinions can break you if you get the wrong ones, but they can help make you if you get the right ones.
Today I found out some tough things. I’ve forgotten to play and I’ve grown up. I’ve lost some of my child-like qualities by taking my daily responsibilities and myself too seriously. Actors need child-like qualities. They are an important part of our work and our creativity. I’ve also created the bad habit of playing it safe in my work. The antidote will be to sign up for improv and to figure out how to play again. The latter will take a minute, but I will do it.
I am also a bit rusty because I took a break from class over the holidays and didn’t go back. I’m back. I’ve been auditioning regularly, but that’s not the same as improving your craft. An actor needs to practice just like musicians and other entertainers to grow and to keep improving. An actor must act. This actor will be working on improv and performing live on stage in early June.
Also, I’m in the thin class of actors and my teacher asked me if I work out. It was a subtle and gentle suggestion that I need to get in better shape. In fact, it was so subtle that it didn’t register until this evening when I was sitting quietly doing nothing. Subtlety is a form of kindness. If a suggestion is made with subtlety, then at some point, the suggestion will sink in. The truth is that I have been going to the gym 2-3 times per week for the last couple of months, but I have also recently developed a penchant for nightly chocolate chip cookies…and it shows. I cut the caffeine out earlier this year. Now, I want to cut out the sugar. Once I give up the sugar and work out more frequently, then I’ll be in great shape again.
Here are some suggestions for actors: 1) get in shape –it builds confidence; 2) take classes when you’re not working and sometimes even when you are; and 3) play - play courageously. These are important qualities toward being hired. As my teacher said, “People like to hire people with confidence.” Being prepared builds confidence.
I didn’t learn anything new today, but I remember what I forgot.
Thought for the day: Ever notice that improv and improv-ing are inseparable?
posted by Sarah Jean Fry at
9:23 PM
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