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acting

93 posts
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  • 6 min

Acting by the Number$: Can Theatre Pay the Bills?

Art is awesome. I love making art. All I’ve ever wanted to do was tell stories, the kind that help us examine the human experience. That’s what I believe acting to be, particularly in the theatre. Now from a working actor’s perspective, reality has to come into play. You want to do stage work, it’s your passion, but do you remember all the times someone in your past told you that “there’s no money in theatre”? I hate to break it to you, but that person was right. But there’s a way to survive. You can act for a living. But to me, the only way to do it, is by using ALL of the mediums that are out there beyond the stage.
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  • 4 min

The Hearts of Monsters: Why We Need to Play Villains

“You are terrifying!” came the enthusiastic greeting as I stepped into the post show lobby. . I had grown used to it by then, and knew from the grins on the faces of this pleasant older couple that it meant they’d enjoyed the show. I smiled back sheepishly and offered a genuine, though bashful thank you, trying to distance myself somewhat from the character I had just played. Each night, I even made a point of dressing up more than usual when I went to the theatre. This was my first production in a new city, after all, and I wanted to be sure that everyone knew I wasn’t really a sociopath.
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  • 4 min

The Art and Importance of Asking for Feedback

In my book, the number one thing that separates good actors from great actors is their ability to hear and respond to feedback. But who is telling artists what they need to hear? There is something amazing that happens when you get cast in a show: you inherit a director.

Suddenly, you have someone to shape your work, and help you see beyond your own limitations. You have a person who is on your side, but is being paid to push you. That person is allowed to question your choices, encourage you to do more and be more, and ask you to reach further inside to make the piece stronger, as a whole. Like a football coach, your director helps you find the plays and puts you in the best position for overall success.

But what about the other ninety percent of your career? All that time when you are trying to get the gig. Ladies and gentlemen —-THAT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT TIME TO ASK FOR FEEDBACK.

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