Things Theatre Taught Me...
18-2-16
I knew from when I was five years old what I wanted to do with my life. I knew I wanted to be an entertainer. I've gone down many paths in the entertainment industry, but I consider myself very blessed to have always known what I wanted to do with my life. I never had that "OMG. What am I going to do?" moment as a teenager. I've always known. And I've always said, "I'm going to do it, no matter how many doors are slammed in my face."
Being in the theatre industry has taught me a lot. My friends that have known me since I was a youngling will tell you I used to be very different. I was very sweet and polite. Not anymore. The sarcasm fairy hit me firmly on the head at about twenty. I really think there should be a sarcasm font for the internet. It would save me a lot of apology emails. I wanted to share with you some things the theatre has taught me that have worked for me in the "real" world. When I hear about arts funding being cut in schools it makes me really angry, because I didn't learn these things from any other areas of my schooling. I learned it from my hard working theatre teachers over the years.
Be on time
This is the number one reason why people are fired from jobs. Not showing up on time or at all. Be punctual. Show up when you are supposed to and show up with a smile! I was trained to be 15 minutes early to everything because of union rules in America. This makes my friends really annoyed with me sometimes because I'm always early to everything but I've never been fired from a job.
Be prepared
Always have your stuff together. Turn your assignments in, have your paperwork ready, learn your lines. Don't be that person in the show or at your job that people *sigh* when they say your name. You don't want to be that person. Be a grown up and be responsible.
Understand everything
I was taught this by Paul Crook. In case the light board op gets wasted and doesn't show up; know the cues and be able to run the board. Know your show so well that you can jump into any role and do it well. If you are a person who is versatile in the industry you will always work. It is true. Despite the economic down turn in the arts, I haven't been unemployed as an artist. And it's because I can do everything with some level of competancy. (Except sound engineering...and trust me I regret not learning it.) He also taught me the value of being knowledgable in pop culture as a director. It can help you give a reference to a struggling actor/student.
Read a play every week
My teacher gave me this advice in one of my last classes in Undergrad. "Read or see a play every week or you will become a lazy artist. It is your job to be up to date on what is happening in your field." I took this advice to heart and still do it. That was over 10 years ago. People wonder why I know every single play and playwright they talk about. This is why. I listened to this teacher's advice and it has served me well.
If all else fails just throw some glitter on it. No one will notice.
If you make a mistake on something and can't fix it properly because of time or budgetary constraints, just throw some glitter on it or hot glue something over the mistake. People won't notice for one show. You're worrying over something so small and wasting a lot of time over a minute detail. Just get over it and move on. You can fix it later. I'm a perfectionist. I have to tell this one to myself on every single project.
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Thank you to all my teachers for all the great advice they gave me during my schooling. I strive to be better on every show. It is largely because you all inspired me with your dedication to the craft.
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