Hello all! I just finished an amazing three weeks at Quartz Mountain in Lone Wolf, Oklahoma working as an acting class liaison and counselor for the Oklahoma Summer Arts Institute program. OSAI is all about giving high school students a professional arts training opportunity for two weeks, bringing experienced and successful artists in each discipline to Oklahoma to work as faculty and teach, inspire, and encourage students in their artistic endeavors. The classes are challenging, the students get to interact and collaborate with artists of other disciplines, and they walk away forever changed. OSAI is also special because it is completely sponsored by donors- every single student goes to Quartz on scholarship. Without these people and organization's generous contributions, this opportunity could not exist.
It's an AWESOME program- check it out and donate anytime ( www.oaiquartz.org)
I was completely blown away by the talent and dedication of these teenagers. I was inspired and encouraged by getting to work with this year's group of actors and faculty Dean Irby and Rena Cook. As we prepared for our final performance and ending our time at Quartz Mountain, I decided to write down something to tell the students in our last class meeting together. It started off as a silly list, but grew into something more. I originally called it "5 things I wish I had known when I was your age that make us better actors," but then I realized that it was really a list about being a better human. And that's what art does to us, right? We better ourselves and our art changes. Our art changes and we better ourselves. It all works together.
5 Things that Make Us Better Actors, Artists, and Human Beings
1. Be kind to everyone
Talent doesn't always get you the role or the job. Anyone you meet could be the next director, producer, teacher or stage manager you work with. Tech crews and costumers make your job look good. They light you, they dress you, they make things happen. If you befriend them, they will respect you and take care of you. Many casting directors ask the stage manager or even the person who sat outside of the audition room and checked you in how you were outside of the audition. Were you nice? Were you rude? Were you annoying? They don't want to waste their time casting someone who will be a pain to work with. Make cookies for your crew and stage manager, write them a note, ask them how their day is going, and ALWAYS do everything you can to make working with you an amazing experience.
2. We are all frail
We are humans and we are fallible. We skip lines, we forget lines, we hit the wrong note, we are late for cues. Sometimes it just happens. The longer you act (or participate in any art form), the more reviews ands opinions you will receive.
There will always be someone out there who thinks you are the worst thing to ever perform on stage.
There will always be someone out there who thinks you are the best thing to ever perform on stage.
You will see and hear these opinions in newspapers, in blogs, in Facebook statuses, in outsider chatter. One day they will write about you and say that you have no comedic timing. The next day they will write about you and say that you were the shining comedic star of the ensemble.
Refuse to base your art around individual opinions. Accept that people have different opinions, and that's okay. Find your own opinion and find value in your artistic voice. How was your work? What went well? What can you work on for next time? Be patient with yourself and love yourself. Treat yourself like you wish to be treated by others. Be grounded and accepting of every single one of your triumphs, errors, quirks, struggles, and failures. Embrace the struggle- it is beautiful and it lets you know that you are alive. Embrace other's triumphs, errors, quirks, struggles, and failures. We are all human, and we are all frail.
3. Listen and look for EVERY story
Every person, object, and thing has a story to tell. Listen to their story. Let it soak through you. Observe humanity every day, always. A dog has a story. A rock has a story. A funeral home owner's story is just as important as a King's. When you give every story value, your acting becomes truthful and powerful. We are vessels to hold people's stories. Hold them with care.
4. Continue your craft, always
Never stop learning. Take a class or workshop or lesson in everything you can. Ballet, tap dancing, rock climbing, astronomy, biology, dolphin training, gardening, French, German, creative writing, singing, violin, or pottery. Every single thing you can learn about in this world ultimately makes you a better person. When we grow as people, we grow as actors. Never stop growing and expanding your mind.
5. Breathe in and breathe in deeply
Every second we live and breathe is a miracle. Every moment we experience will never be recreated or happen in the same exact way ever again. Every time we perform, it alters and changes. Enjoy and feel the newness of each day and each time you get to use your art and perform. The same words and same actions never happen in that same exact way again. Life is precious- breathe it in and breathe in deeply. And most importantly,
Enjoy wherever you are on the way to wherever it is that you're going.
-A
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