I'm finding that I am getting less and less upset when things don't go my way. Maybe it's because things haven't been going my way for a while now, I'm not sure, but I have found that the key is in thinking about "MY" way as just one of many ways that things can go. I'm starting to feel that if things don't go my way, it's cool, because that means things have to be going someone else's way right? Don't get me wrong, I'd love for things to go my way every time, but then I have to remember that some of the best things that have ever happened to me were a result of things not going my way!
When I improvise, I'd like to believe that I have an idea as to how I'd like things to go, but mostly, I'm just pulling a feeling or a thought from the opening of a Harold and hoping it will infuse my first action with my scene partner. If the idea I got is a question that I want to explore, then my first line will more than likely let my partner know that I would like them to "straight man" my absurd offer as a way to explore my question. I used to have great big ideas and complete scenes played out in my mind, but things never end up going the way you want them to, and trying to steer a scene looks bad on stage and no one likes it when you do that, so why bother. Here's the deal though. Even if my idea was a question to explore, and my offer to my scene partner is specific in what I want, is it ok for my scene partner to also have an idea from the opening and to also use it in our scene? I mean, is it our scene? Or is it my scene?
What do you think? I know sometimes we're told that we should let the first person that speaks get their idea out before we start adding information. Once we have the information, can't we add from a perspective of our own idea as well? I know what's easier to do, and I know I can form myself into the perfect puzzle piece to fit with your idea but are we really looking to be easy with long form? Why don't we just play "Bad Poet" and get some laughs and call it a night? Or are we collectively trying to create a piece of art based on a suggestion from the audience right before their very eyes? Is this piece of art a result of a group mind that works together with varied brush strokes and perspectives or is it a few players drawing out a coloring book picture and everyone else has to color between the lines? I'm sorry, but that's boring and I'm much too creative for that.
"I am open to the guidance of synchronicity,and do not let expectations hinder my path" The Dalai Lama
Synchronicity is the experience of two or more events that are apparently casually unrelated or unlikely to occur together by chance and that are observed to occur together in a meaningful manner.
"The idea of synchronicity is that the conceptual relationship of minds, defined as the relationship between ideas, is intricately structured in its own logical way and gives rise to relationships that are not causal in nature. These relationships can manifest themselves as simultaneous occurrences that are meaningfully related."
Some of the most satisfying work I've ever left on stage has come from this place of pure wonderment from myself and my team. How did we just do that? I didn't see that coming and yet, you made a move that gave me this idea and then it was supported in a way that got us there! What? Crazy? The connections and patterns and then later the realization of symbolism even...isn't that what we geek out about? I long for that 3 seconds of black-out after a show like! I want to just live in that moment for a little while when I know I just did something beyond my own limitations as a single mind. I feel greater than myself and so does the rest of my team...it's like we're all carrying each other on our shoulders!
If you geek out about having an idea, having it go your way, having that idea get you laughs and knowing it was all because of you, then maybe you should try stand-up.
I could totally be wrong about all of this...
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Saturday, February 26, 2011
RELATIONSHIP
A few TRUTH IN COMEDY quotes - “The truth is funny. Honest discovery, observation, and reaction is better than contrived invention.” and “When we’re relaxing, we don’t have to entertain each other with jokes. And when we’re simply being ourselves up to each other and being honest, we’re usually funniest.”
I'm finding that the relationships I have with my improv friends are some of the strongest I've ever had and I'm starting to realize it's because we've been trained to be honest. We've been told to have thin skin and react emotionally to each other, to make the other person the most important person in that moment and to really listen to what he or she is saying. I know all this stuff is for the stage and rehearsal, but now that I've been with my Harold team for almost two years now, sitting in rehearsal and performing and sharing truths about ourselves has made me feel very connected with my funny friends. I think this makes an improviser different from anyone else...or any comedy person. With our inner or outer circle of friends we sometimes feel the pressure to be funny. People sometimes view us as the "Life of the Party" or just want to ask questions that just skip the surface of who we really are like "Have you made and new commercials?" or "Do you know such and such? He's an actor friend of mine?" And since these friends aren't necessarily open the way your scene partner might me, we take the easy route to "YesAnd" them and we make jokes.
Here's another great quote from TRUTH IN COMEDY - “A comedian who tells jokes is basically a salesman, trying to sell the audience a clever story or punch line, while hoping to be paid back in laughter.” As funny people we sometimes settle for laughter as payment from our friends instead of what we all really want. Relationship. I've fallen into this trap way too many times. Maybe I've underestimated my friends outside my improv world. Could it be that maybe they ask the things they think I want to talk about? Why am I being a lazy improviser? Instead of waiting for someone else to initiate the scene (conversation), how about I have a big agenda and start the scene (conversation)! Even thinking of doing this just seems like so much work! But didn't all those scenes we did going through classes at iO or wherever seem the same way too? You eventually form connections and share great scenes or even better, horrible ones that you can laugh at some other time..and that's no joke...that's the truth!
We all have friends outside our wonderful little community of Improv. There needs to be a healthy balance between them so that you can grow and mature in both. You're life experiences and relationships outside of the theater will give you fresh and real perspectives to share on stage and your ability to listen, be honest and true about who you are will build your relationships with those special people in your life you've decided to call your friends. TRUTH IN LIFE.
I'm finding that the relationships I have with my improv friends are some of the strongest I've ever had and I'm starting to realize it's because we've been trained to be honest. We've been told to have thin skin and react emotionally to each other, to make the other person the most important person in that moment and to really listen to what he or she is saying. I know all this stuff is for the stage and rehearsal, but now that I've been with my Harold team for almost two years now, sitting in rehearsal and performing and sharing truths about ourselves has made me feel very connected with my funny friends. I think this makes an improviser different from anyone else...or any comedy person. With our inner or outer circle of friends we sometimes feel the pressure to be funny. People sometimes view us as the "Life of the Party" or just want to ask questions that just skip the surface of who we really are like "Have you made and new commercials?" or "Do you know such and such? He's an actor friend of mine?" And since these friends aren't necessarily open the way your scene partner might me, we take the easy route to "YesAnd" them and we make jokes.
Here's another great quote from TRUTH IN COMEDY - “A comedian who tells jokes is basically a salesman, trying to sell the audience a clever story or punch line, while hoping to be paid back in laughter.” As funny people we sometimes settle for laughter as payment from our friends instead of what we all really want. Relationship. I've fallen into this trap way too many times. Maybe I've underestimated my friends outside my improv world. Could it be that maybe they ask the things they think I want to talk about? Why am I being a lazy improviser? Instead of waiting for someone else to initiate the scene (conversation), how about I have a big agenda and start the scene (conversation)! Even thinking of doing this just seems like so much work! But didn't all those scenes we did going through classes at iO or wherever seem the same way too? You eventually form connections and share great scenes or even better, horrible ones that you can laugh at some other time..and that's no joke...that's the truth!
We all have friends outside our wonderful little community of Improv. There needs to be a healthy balance between them so that you can grow and mature in both. You're life experiences and relationships outside of the theater will give you fresh and real perspectives to share on stage and your ability to listen, be honest and true about who you are will build your relationships with those special people in your life you've decided to call your friends. TRUTH IN LIFE.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
SUPER SUNDAY
I remember fight night at my house as a kid and one of my all time favorite things was the boxing pool. If it was a 12 round fight, 12 numbers went into a plastic cup and you drew out your round. Maybe there would be a $1 per number pool or sometimes we'd get crazy and make it $10, it didn't matter either way. I just loved the extra level that was added even if you didn't win. You could care less about either boxers most times, but you really wanted to know who won the pool! What round do you have? Who's got the last round? It just made it that much more fun.
Thinking about tomorrows game reminds me about the awesome little game we all play as actors! How many of your friends will you see in a Super Bowl commercial? I really don't care who wins as long as its a high scoring game that's close. I might play a pool for score or something but the best game is absolutely going to be finding my friends in their spots! It's so much fun! I think it's so awesome that we are all a part of a community of almost famous people! It's Crazy! If your spot plays tomorrow congratulations! I look forward to cheering for the winning team, being excited for the end score at half time, but most importantly, seeing my lovely friends on TV for the biggest and baddest day of TV in the world! Have a SUPER SUNDAY Everyone!
Thinking about tomorrows game reminds me about the awesome little game we all play as actors! How many of your friends will you see in a Super Bowl commercial? I really don't care who wins as long as its a high scoring game that's close. I might play a pool for score or something but the best game is absolutely going to be finding my friends in their spots! It's so much fun! I think it's so awesome that we are all a part of a community of almost famous people! It's Crazy! If your spot plays tomorrow congratulations! I look forward to cheering for the winning team, being excited for the end score at half time, but most importantly, seeing my lovely friends on TV for the biggest and baddest day of TV in the world! Have a SUPER SUNDAY Everyone!
Sunday, January 30, 2011
WHY AM I FUNNY?
I belong to a very talented cast of dinner theater folks for The Dinner Detective. It's a murder mystery show that gives me the opportunity to play one of my greatest creations, my most favorite character, Det. Ricardo Cabeza. He's a blast to play and given the right audience, a complete crack up. Last nights show was like any other except for one little encounter that just about dropped me to my knee's. Most times after our show we'll get people that want to take pictures with the cast. Some people want to pick our brains about what we improvised and what was scripted. Others want to know how to a part of the cast but last night there was a new encounter for me. This little old lady came up to me last night and said "I have never in my life laughed as hard as I have tonight because of you and your crazy accent." I said thank you and then she really got me when she said "My husband passed away 5 years ago and I never thought I would laugh so much again. Thank you so much." She said this as she began to cry and then gave me a huge hug. My only thought was of how much I missed my father and it took everything in me not to break down right then and there.
The whole drive home was spent thinking of my dad and also thinking as to how exactly am I funny? What is it about me that makes people laugh? And why do I make people laugh? Is it to cheer people up like the woman I encountered last night or is it because I want to be liked by everyone? I was trying to remember how long I've been funny. Was I born this way or did I develop it because I went from being skinny to chubby from the 1st to 3rd grade? Was humor a way to mask the fact that I had gained weight? I'm pretty sure I was funny even when I was skinny though, so maybe it's because my Dad was super funny. Was it because I saw how happy people were around him and I wanted that too? I don't really know. Maybe there's a mix of reasons why but I do know that I am. I know I have a ton of friends that are really funny too and we all have friends that are not at all. That makes us different right? I never thought about it that way before. I'm this crack up dude that thinks life is a big joke maybe to all my other friends. Do they spend time wondering what dramatic event in my childhood made me this way? How do people view funny people? I can honestly say that I view unfunny people in no particular way other than to watch what I say around them because I have said something that maybe offended them because they didn't get my humor...OH NOOOO! Unfunny people probably don't like me! Wait a minute...I actually don't think I have any unfunny friends...they're more like acquaintances so that's cool.
So I don't exactly know why I'm funny and to all my friends that read this and since you're my friends, just assume that you're funny, just keep doing what you do. I don't go out of my way to help people get over their lost spouse. I don't go out of my way to get people to like me. We all have the ability to make people laugh so take a moment and cherish that fact. It's a gift that can brighten someone's day. We can help people get out of a cloud of depression for a night or we can help people forget, even if just for a few minutes, how hard life can be for everyone at times. We are a special breed of people and a treat for those around us so don't forget that!
The whole drive home was spent thinking of my dad and also thinking as to how exactly am I funny? What is it about me that makes people laugh? And why do I make people laugh? Is it to cheer people up like the woman I encountered last night or is it because I want to be liked by everyone? I was trying to remember how long I've been funny. Was I born this way or did I develop it because I went from being skinny to chubby from the 1st to 3rd grade? Was humor a way to mask the fact that I had gained weight? I'm pretty sure I was funny even when I was skinny though, so maybe it's because my Dad was super funny. Was it because I saw how happy people were around him and I wanted that too? I don't really know. Maybe there's a mix of reasons why but I do know that I am. I know I have a ton of friends that are really funny too and we all have friends that are not at all. That makes us different right? I never thought about it that way before. I'm this crack up dude that thinks life is a big joke maybe to all my other friends. Do they spend time wondering what dramatic event in my childhood made me this way? How do people view funny people? I can honestly say that I view unfunny people in no particular way other than to watch what I say around them because I have said something that maybe offended them because they didn't get my humor...OH NOOOO! Unfunny people probably don't like me! Wait a minute...I actually don't think I have any unfunny friends...they're more like acquaintances so that's cool.
So I don't exactly know why I'm funny and to all my friends that read this and since you're my friends, just assume that you're funny, just keep doing what you do. I don't go out of my way to help people get over their lost spouse. I don't go out of my way to get people to like me. We all have the ability to make people laugh so take a moment and cherish that fact. It's a gift that can brighten someone's day. We can help people get out of a cloud of depression for a night or we can help people forget, even if just for a few minutes, how hard life can be for everyone at times. We are a special breed of people and a treat for those around us so don't forget that!
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
ACT LIKE YOU'VE BEEN THERE BEFORE
My very first job was selling glow in the dark necklaces and bracelets at Knott's Berry Farm. I was 16 and being behind the scenes at an amusement park was crazy cool, but was also revealing and somewhat disappointing at times. I got to meet Elvira backstage one time after a show and without her big wig and make up, she was actually really beautiful! Not that the character she played wasn't hot, I guess I just had a thing for redheads back then. I kind of wondered if she had ever done anything else besides the whole Mistress of the Dark thing and maybe just didn't recognize her. Cassandra Peterson was my first real celebrity encounter and I walked away from it realizing that she's a normal person just like me and she just happens to have a job that's cooler. I've had all kinds of jobs since that 16 year old kid worked roving retail at The Farm and now I find myself with a job much like Elvira.
I'm a normal guy. I'm just like anyone else. When it comes to being stuck in traffic, I get stressed just like you. When I hear bad news or good news, it affects me emotionally like everyone else. So why can't I celebrate like everyone else? Why is it when I have accomplished a great task in my line of work and I want to share it with my friends to be encouraging to them and share the joy, that some people give me slack for bragging? And just so we're clear, I'm not talking about my other actor friends...these are friends that have said things like "Act like you've been there before". I find that really funny...to use the word "Act" when trying to put me down. I know what these friends are saying though and I completely understand the mentality.
It's like football! The coolest running backs walk into the end zone and simply hand the ball to the ref. They act like they've been there before. There is no celebrating for them. It's a job. They get paid to put the ball in the end zone. They work hard all year, running up and down mountains and having a strict weight lifting regiment so that when the season starts, they're ready to punch it in. Boom! Done! Kind of reminds me of the super awesome running back named Barry Sanders that played for the Detroit Lions when I was a kid. This guy was probably the greatest running back of all time! I say probably because he retired just shy of breaking the all time rushing record. He was at the top of his game and one season away from having it all. He sent a fax to let everyone know he was done. Boom! Done! The sporting world was shocked! BUT WHY? He didn't get paid to break records right? He got paid to play football and score touchdowns. He did his job well and he was done. He walked away. Want to know why he quit? The "culture of losing" had gotten to him and it robbed him of his competitive spirit he later admitted. He also said that he had tears in his eyes the final game of his last season as his team lost. He knew that they would never reach the Super Bowl and it was pointless for him to continue playing. He said he sobbed for 3 months afterwards.
Those that spend their life celebrating nothing, end up living a life without celebration. If you want to tell me that I should act like I've been there before, then the next time you get stressed because you're in traffic, stop being a baby and act like you've been in traffic before! Barry Sanders didn't celebrate touchdowns or care about career records and stats because all he ever wanted to do was win a Super Bowl. He hadn't been there before! His lack of celebration burned him out! Are you going to tell a woman who's had 4 kids not to celebrate and feel joyous after giving birth? We all go through certain labors and pains and the end reward is worth celebrating. You need to celebrate if you're going to attempt to try it again. Most of you don't know the sacrifices my family and myself make so that I can continue to do what I do. If I book a commercial or get a movie/tv role and we get happy about it and want to share the good news it's because we understand that acting like you've been there before doesn't work for us. If you think that we're bragging, then OK. I have a really cool job and I'm sorry, but being on TV is cool! If being too cool for school works for you, that's great!
I'll also say this. Sometimes acting like you've been there before, or basically showing no emotion at all and excusing it as "It's a job" is a way to cope with your fear that you may never get there again. It's okay to be afraid. It's the fear that holds you back but can also propel you forward if you use celebration as the whip to tame it and your desire to succeed to guide it.
I'm a normal guy. I'm just like anyone else. When it comes to being stuck in traffic, I get stressed just like you. When I hear bad news or good news, it affects me emotionally like everyone else. So why can't I celebrate like everyone else? Why is it when I have accomplished a great task in my line of work and I want to share it with my friends to be encouraging to them and share the joy, that some people give me slack for bragging? And just so we're clear, I'm not talking about my other actor friends...these are friends that have said things like "Act like you've been there before". I find that really funny...to use the word "Act" when trying to put me down. I know what these friends are saying though and I completely understand the mentality.
It's like football! The coolest running backs walk into the end zone and simply hand the ball to the ref. They act like they've been there before. There is no celebrating for them. It's a job. They get paid to put the ball in the end zone. They work hard all year, running up and down mountains and having a strict weight lifting regiment so that when the season starts, they're ready to punch it in. Boom! Done! Kind of reminds me of the super awesome running back named Barry Sanders that played for the Detroit Lions when I was a kid. This guy was probably the greatest running back of all time! I say probably because he retired just shy of breaking the all time rushing record. He was at the top of his game and one season away from having it all. He sent a fax to let everyone know he was done. Boom! Done! The sporting world was shocked! BUT WHY? He didn't get paid to break records right? He got paid to play football and score touchdowns. He did his job well and he was done. He walked away. Want to know why he quit? The "culture of losing" had gotten to him and it robbed him of his competitive spirit he later admitted. He also said that he had tears in his eyes the final game of his last season as his team lost. He knew that they would never reach the Super Bowl and it was pointless for him to continue playing. He said he sobbed for 3 months afterwards.
Those that spend their life celebrating nothing, end up living a life without celebration. If you want to tell me that I should act like I've been there before, then the next time you get stressed because you're in traffic, stop being a baby and act like you've been in traffic before! Barry Sanders didn't celebrate touchdowns or care about career records and stats because all he ever wanted to do was win a Super Bowl. He hadn't been there before! His lack of celebration burned him out! Are you going to tell a woman who's had 4 kids not to celebrate and feel joyous after giving birth? We all go through certain labors and pains and the end reward is worth celebrating. You need to celebrate if you're going to attempt to try it again. Most of you don't know the sacrifices my family and myself make so that I can continue to do what I do. If I book a commercial or get a movie/tv role and we get happy about it and want to share the good news it's because we understand that acting like you've been there before doesn't work for us. If you think that we're bragging, then OK. I have a really cool job and I'm sorry, but being on TV is cool! If being too cool for school works for you, that's great!
I'll also say this. Sometimes acting like you've been there before, or basically showing no emotion at all and excusing it as "It's a job" is a way to cope with your fear that you may never get there again. It's okay to be afraid. It's the fear that holds you back but can also propel you forward if you use celebration as the whip to tame it and your desire to succeed to guide it.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
I'M JUST AN ACTOR
I had rehearsal for my improv group last night and our guest director asked us to do some "boring scenes". It was a fun exercise and I think the point of it was to be confident that we are so naturally funny, we can take any mundane situation and make it interesting without even trying. The suggestions we were getting to initiate our scenes were whatever we do for a living. When the director asked me what I did, I said "I'm just and actor", and then immediately felt horrible for saying it. "I'm just an actor" kept ringing in my head the entire long drive back. I had a feeling as to why I said what I said but didn't want to process it because I knew I'd just get more upset. "I'm just and Actor"...uugghhhh! This was a victory for everyone that thinks my job isn't a real career! What I said was proof that what they do on a sometimes daily basis works!
One of the things that makes me diverse is the fact that I am an actor. We all might have some side job to help keep us above water from time to time, but our real bread and butter is acting. I think most of my friends are, but we all run in circles with "rdinary" people that work at offices, drive trucks or operate machinery.o In these other circles that we have, we are known as "that actor guy" or "that girl on TV" and I can't speak for everyone else, but for me, being that guy sometimes sucks. How could it suck? I get paid a good amount of money for a days work right? I might audition 3-5 times a week but it's no 9-5 grind. I don't need to wear a uniform or work outside in 90 degree weather. But I do get barraged by questions like no one else.
"How much can you really make doing that?"
"What was the last thing you shot?"
"Do you get paid even if you don't talk?"
"Be patient, someday you'll make it big maybe, don't you think?"
"But what do you really do to get by?"
"Are you working on anything right now?"
"Did you book that audition this week?"
And the list goes on and on. So what's the big deal? No one else gets asked those questions, so why should I? You don't ask a doctor if he saved someone this week. You don't ask a lawyer how much he gets paid. You don't tell a mechanic to hang in there and maybe someday he'll own his own shop. You don't ask a delivery guy when he got his last raise. So why do I get asked these questions? When I sold cars, I'd get a little bit of this, but not like I do now for being an actor. I think that when you are a salesman or an actor, just about anyone can envision themselves doing the same thing as you. They know you as a person and don't see anything different or special between you and them, so they put themselves at the same level. Then maybe they feel they need to prove to themselves that they were better off doing what they did by putting you down for what you do. They may not mean to do it on purpose, but it might be there in their subconscious. In order for them to feel comfortable around you, they need you to feel uncomfortable about what you do...hence "I'm just an actor". Now you see why I hated myself for saying that.
The difference between me and anyone who thinks they can do what I do is that I am actually doing it. It's a step of faith. It's trusting and believing in yourself and not fearing failure. Those that want to pretend that they can do what me and my actor friends do are just that, pretenders. Keep asking me a personal or inappropriate question about my career to make yourself feel better for not having the courage and personal belief in yourself because last night, you got me! For a few hours you got me good! Now I know that there are those out there that are truly supportive and ask because they care and want to see me succeed...I'm not talking about you...I'm probably not talking about anyone that would take the time to read this actually. I'm talking about that guy or gal that hears I booked something and instead of congratulating me, they just want to know the details. What does it pay? Is anyone famous in it? Is it a "National" spot? They want to know if they should be jealous or not maybe, I don't know? If you can't just be happy for someone its probably because you can't just be happy with yourself and that's sad. And you know what else? You can think you can do what I do all you want. Just know that I have never exhausted a single thought thinking I could be you because I AM AN ACTOR! Hurray!
One of the things that makes me diverse is the fact that I am an actor. We all might have some side job to help keep us above water from time to time, but our real bread and butter is acting. I think most of my friends are, but we all run in circles with "rdinary" people that work at offices, drive trucks or operate machinery.o In these other circles that we have, we are known as "that actor guy" or "that girl on TV" and I can't speak for everyone else, but for me, being that guy sometimes sucks. How could it suck? I get paid a good amount of money for a days work right? I might audition 3-5 times a week but it's no 9-5 grind. I don't need to wear a uniform or work outside in 90 degree weather. But I do get barraged by questions like no one else.
"How much can you really make doing that?"
"What was the last thing you shot?"
"Do you get paid even if you don't talk?"
"Be patient, someday you'll make it big maybe, don't you think?"
"But what do you really do to get by?"
"Are you working on anything right now?"
"Did you book that audition this week?"
And the list goes on and on. So what's the big deal? No one else gets asked those questions, so why should I? You don't ask a doctor if he saved someone this week. You don't ask a lawyer how much he gets paid. You don't tell a mechanic to hang in there and maybe someday he'll own his own shop. You don't ask a delivery guy when he got his last raise. So why do I get asked these questions? When I sold cars, I'd get a little bit of this, but not like I do now for being an actor. I think that when you are a salesman or an actor, just about anyone can envision themselves doing the same thing as you. They know you as a person and don't see anything different or special between you and them, so they put themselves at the same level. Then maybe they feel they need to prove to themselves that they were better off doing what they did by putting you down for what you do. They may not mean to do it on purpose, but it might be there in their subconscious. In order for them to feel comfortable around you, they need you to feel uncomfortable about what you do...hence "I'm just an actor". Now you see why I hated myself for saying that.
The difference between me and anyone who thinks they can do what I do is that I am actually doing it. It's a step of faith. It's trusting and believing in yourself and not fearing failure. Those that want to pretend that they can do what me and my actor friends do are just that, pretenders. Keep asking me a personal or inappropriate question about my career to make yourself feel better for not having the courage and personal belief in yourself because last night, you got me! For a few hours you got me good! Now I know that there are those out there that are truly supportive and ask because they care and want to see me succeed...I'm not talking about you...I'm probably not talking about anyone that would take the time to read this actually. I'm talking about that guy or gal that hears I booked something and instead of congratulating me, they just want to know the details. What does it pay? Is anyone famous in it? Is it a "National" spot? They want to know if they should be jealous or not maybe, I don't know? If you can't just be happy for someone its probably because you can't just be happy with yourself and that's sad. And you know what else? You can think you can do what I do all you want. Just know that I have never exhausted a single thought thinking I could be you because I AM AN ACTOR! Hurray!
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
"SHE'S GOOD...FOR A GIRL"
I played little league baseball growing up and I'm not sure if it's a common thing around the country, but there was a girl in our league. Was there a girl in anyone else's league? I know there are movies about this kind of stuff. It's mostly football movies now that I think about it, and the girl always seem to be the quarterback. The "Little Giants" movie had a linebacker, but she was kind of like a quarterback because she was the star of the team like Ray Lewis from the Baltimore Ravens. The girl that played little league with me was a solid first baseman? and I'm sure that if there was a girl in your little league that she was either a pitcher or an amazing fielder right? I don't think they'd make a movie about a girl that played football in an all men's league and had her be an amazing right guard. Being a lineman is a respectable position and needed for the teams success, but it's not going to get you in the papers if you know what I mean.
I've been on a few Harold teams now and have seen a great share of other teams as well and it seems like there is some kind of formula for how they are cast because there always seems to be about 2 girls on every team. Sure there are teams with maybe just 1 and some with 3 but it's mostly always 2 right? I've heard people compare teams by how "solid" their girls are and "if we had a girl like that" kind of stuff. I've overheard "She's good...for a girl" and never really been taken back by it before. I may be over thinking this, but to say someone is "good" for being a "girl" is wrong and not in a PC kind of way. Hear me out okay?
I think that for a girl to make it on a Harold team, she needs to really stand out! I think that most girls that are on teams are "Quarterbacks" and if they are as good as a "Right Guard" lets say, then they get passed up and that spot is given to a guy. I think this may be true for all diversity at the theater, so when you hear someone say "He/She's good for a ______" then maybe what you're really hearing is "He/She is the best of their group of people and if they were any less than that, my guy friend that's kind of funny would be carpooling with me to rehearsal" or maybe "He/She makes me feel uncomfortable because I should be way better than they are, but I'm not". I think that any girl doing improv on a team is GREAT! She has to be. I think she also has to be a very smart player and be able to take on many roles. I think a girl needs to be a multi position type of player to make it on a team. Have you ever seen a girl that is just a good straight person on a team? Heck no! The girls that come to mind right off the bat are great at character, play position extremely well and actually do a better job at emotionally grounding a scene than most guys on a team.
I'm not trying to kiss up to the ladies in my community. If you think that then understand that you are the reason for this blog. I know as well as everyone out there that improv is a majority of white guys and then there is everything else. I'm just trying to shed some light on the "everything else" so that it's clearly defined and given a point of view. If our community is going to be the best it can be, we need to really get to know each other. It's by really knowing each other that we can become a group mind. Viola Spolin said "You may never know what the other person wants. You’ll be an expert at saying “yes”…but you’ll never know what inspires your partner. Can you please or inspire your partner?"
I'm trying to do my part at answering that question. While I get to know you, can you take a second and realize that not everyone is like you? There are others that would like to be pleased and inspired too!
I've been on a few Harold teams now and have seen a great share of other teams as well and it seems like there is some kind of formula for how they are cast because there always seems to be about 2 girls on every team. Sure there are teams with maybe just 1 and some with 3 but it's mostly always 2 right? I've heard people compare teams by how "solid" their girls are and "if we had a girl like that" kind of stuff. I've overheard "She's good...for a girl" and never really been taken back by it before. I may be over thinking this, but to say someone is "good" for being a "girl" is wrong and not in a PC kind of way. Hear me out okay?
I think that for a girl to make it on a Harold team, she needs to really stand out! I think that most girls that are on teams are "Quarterbacks" and if they are as good as a "Right Guard" lets say, then they get passed up and that spot is given to a guy. I think this may be true for all diversity at the theater, so when you hear someone say "He/She's good for a ______" then maybe what you're really hearing is "He/She is the best of their group of people and if they were any less than that, my guy friend that's kind of funny would be carpooling with me to rehearsal" or maybe "He/She makes me feel uncomfortable because I should be way better than they are, but I'm not". I think that any girl doing improv on a team is GREAT! She has to be. I think she also has to be a very smart player and be able to take on many roles. I think a girl needs to be a multi position type of player to make it on a team. Have you ever seen a girl that is just a good straight person on a team? Heck no! The girls that come to mind right off the bat are great at character, play position extremely well and actually do a better job at emotionally grounding a scene than most guys on a team.
I'm not trying to kiss up to the ladies in my community. If you think that then understand that you are the reason for this blog. I know as well as everyone out there that improv is a majority of white guys and then there is everything else. I'm just trying to shed some light on the "everything else" so that it's clearly defined and given a point of view. If our community is going to be the best it can be, we need to really get to know each other. It's by really knowing each other that we can become a group mind. Viola Spolin said "You may never know what the other person wants. You’ll be an expert at saying “yes”…but you’ll never know what inspires your partner. Can you please or inspire your partner?"
I'm trying to do my part at answering that question. While I get to know you, can you take a second and realize that not everyone is like you? There are others that would like to be pleased and inspired too!
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