Phoning it in....times 2
What an interesting day it was yesterday. First off, in writing a blog that is being spread to the masses, one must be careful about who/what they speak about. I read an article about a woman who was writing a blog about her life at work and, after writing some unflattering things about her boss, was fired when it got back around to him. While a blog provides an amazing personal outlet, it also opens you up to public opinion. It's with that in mind that I relay the following story about my evening.
I attended a reading last night of a new play by a very well known playwright. Now, this reading had a few *STAR* names involved so attendance was, as you can imagine, rather good. But here's the thing. The play itself, very good. Funny, witty...I love the playwright anyway. The performances?? Not so much. As I was watching this reading, hearing fantastic lines being thrown away, seeing a lot of head acting and not a lot of connection going on, I began to think, "Why?" These actors aren't untalented, as a matter of fact, I had seen them do fantastic work in other things, but why these phoned in performances? Was it that it was a "reading" and therefore not a performance? A lack of rehearsal time? I couldn't put my finger on it, but it drove me nuts to think that there were folks there who had paid $60 a ticket to see half hearted performances.
One actor, popular primarily for his stage work, stuck out like a sore thumb, but in a great way. Why? He was making CHOICES! Not only that, he was making choices based on what he was being GIVEN?! It was just an amazing experience to behold. Our sole job is to make choices and to be open enough to respond to the choices that are coming at us. Even if it was a lack of rehearsal time...talking and listening, my friend. Michael Caine once said that good actors can make the phonebook interesting if they are talking and listening. I don't know about that, but I do know that a "cold reading" doesn't have to mean bad. A frustrating experience when you are an actor in New York in search of that next job. But, enough about that.
Part two of this post has to do with my lady. Yesterday, her Mom and I broke the news to her that her cat (who has been living in Florida with her folks for the last year) has been missing for the last 3 weeks. We didn't want to tell her while she was away, co-directing a show in Providence so, last night was the night. She took it better than I expected. Tough one, though. Pooh Bear was 15 years old. Of course, there is always the hope that he will return or show up, but it doesn't look good. Seemingly though, the last time she was home, she had felt it would be the last time she saw him. Who knows, he may be back, but for now, she's dealing pretty well.
That's it for now. Heading back in to ABC today to work as a reader...always fascinating. Perhaps more this evening.
I attended a reading last night of a new play by a very well known playwright. Now, this reading had a few *STAR* names involved so attendance was, as you can imagine, rather good. But here's the thing. The play itself, very good. Funny, witty...I love the playwright anyway. The performances?? Not so much. As I was watching this reading, hearing fantastic lines being thrown away, seeing a lot of head acting and not a lot of connection going on, I began to think, "Why?" These actors aren't untalented, as a matter of fact, I had seen them do fantastic work in other things, but why these phoned in performances? Was it that it was a "reading" and therefore not a performance? A lack of rehearsal time? I couldn't put my finger on it, but it drove me nuts to think that there were folks there who had paid $60 a ticket to see half hearted performances.
One actor, popular primarily for his stage work, stuck out like a sore thumb, but in a great way. Why? He was making CHOICES! Not only that, he was making choices based on what he was being GIVEN?! It was just an amazing experience to behold. Our sole job is to make choices and to be open enough to respond to the choices that are coming at us. Even if it was a lack of rehearsal time...talking and listening, my friend. Michael Caine once said that good actors can make the phonebook interesting if they are talking and listening. I don't know about that, but I do know that a "cold reading" doesn't have to mean bad. A frustrating experience when you are an actor in New York in search of that next job. But, enough about that.
Part two of this post has to do with my lady. Yesterday, her Mom and I broke the news to her that her cat (who has been living in Florida with her folks for the last year) has been missing for the last 3 weeks. We didn't want to tell her while she was away, co-directing a show in Providence so, last night was the night. She took it better than I expected. Tough one, though. Pooh Bear was 15 years old. Of course, there is always the hope that he will return or show up, but it doesn't look good. Seemingly though, the last time she was home, she had felt it would be the last time she saw him. Who knows, he may be back, but for now, she's dealing pretty well.
That's it for now. Heading back in to ABC today to work as a reader...always fascinating. Perhaps more this evening.
posted by J.T. at 9:57 AM
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