This is kind of a 'repost' from 2 years ago when I first started this blog as a way to track my goals, accomplishments, reflections, and ideas so I don't mess up the same way I did years ago. 2 years ago I was going into my last year of college and had only a few professional theater credits (2?) under my belt. Time flies when you let it.
I wrote this list of things I learned from the summer and now go back to it every now and then to keep myself in check. Reflection and thoughts on the show I'm just about to put up follows.
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Positive Attitude.
Simple and something I've heard over and over again growing up, but man oh days is it effective. I was so much happier and efficient at work (i.e. rehearsals) when I jumped into with no scoffs or rolling of the eyes (yes mom, rolling of the eyes).
Love of all.
Similar to having a positive attitude: having a positive outlook on the people you work with. Every person I worked with this summer was great. But there were some who did not see the good in a lot of them, or they just chose to look past it at all the faults. How can I work alongside you if A. I think you're stupid, or B. I know that you think I'M stupid? Best to just chose to not see the worst in everyone, even if they never did get their lines right.
You can't please everyone.
But you can sure try.
Apply, Apply, Apply.
This is the reason you spent $80,000 on your education. Unless spending that much money you don't have gives you joy. I found most of the things I did instinctively were the things I learned in High School from Talashia K-Yoder. The college stuff I had to purposefully apply. This also is closely related to Know your old habits and Constantly reevaluate your art.
Give.
No matter how hard I was working at my own character, or lines, or projection, I had to give to the others on stage. This company also liked the actor to give to the audience by turning out and speaking very clearly: a good tool to helping the audience understand, but not nearly as effective as fully committing yourself to everyone in the room. If I wanted to really know what my fellow actor was saying, the audience would be right there listening intently as well.
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Positive attitude: Sure. I worked with a smile most of the time. I like to think it was all the time but there were definitely those days after working 10 hours and driving all night from Kansas that didn't do much for my positive-ness. Always there are excuses. This is something I've worked harder on the last 2 weeks.
Love of all: Again, I have loved every bit of this process and group of professionals that have worked on it. Have I showed it? Hopefully. Have I faked it? Maybe. But I find when I fake something enough it has more potential to become a reality.
Apply: Yep. Stole a lot from a lot of mentors/educators/friends/geese/pigs. I also learned during it as I have not done huge amounts of children's theater.
Give. I can always give more. I would like to work on this as we continue tech today all the way through closing in August. Giving is one of those things that should never be tiring. Its a muscle I need to exercise more.
Let's hit the giving gym!
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