The Job of the Actor

As I start/continue to pursue acting on a professional level, I have started reading old plays and curriculum from college. This week I picked up an amazing book from one of my acting classes "A Practical Handbook for the Actor" by Melissa Bruder and a list of others. The authors studied under David Mamet and and is full of clear ideas and explanations and is by far one of my favorite books on the subject. In the chapter for which entry is named, there was a passage that really stuck out to me:

"Acting requires common sense, bravery, and a lot of will: the common sense to translate whatever you are given into simple actable terms; the bravery to throw yourself in the action of the play despite hear of failure, self-consciousness, and a thousand other obstacles; and the will to adhere to your ideals. even though it might not be the easiest thing to do.

In our world, it is becoming harder and harder to communicate with each other simply and honestly, on a gut level. Yet we still go to the theatre to have a communion with the truth of our existence, and, ideally, we leave it knowing that that kind of communication is still possible...

The theatre may now be the only place in society where people can go to hear the truth."

I'll be posting more about this topic as I continue to dive further and further in, but I thought this was a great passage to get me started. It speaks to something beyond the art of acting - that our society is deprived of real communication. We sit at our desks with our AIM open having 10 conversations while our Gmail chat pings and our Facebook chat blips. All of this while updating a status for each in addition to our Twitter account.... from our Blackberry/iPhone... while driving.

I say this because I'm responsible for said communication cluster fuck (pardon the term). We've allowed ourselves to remove real interaction from our lives and replace it a watered-down version that requires little to no responsibility or reaction on our part.

Sorry. I digress. The passage also highlights the reason why I've always wanted to act. This idea of "communion" with reality is incredibly powerful. To have the ability to take however many people on a journey with you through the annals of the human psyche - to help them forget their own problems - to help them find a truth that they couldn't see before; and all of this simply from playing make believe. It's a wonderful gift. One that I am anxious and excited to pursue.

Addendum

I just received a text from a friend regarding the last entry I wrote. Can I just say that nothing makes me happier with regards to this blog, than hearing that someone has been reading and, even better, that they have an opinion about what I wrote. So, for this reason, I keep writing.

The texts I received were very encouraging as the person explained how the entry hit them today right where they were in their emotional life. Probably the most striking response they had was saying, "I know! Part of me hates admitting to myself that I'm lost in a sense." What strong words and, still, so relevant to everything going on. I'll speak from personal experience that probably the hardest thing I've done in my life - being as prideful as I am - is admitting that I'm lost, that I need help, and that I've seriously messed up.

It seems to me that admitting this is when things become clear, and in a sense, the most confusing. Suddenly, you find yourself in a position to heal and learn and grow, but you have this internal struggle raging on inside you: Am I adequately equipped? Can I strong enough? Am I ready? What if I fail?

I think it's important to put all of this in perspective. The most important step in any journey is the first - the commitment to admission, to change, to grow. Whether this is in the areas of faith, family, your career or love - the first step is saying to yourself, "I'm ready." So, you admit to yourself that you were wrong or you ask someone for a helping hand. You say EVERYTHING you need to say, so you know you said it - and THEN you move forward.

I told my friend that the battles we wage aren't easy ones and it is hardest fighting alone. No man is an army and no man has the ability to absolve himself completely. We need to make active steps in our lives and, just as importantly, surround ourselves with like-minded people who will help us grow. And by like-minded, I don't mean ideological clones, but people who understand the value of the journey and can reinforce the steps necessary to grow.

Recently, I've been blessed a few of those people in my new life here. I've also been blessed with the reminder of a few good soldiers from my past.