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Acting as a Depressant

Question:

Hey,    I’m not an actor (except in my own little life ) , I’ m not particularly pretty , just enough for people I meet (probably not on screen) , … , So I’m not an actor but I’m still somebody , Who cries , laugh , yells , … So people try to enjoy life and not run after a dream not really realistic. I don’ t say stop your research but enjoy life also , the real one .

Response:

with musicians.  I feel very bitter simply because I am not particulary musically-gifted.  I can’t play the piano or the trumpet or anything else.    Mikey, Entre nous, how many emmy or oscar winners do you know who are musically gifted? Do you want to be in the orchestra pit  or  on the stage?  Even musical comedy stars would not  ordinarily expect a role that required them to play a piano.. Kay in Phila.

Response:

For me. . . There is a sort of romance to all of it. The call from the agent, the audition, the callback,. . . the REJECTION! I feel that the rejection is all part of the biz. It makes me stronger, causes me to work harder. For every rejection I get, I get a boost in confidence because I know that I will wake up the next morning and do the work even harder than the day before. For every rejection, for every no, I am one step closer to the "YES"! Athespian – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -If you look at it in bright sunlight, the competiton in acting IS depressing.<g  But art is art, and no two artists are the same, nor do they have the same vision.  If you feel you have something to say, then turn over heaven and hell to say it! We have all heard the advice that one should "not take the rejection personally", but it is really hard to do when you are the one auditioning or trying to get an agent.  The best advice I can give on this is to compartmentalize as much as possible — your art in one compartment, and your marketing stuff in the other.  Also, never take "no" for an answer. Ed Hooks

Response:

This is not an answer to the question, but I had to throw in the fact that "June Moon" is by Ring Lardner and George S. Kaufman, not Kaufman alone.  I wrote my Master’s thesis on Lardner and the theatre and dealt at length with this play (which I would love to see done more often), so I couldn’t let his co-authorship go unmentioned. Lane Wright – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -Recently, I heard of an audition for a show called "June Moon," a very successful play written by George S. Kaufman.

Response:

I often get depressed in my acting, not from the hardships it takes to "get there," etc., but by the competition.

Getting through the competition IS what it takes to get there.  Even soldier’s get depressed.  Those that survive have learned where to put those feelings and how to manage them.  I don’t have any magic answer, just to say the discipline is in the doing, and the more you do, the sooner you’ll get there. Recently, I heard of an audition for a show called "June Moon," a very

successful play written by George S. Kaufman.  In the show, the four male leads all have to be able to sing and play the piano. I am an actor, I can be a singer and I can be a dancer…But I cannot compete

with musicians.  I feel very bitter simply because I am not particulary musically-gifted.  I can’t play the piano or the trumpet or anything else.   Does any one have any questions, support, or possibilities for me?   I’m not

asking for casting, of course.  All I am asking for is a simple answer as to how I could solve this dilemma. Thank you. Mike *Theatre is Life*

If you want to be in plays where you have to play the piano as well as sing and act, then I would suggest taking piano lessons.  Otherwise I would accept the limitations you have and focus instead on the opportunities available to you.   Are there other shows that would give you pleasure?  Or not? I don’t know the play, but is it posible to work around this?  If not, move on, find what you do best, and enjoy that place instead of this one. Lollar

Response:

I often get depressed in my acting, not from the hardships it takes to "get there," etc., but by the competition.

If you look at it in bright sunlight, the competiton in acting IS depressing.<g  But art is art, and no two artists are the same, nor do they have the same vision.  If you feel you have something to say, then turn over heaven and hell to say it!   We have all heard the advice that one should "not take the rejection personally", but it is really hard to do when you are the one auditioning or trying to get an agent.  The best advice I can give on this is to compartmentalize as much as possible — your art in one compartment, and your marketing stuff in the other.  Also, never take "no" for an answer. Ed Hooks

Response:

Somehow I missed the original post from this thread… ain’t ISPs wonderful?… But I from what I have read, I understand and sympathize. I HATE the idea of acting as competition. And I REALLY have problems with theater "competitions." They seem to be just another sport. There are too many intangibles in theater to pick a "winner," starting with the prejudices of the judge. But I won’t go there now… It could take forever, and I haven’t had enough coffee. Auditions, unfortunately, have to be competitive. Directors have to choose the actors right for their vision of the current show. They may not choose an actor for reasons that have nothing to do with talent or ability. I won’t go into a lot of details, but check out the Top Ten Reasons You Didn’t Get Cast on our Community Theater Green Room site (http://www.ezol.com/~mikepolo/index.htm). You’ll find it listed under Articles, Archives. My wife wrote it to help some people we know get over a rough patch. I know it helped me. As for depression, if theater makes you miserable, get out or get over it. I know it sounds harsh, but let’s face it, if theater disappeared from the planet tomorrow, would the world come to an end? Would life as we know it vanish? Well, it would for me, but for the vast majority of the population, NASCAR would go on and so would they. Sure, it’s tough to go in there and lay your ego on the table just to have some schmuck of a director mistake it for a slug and pour salt on it. You’ve got to try to figure out why you didn’t do as well as you thought you should have, and then work on your problem areas. There is a part for everyone out there, sometimes you just have to be patient. If you really want to work in theater and you have a problem being cast, start working backstage and in other areas of theater. I’m not saying put your dreams on hold, I’m saying, "Get to know the people and the techniques." This works well in community theater, but can also apply in the professional ranks. And if you audition and don’t get cast, it ain’t necessarily a reflection on you. If you have to, mope for 24 hours, then remind yourself that you haven’t changed, so-and-so was just better this time around, put a smile on your face and get back in there. I know that sounds trite, but it’s the only way. You’ve got to learn to handle rejection to do this. If you let it eat you up, you’re going to be miserable. Read the Top Ten Reasons You Didn’t Get Cast. It might help. — Mike Polo Community Theater Green Room — http://www.ezol.com/~mikepolo Kent County Theatre Guild — http://www.kctg.org

|No means ‘not now’

| | I often get depressed in my acting, not from the hardships it takes to |"get | there," etc., but by the competition. | |If you look at it in bright sunlight, the competiton in acting IS |depressing.<g  But art is art, and no two artists are the same, nor do |they have the same vision.  If you feel you have something to say, then |turn over heaven and hell to say it! | |We have all heard the advice that one should "not take the rejection |personally", but it is really hard to do when you are the one |auditioning or trying to get an agent.  The best advice I can give on |this is to compartmentalize as much as possible — your art in one |compartment, and your marketing stuff in the other.  Also, never take |"no" for an answer. | |Ed Hooks | |

Response:

This is not an answer to the question, but I had to throw in the fact that "June Moon" is by Ring Lardner and George S. Kaufman, not Kaufman alone.  I wrote my Master’s thesis on Lardner and the theatre and dealt at length with this play (which I would love to see done more often), so I couldn’t let his co-authorship go unmentioned. Lane Wright

I am aware that "June Moon" was also written by Ring Lardner, but i couldn’t remember his name when I wrote my e-mail.   Apologies to all… Mike *Theatre is Life* *Film is Art* *Television is Furniture*

Response:

No means ‘not now’ I often get depressed in my acting, not from the hardships it takes to "get there," etc., but by the competition.

If you look at it in bright sunlight, the competiton in acting IS depressing.<g  But art is art, and no two artists are the same, nor do they have the same vision.  If you feel you have something to say, then turn over heaven and hell to say it! We have all heard the advice that one should "not take the rejection personally", but it is really hard to do when you are the one auditioning or trying to get an agent.  The best advice I can give on this is to compartmentalize as much as possible — your art in one compartment, and your marketing stuff in the other.  Also, never take "no" for an answer. Ed Hooks

Response:

Hi, all, I was wondering if some of the people out on this list can help me with their opinions and support.   I often get depressed in my acting, not from the hardships it takes to "get there," etc., but by the competition. Recently, I heard of an audition for a show called "June Moon," a very successful play written by George S. Kaufman.  In the show, the four male leads all have to be able to sing and play the piano. I am an actor, I can be a singer and I can be a dancer…But I cannot compete with musicians.  I feel very bitter simply because I am not particulary musically-gifted.  I can’t play the piano or the trumpet or anything else.   Does any one have any questions, support, or possibilities for me?   I’m not asking for casting, of course.  All I am asking for is a simple answer as to how I could solve this dilemma. Thank you. Mike *Theatre is Life* *Film is Art* *Television is Furniture*

Response:

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