Pick Something!
I’ve been thinking a lot about the subject of my next blog. I realize I have so much I want to say. I think its too early to share my anxiety and panic about the end of the year. I don’t really want to have back-to-back body positive entries. And I’m still exploring what I’m learning and taking away from teaching again. Then it dawned on me…. JUST PICK SOMETHING! Voila! There is it. Just pick something.
There is so much more to this than just the subject line. As an actor, we often hear teachers and directors telling us to “make a choice.” Pick something. The thing you have to remember about theatre: its art. Art is subjective. Just because you deliver the line, doesn’t necessarily mean it will be interpreted in the manner you want it to. But there really is no right or wrong as long as you are making a choice. The bigger the choice, the better! Its
always easier to pull it back and to make adjustments. Matter of fact… the stronger the choice, the better the odds are it will land with your audience. And the best part, if it doesn’t work, you try something different the next show or the next take. Now, having said that… try not to come to the table with any concrete, pre-conceived notions. If you’re not willing to explore anything new and different, you’ll never know the extent and range of emotion, physicality, and tone. Making a choice should never take you out of being in the moment. If ever there was a more appropriate time to work on this… its improv. The success of improvisation depends on your willingness to say “yes” and commit to a situation. Making a choice big enough for all those involved to understand and follow is the key. And in the world of clown… its all about the choice! Pick something. And if it doesn’t pan out, just remember, most of the time the hilarity is in the fail. Acknowledge the crap and work your way out of it. Either way, commit. Make a choice. Just pick something!
The parallels to life are easy to see here… I bet you can follow this through without even reading the rest. JUST PICK SOMETHING! This is much easier for me handle as an actress. In real life, I realize I struggle with this concept. Make a choice. At the grocery story: which cold brew coffee should I buy? What if its the wrong one? At the restaurant: what should I order? What if I don’t like it? Online shopping: what size should I get? What if it doesn’t fit? Remodeling the house: what color should I paint the walls? What if it looks hideous? I think I’m discovering my own fear of commitment. Often times, I worry so much about missing out on something amazing because I cant commit to a decision on anything. Then I look around and realize I’ve just simply missed it all! UGH! Cheryl… make a choice!
Lets look at the dining dilemma… Someone very special to me tells me all the time “Just pick something you want. Its not going the be last time you eat. Its probably not the last time we even come here to eat.” He’s so smart. He's so right! PICK SOMETHING! The problem is, we hold out for something better. We want the best. We want to make the most out of it and then BOOM! We are not living in the moment. And the thing is, you can get a different kind of coffee the next trip to the market. You can order something different the next time you go out to eat. You can make returns. You can paint over the ugly colors!!! Don’t let the fear of failure keep you from making a decision. Again, its all easier said than done. Its a work in progress. But I think part of my new anxiety is coming from all the hesitation. This fear of commitment, in reality, is knowing I only have one life to live and wanting it to be a flawless and spectacular show. But if my life in the theatre has taught me anything… its to simply make a choice and live in the moment! If we’re lucky, we will get another day to make a whole new set of decisions. Just pick something!
"But what if I fall?"
"Oh, but my darling, what if you fly?"
