Friday, October 9, 2015

The Trilemma or More, of Actors Who Are Day Players and One Liners In A Small Market -- And Why I Still Love the Challenge

As a local actor, to get cast in anything that pays is exponentially challenging.

Usually, you have to be a member of good standing (by appearances or for realzies) of the correct religion, you have to have the right friends/acting coach/agent. You have to be a member of the right political party. You have to look 100% the part in every aspect from the last hair on your head to the soles of your shoes. You have to be the epitome of the person everyone in the production wants to hang out with. You have to have never had a single even slightly misunderstood moment or momentary lapse in whatever may possibly be deemed to reveal a flaw in your personality. You have to have all skills mastered in an actors repertoire (sing, dance, juggle, swear, paddle a canoe, slay a dragon, tip a cow and change a diaper, etc.). You have to never do or say or present anything at an audition that makes you less perfect than one of the other dozens auditioning for the same part. And, finally, you have to be a great actor.

And many times you don't know what is the correct religion (but here in Utah, usually you do), who are the right friends or coach or agent, what is the right political party, how to exactly look and act the part, what is the epitome of buddyhood and perfection, and nobody will ever tell you what you need to do to be perfect for them to consider casting you.

Yet, if you make it to the big time, nobody cares what your religion is, who your friends/acting coach/agent are or what political party you belong to. You're given leeway to become the character. You are the epitome of the person everyone wants to hang out with whether true or not. You are allowed to have a few moments of human imperfection, you can be less than the perfect vision of the character at the audition. You will be assisted in what to do more perfectly, and, while being a great actor is good, being an interesting actor people want to see, is better.

Despite all this, I love acting--its challenges, and its window into all aspects of human achievement and endeavor--and that is what it can be if you approach it correctly. Just forgive me for being human, give me room to show you that I am both able enough and humble enough to learn, grow, and earn your respect and your casting call.

Yet wouldn't it be fun to be one of the Stars.

Loren M. Lambert, October 7, 2015 ©.

No comments: