Author Topic: On surviving a life in theater  (Read 2972 times)

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loebtmc

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On surviving a life in theater
« on: Jul 24, 2013, 12:59 pm »
Interesting article that hopefully will spark some constructive discussion - and not just amongst we the believers.....

http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2013/jul/23/paul-bhattacharjee-cory-monteith-acting

StageSerenity

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Re: On surviving a life in theater
« Reply #1 on: Jul 24, 2013, 11:51 pm »
Very interesting story. If the peril of actors is so great, what about those behind the scenes like us.

This really gets me  thinking about what we do for our art and our love. As well as, the question everyone evolved in theatre has asked themselves at one time or another "Is it worth it? "
Grant me the **Serenity**
to accept the things that I cannot change,
The courage to change the things I can,
And the Wisdom to hide those people...

BARussell

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Re: On surviving a life in theater
« Reply #2 on: Jul 28, 2013, 12:43 am »
I worry more about stage managers physical health than mental, but both are something we have to struggle with.
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sievep

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Re: On surviving a life in theater
« Reply #3 on: Nov 01, 2013, 05:32 pm »
I'm late on this thread, but I think it's a bit obtuse to say that actors have a harder life than anyone else.  Forget fame and fortune, few actors who set out for that ever actually achieve it.

So what are you left with?

The responsibility for your own happiness. 

I could list 10 other careers off the top of my head where people have a harder life.  Is that comparison fair?  It's only as fair as the actors who choose to compare themselves with their colleagues. 

The ultimate fact remains that life has it's ups and downs.  It's part of the human condition.  We all have the responsibility to act and react in a way that serves us, makes us happy, or at the very least gets you through the day.  We all have those moments of wondering "what if". . . .and you can choose to dwell on that thought and let it spiral up or down, or move on to the next thing in front of you.  Do the best you can at any given moment in time, recognize that everyone lives in their own reality, and by all means try to live as gently and with the grace you wish to be remembered by. 

If you meet a stage manager who calls better than you, has a better organizational skill set, etc, you can choose to feel insecure, you can choose to learn from them, or you can choose to do nothing at all.  Is one option better than the other?  That's for you to decide. 
"This lovely light, it lights not me" - Orson Welles