Sunday, January 28, 2007
And Yet More About Barter
What happens when you work with the same company of actors for several years on end ?
Why is concept of "company" so appealing? ("Company" implies not being alone, so that is one benefit right away: when you "keep company", you are in a romance...."come keep me company" means "come on'na my house"....let's light a fire and talk about life..."COMPANY" implies warmth and companionship)...but in the theatrical sense, why "company"?
The art and business of theatrical acting is a complex and infinitely interesting thing to consider:
There you are, a person who has decided, for whatever reasons, to become an actor on the stage, and you go to school (hopefully) to learn how to do that in the best ways possible: you train your voice, your body, your mind and spirit to be the most fully communicative and expressive they can be....you know that the product you will be selling is you, you , nothing but you...miles and miles of you (to quote a musical theater writer of our day)...so, as a student actor, you dive in and rip it all apart in order to be able to put it all back together again in the strong, pliable, durable and yet sensitive ways you will need in order to succeed...and there you are, ready to walk into audition rooms, open and vulnerable, yet strong and willing to endure even not getting the job! An actor is contantly asked to be open, and yet still protective of the inner soft soul that fuels the art...open and closed at the same time...it is a Zen pursuit, if ever there was one...to be in the moment and rise above it at the same time...to take it personally,and yet not take it personally at the same time! This is a balancing act that never ends....UNLESS...
and EXCEPT WHEN YOU 'RE IN A COMPANY!
Because in a company like the Barter's, one of the few full repertory acting companies in the country, strangers become family, colleagues become fellow artists, known quantities, friends...the business of the art becomes the daily rehearsing of each project, and the pressure of getting the job is transmuted into the sheer joyous process of realizing the play ! Together, striving toward giving life to a work of art, not separately struggling to pay the rent!
So, right away, "company" implies relaxation of certain survival muscles....and the release of the energy inevitably trapped in those muscles....and, so...where does that energy go instead?
INTO THE WORK! And if there is one thing an actor lives for, it is THE WORK! Actor love what they do for a living, and a "company" like the Barter allows actors to do what they love.
Allowing actors to do what they love to do, which is creating theater for an audience, unlocks a number of magical doors for everyone involved, and the opening of those doors opens lives.
Why is concept of "company" so appealing? ("Company" implies not being alone, so that is one benefit right away: when you "keep company", you are in a romance...."come keep me company" means "come on'na my house"....let's light a fire and talk about life..."COMPANY" implies warmth and companionship)...but in the theatrical sense, why "company"?
The art and business of theatrical acting is a complex and infinitely interesting thing to consider:
There you are, a person who has decided, for whatever reasons, to become an actor on the stage, and you go to school (hopefully) to learn how to do that in the best ways possible: you train your voice, your body, your mind and spirit to be the most fully communicative and expressive they can be....you know that the product you will be selling is you, you , nothing but you...miles and miles of you (to quote a musical theater writer of our day)...so, as a student actor, you dive in and rip it all apart in order to be able to put it all back together again in the strong, pliable, durable and yet sensitive ways you will need in order to succeed...and there you are, ready to walk into audition rooms, open and vulnerable, yet strong and willing to endure even not getting the job! An actor is contantly asked to be open, and yet still protective of the inner soft soul that fuels the art...open and closed at the same time...it is a Zen pursuit, if ever there was one...to be in the moment and rise above it at the same time...to take it personally,and yet not take it personally at the same time! This is a balancing act that never ends....UNLESS...
and EXCEPT WHEN YOU 'RE IN A COMPANY!
Because in a company like the Barter's, one of the few full repertory acting companies in the country, strangers become family, colleagues become fellow artists, known quantities, friends...the business of the art becomes the daily rehearsing of each project, and the pressure of getting the job is transmuted into the sheer joyous process of realizing the play ! Together, striving toward giving life to a work of art, not separately struggling to pay the rent!
So, right away, "company" implies relaxation of certain survival muscles....and the release of the energy inevitably trapped in those muscles....and, so...where does that energy go instead?
INTO THE WORK! And if there is one thing an actor lives for, it is THE WORK! Actor love what they do for a living, and a "company" like the Barter allows actors to do what they love.
Allowing actors to do what they love to do, which is creating theater for an audience, unlocks a number of magical doors for everyone involved, and the opening of those doors opens lives.
Labels: Barter Musings
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