Introduction:
I thought I would continue off of my interview with
Corbin to talk some more about the concept of work, or work within the theatre
and perhaps a bit about intern work here at Lees-McRae. As we discussed, when
working long hours every day and being exhausted, you have to find the things
of your work that keep you going. There has to be that passion within you for
what you do. I think it’s always important to do what you love. Doing what you
love makes your job not seem like a job, and just something you get to come in
and enjoy every day. I know it might be hard and frustrating when things don’t
go perfectly, but in theatre that’s part of the process when trying to see a
production come to light. It’s a challenge to be met, not something to stop
you.
So when trying to keep up with this type of work
schedule or environment, you have to take the measures necessary in order to
see that you are at your best or at least, can offer your best that day. I
think a good example is actually Gene Kelly himself. He was a very hard worker
and did what he thought was necessary in order to get the job done. However he
was also a perfectionist, and at times that led him to criticize others he
worked. The famous example of Gene Kelly’s methods is in his training of Debbie
Reynolds, in the number Good Mornin’,
where she was worked so hard that her feet bled. He may have pushed very hard
but Debbie Reynolds would later say that she owed her longevity in the business
to Gene. So I think what is needed here is balance.
I have been told constantly that you will mess up
and make mistakes, but that doesn't have to stop you. So we can’t let ourselves
stop us. Debbie Reynolds was not a dancer but that didn't stop her from
becoming an amazing one. You have to push yourself to get the job done, but
also take care of yourself to see that you don’t burn out. I also think that taking
care of yourself means taking care of your mind and body. The mind and body are
two interconnected things working together to get you through the day. If one
becomes unbalanced so will the other.
So today I will be talking about ways that I think could
help your mind when it is stressed. At times we think we are taking care of
ourselves by being in shape or eating right, and sleeping, but mental strain
will weigh us down even more so if we are not careful. We have to be careful of
how our mind causes us to look at what we are given. So here are some things
that I think might be useful if you find yourself in a bit of rut with the
amount of work you have to do, or over whelmed and stressed out.
I'm singin' and dancin'
in the rain.”
I think sometimes this can be the most over looked
part of when dealing with difficult things, perspective. Just as Gene is seen “dancin’ and singin’ in the rain”, he
takes the conditions that he is given and turns them around from what would
drive people away to something of pure joy. Now I ‘m not saying you can do that
for your situation, but at times changing how you look at things can help you
get through them. It may sound silly but perspective plays a huge role when
going through stress. The major reason being, you can control it. It is
something you can decide for yourself. You can decide if you want to “laugh at clouds so dark, up above”, or “let the stormy clouds chase” you away.
It might sound a little out there, but sometimes
that’s all it takes to make a situation that was frustrating into something
that is not so bad. We as interns here are sometimes thrown into things we did
not expect and it can become frustrating to try and sort through what needs to
be done or how we can help. However, a lot of the time opportunity is right
around the corner and if nothing else it is an environment in which we can
learn. Not only about the craft but also about ourselves and that is sometimes
the part that will make us “happy again”.
“Good Mornin’, good
mornin' to you.”
“You
know it may be crazy, but were gonna do it.”
-Gene Kelly, Singin’ in the Rain
To continue on this idea, one of the simple things
that goes along with perspective is being open to ideas and just simply being
positive about them. A negative mind set can do more to you than you think. If
you create a mental block for yourself it will prevent you from seeing the
whole spectrum. When you are closed off like that, it affects type of work you
do. I’m not saying that there are not times where everything seems impossible
but even trying to take things in a positive light can help dealing with the
problem.
Your positivity also has another interesting point
to make. It can spread. Much like the lovely three in this scene the idea of
turning the Dueling Caviler into a musical was something that was shared
between them all. Simply taking the time to look at the situation from a
different angle can lead to some great ideas. You could perhaps see new ways in
which the job could be done or maybe a way you can adapt to make things better
for you. The joy of positivity goes hand in hand with perspective, both of
which can drastically keep you a float in theatre. whether it’s thinking “It's great to stay up late!” or “Sunbeams will soon smile through”,
there’s always one way or another to motivate positivity to keep you going. So
then the next morning you can say “Good
mornin', good mornin', to you”.
“Don't you know
everyone wants to laugh?”
“Come
on snap out of it, you can’t let a little think like this get you down.”
-Donald
O’Conner, Singin’ in the Rain
To further this idea of positivity and commitment to
pushing through anything in your way, we have this comedic song showcasing the
very talented Donald O’Conner. I think what’s interesting is that he states
before the number: “Well what’s the first
thing an actor learns? The Show must go on.” I think that is a pretty
positive statement. Don’t you? You have to push to the very end of your work,
through obstacles to see the final product. A famous example from the Singin’
in the Rain film is the Make ‘Em Laugh scene. The original footage was lost due
to a camera error and they had to do it all again. Problems will arise, and
personal struggles also pop up to get in the way, but they can be worked
through. Taking things in stride and having a little bit of humor to help you along
the way can make the difference when things get tough.
One other thing I think might be missed with all the
humor is the lyric “My dad said Be an
actor, my son but be a comical one.” Now what we can take from that is
Donald O’Conner character knows his strengths and what it takes for him to
succeed. He knows what field he needs to be in in order to get the job done.
Now for the world of theatre I would still say the well-rounded approach is
best, but knowing your strengths is something that will aid you through
anything. To apply this to helping out your mental state, it’s being aware of
how you are. A know thy self mentality. You could find yourself asking: “Though the world is so full of a number
things, I know we should all be as happy as. But are we?” You knowing
what’s going on with you, helps you take the measures you need to be able to “Make ‘Em Laugh” or even better yourself.
“You were meant for me”
“Now
that you have the proper setting can you say it?”
-Debbie
Reynolds, Singin’ in the Rain
Lastly I think the most important thing for helping
yourself mentally when dealing with stress, is doing what you love. As an
intern you get to experience many different things and this allows you to be
open to all kinds of experiences. That also means it opens you up to all kinds
of stress. So finding what you love and those one or two things you that can
help you work through the stress become tools all in themselves. If you are
doing what you love and find what you are good at, that will make doing it
through all the good and the bad a little better. It really comes down to finding
that passion that lights up your heart and makes that perfect setting that lets
you know, this is it. I hear too many a time where people hate their job. In
the theatre due its nature if you find that to be the case then I would suggest
moving around or be open to its many aspects. Don’t do something that is going
stress you more. This is why when it comes to work being well-rounded in
theatre is an advantage. It means you are open everything, but it allows for
you to know you, and what you love. It’s allowing yourself to gather
information that will in the end help you.
I think love thy art speaks true for theatre and your
mind set when it comes to dealing with the difficult or stressful. As an intern
we get to see and feel the stress of all aspects of theatre, and because of
that we learn to appreciate everyone involved. Understanding you’re not alone,
you can do it, and that you can control certain aspect of how that experience
is going to go for you, will allow you to come out in the end thinking “You were meant for me, and I was meant for
you.”
In Closing:
I hope that maybe this helps a bit when thinking
about those stressful things that you have to face through the day. I know it’s
not easy when so much is happening, but at the end of the day we can decide for
ourselves how that experience will be for us when it’s said and done. We don’t
have to take the conditions, and perspectives of negativity that are given to
us. We can overcome these things that drag us down and change them to something
more uplifting. It’s one of the great things about the mind. We can take in
what is given to us and turn it into something much greater. The theatre is a
hectic, chaotic world at times, but making sure we are ok can be the key in
seeing that at the end of it all we too are:
“Dancin' and singin' in
the rain.”
