APPRECIATING THE LITTLE (BIG) THINGS

a VERY cool production photo from a school group in Virginia who did my play "Confession:  Kafka in High School"

It is easy making a life for yourself in the arts. I don't say this to discourage anyone from trying--- indeed, if it is what you love, and you can't imagine yourself being happy doing anything else, then I encourage you with a whole heart to pursue your passion and follow that dream.

Just know that it's not always easy.

My first two plays were published in March of 2010.  One of them was Rumplestilskin the R-Dawg: Hip-Hop Minstrel, from Brooklyn Publishers and the other was Confession:  Kafka in High School, from Playscripts, Inc.

Now, almost five years later, my plays have been performed in 44 different states and 4 different countries.  I have 32 publications in four different catalogs, and my work has been chosen to be a part of three different anthologies.  I have self-produced a few plays for adults, been to different festivals and competitions, met some really great people, and even have a script that some kind folks in Delaware are working hard to make a movie from.

Best of all, I hear from students every now and then from all over the country (and, sometimes, all over the world).  They'll drop me a line on my Facebook Page or at theater.is.a.sport@gmail.com, and ask me questions, or just say hi.  Sometimes, they'll send me cool pictures like the one above.  Or, this one below:

A poster for a production of my play, "Avoiding the Pitfalls of High School Dating"

All of this is super cool, and I love it.  But, still, it is easy to get down on myself many days.  After all, I'm 37 years old and I don't have a "steady" job (or, according to some, a "real" job--- but that's for another post), I struggle financially a great deal, and have no money put away for the future, because I barely have money for the present.  Such things can make one lose faith in themselves a little from time to time--- while I'm grateful that my work is produced, and I'm thankful for every group who chooses my plays, I've yet to have a definite "hit" per se.  A few have come close, but not quite.  And that's okay.  My playwriting career grows a little every year, and it feels wrong to ask for more than that.

But, in my defense, it is human nature to want to climb to the top of your field, or, at the very least, have a good view of the top from where you are.  And everyone wants stability, as well as a reward for hard work (and writing plays can be very, very hard work).

So when I get down on myself, I'll look at the messages I have received from students, or at the many cast photos and production photos.  I'll stop and remind myself of something very important:  the productions of my plays aren't just a list on a piece of paper I receive from my publishers.  They are teachers preparing a group of students.  These students practice to memorize words that I put on a page to tell a story.  They stand backstage before a show, feeling that same excitement and energy that I feel when I'm in a play, and they are feeling it for my work. My work!  This group of kids have come together to CREATE, they have formed a CAST BOND, all revolving around a play I WROTE!!

When I think of my work in these terms, I smile, and feel very special and honored and lucky.  No, I am not rich.  But my work is important.  In some small way, I have touched lives.  My work has taken on a life outside of me, and belongs to all of these other people now, and not just me.

And that's something that money can't buy.

HOW THEATER CAN SAVE YOUR SANITY

Yours Truly as Jacob Marley in "Scrooge and Marley"

Welcome to theater is a sport.  My name is Bobby Keniston, and I will be your host.

When I first moved back to my home town of Dover-Foxcroft, ME, about seven years ago, I was in a pretty bad way.  I had just gone through a broken engagement, couldn't keep a job where I was living, or, at least not a job that paid enough for me to have my own apartment.  I came back to my parents house, and, to be honest, I was pretty depressed.  My days consisted of the following:

*Eating
*Filling out applications for jobs I didn't really want
*Staying in my room, watching TV
*Missing my ex
*Staring at the TV without really watching
*Eating

Not a great time in my life.  I rarely went outside, even though it was getting close to autumn, my favorite season, I didn't really talk to anyone except for my parents.

Since I had been gone, a place called the Center Theatre had come to fruition in my hometown.  I knew a little bit about it--- when I was in college, a group of people had started the dream of fixing up the decrepit old theater of yesteryear, and creating a facility to celebrate the arts in our small town. I was now in my early thirties, and the place had been functional for a few years by the time I got home.  I noticed the difference in high school kids I would run across.  Theater was now something they were being exposed to, which is a very good thing.

There was a casting notice for the Christmas play.  It was an adaptation of A Christmas Carol called Scrooge and Marley by Israel Horovitz.  It's the story that everyone knows, only in this adaptation, Jacob Marley serves as a narrator, or Greek Chorus if you will, to the audience.

I had no intention of auditioning.  That would mean leaving my room.  My parents kept encouraging me to just go down and audition, to get out of the house.  "I don't know any of these people anymore," I said.  "Why should I bother?," I said.

But, whether it was because of my parents' prodding or some inner voice that knew me too well, I did end up auditioning.  And, since I was auditioning for someone who I had never worked with and who didn't know my work (now a dear friend named Rhonda Kirkpatrick), I was nervous.  For the first time in a long time, I was nervous to audition.  And that's a good thing.

Why is that a good thing?, you may ask.  A few reasons.  It gave me a sense of inner stakes.  I wanted to do well, which means, all of a sudden, as I waited for my turn to audition, I wanted a part.  I wanted to impress this new director I'd never worked with.  And, the right amount of nervousness ensures that you are taking it seriously, want to do a good job, keeps you on your toes.

Long story short, I got the part.  Now, this did magically turn my life around and make me a shiny, happy person again over night.  No, not necessarily.  But it gave me something to focus on.  And I was focusing on something that I love to do--- create a character, work towards a performance, and lose myself for a little while.

And, as days went by, and I attended rehearsals, I met more and more people, made some new friends, reconnected with some old ones, and, yes, I was smiling and laughing again.

Don't underestimate this one true fact:  THE ACT OF CREATION CAN SAVE YOU.  It has me, time and time again.  It is an outlet, a chance to work with people from all different backgrounds with the common goal of CREATING SOMETHING GOOD.  Something positive.  Something to share with the world for moments in time.

My funk lifted.  I felt better, stronger, appreciated.

So if you're blue, or going through a rough time, or just bored with the same old routine, keep your eyes open on local community theater auditions.  Get involved.  If you don't want to be onstage, volunteer to work backstage.  You will automatically become a part of something that will transport you.  It won't solve all your problems, nothing does that, but it will help your problems seem less intense, more manageable.

And that's why I love the theater so much.

COMMUNITY and SCHOOL THEATRE: A NO DIVA ZONE!

Former student Taryn Lane as diva "Passionella" in "The Apple Tree"  Fortunately, Taryn was not a diva in real life.
Photo and costume courtesy of Michaela Petrovich

Today at Theater is a Sport, I want to talk about something that I believe firmly.  The title of the post says it all:  Community and School Theatre should be a no diva zone.  When cast in a school or community theatre production, it is best to check your ego at the door and be ready to work as part of a cast. 

Remember, there is no "I" in C-a-s-t.  (I say this when directing, and then add, "But there IS an "I" in director!"--- this is a joke.  Even though the director needs to be the number one person in charge, there is still no excuse for acting better than everyone). 

The beautiful thing about school and community theatre is that one should be involved because they love it.  You're not getting paid for acting in community theatre, other than the joy that comes along with being involved, so there's no need to try to put yourself front and center at the expense of your cast mates--- this isn't the race for more work that professional credits are.  Your livelihood does not depend on being the "star" in a community theater or school production, so please, enter into the endeavor with the mindset of being involved with an ensemble.

I know this is wishful thinking on my part.  I, myself, have sinned in this regard, and yes, human actors, even in the "amateur markets", love the thrill of performing in front of a live audience and getting attention for it.  And there's nothing wrong with that.  Just make sure that you can love the process almost as much, if not more. 

In high school and college, there are other factors that can lead to a diva-like attitude.  Maybe you're a senior in high school who has paid their dues in chorus roles and supporting parts your freshman through junior years, and now it's your turn to be the lead.  I get this, I do. The same thing happens in community theatre--- you've been a loyal player with your local community theatre for years, when is it going to be your turn to shine?  Why did so-and-so, a freshman, or, so-and-so, who just moved here, get the lead part, when I've been working hard for these people for years? 

Don't beat yourself up for having these thoughts.  But, unless you want to annoy everyone around you, and perhaps risk any future involvement in upcoming productions, don't share them.  I know it's hard, but, if you must complain, complain discreetly and not at rehearsal.  I'm not going to say "Your Time Will Come", as a good number of directors might, because that's not necessarily true.  You may not ever get the lead.  Not everyone can, no matter how much they love being in plays.  You might always be the sidekick, the supporting role, the walk-on waiter in scene two.... if your ambitions are beyond that, or it makes you resentful to play those parts, then try other places or just take some time off.  If you take time off from community theater and miss it desperately, it will certainly help you appreciate any part you get when you go back to it.  If you don't miss it, and develop equally pleasurable hobbies, then, congratulations, there you go!

On the other side of it, if you're someone who often gets cast in plum roles, that doesn't mean you are the local equivalent of Marlon Brando or Meryl Streep.  There's no need to flaunt your success.  There's no reason to talk to the director differently than anyone else, or expect special treatment.  Nothing's worse than the leading school or community theater actor who likes to flaunt their resume every chance they get, or talk about all their "training".  Please, oh please, avoid this "big fish" attitude.  Don't misunderstand me--- training and an impressive resume is great--- acting like you're any more important than your cast mates is not. 

I realize there is no way to wipe out diva attitudes in school or community theatre.... almost every group I know has one or two.  It's kind of the nature of things, really.  However, the best way to decrease that kind of behavior is in the director's hands.  Just don't tolerate it.  If you see that a certain actor is taking liberties, making other cast members feel bad in any way, or acting superior, talk to them about it, and let them know that the most important thing you want to foster is a "team" environment.  If this certain actor can't deal with it, then maybe, no matter how talented they are, they are not worth casting again.

MOST OF ALL--- remember that you make the CHOICE to be a part of community theatre or a school production.  Please do it for the right reasons.  Keep a positive attitude of fun an ensemble-spirit.  Help each other out.  Be each other's cheerleaders.  Encourage one another and rejoice in each other's successes, no matter how small (so-and-so got that dance step they've been missing, or Johnny got that line that's been giving him trouble!)  MAKE EACH OTHER LOOK GOOD.  When you're onstage, it's not about you--- it's about your scene partners and the audience!  That's how you make a tight cast, and a tight cast equals a bonded cast, and a bonded cast equals a terrific production.  That's what makes your cast mates your extended family.

Thanks for taking the time to read my thoughts. 

Until next time, please remember--- theater is a sport.  A TEAM sport.