Oops.

Sunday came and went, and I had not written my weekly column. Been a crazy week around here, so do pardon the mistake.


"There are no small parts. Only small actors." What a tired and often ignored cliche that has come to be in the acting world.

Yet like many cliche', it has a basis in the truth. But I think one aspect of it's truth is long overlooked.

At first pass, if people are not numbed to the saying by overuse, they feel they know what it is getting at; no matter how small a part you may have, you are just as important to the show as the star.

This is a portion of the meaning, and is certainly true to a large extent. But one of the reasons the expression, dare i say, the proverb has lost it's luster over the centuries is that many of those with small roles have come to conclude, fairly, that there are in fact small parts.

To qualify, this does not mean that these parts are useless. Yet, if an actor uses applause and notoriety at the end of the production as a metric by which to measure his contribution to the direct impact of the pieces, he is in all likelihood going to be dissapointed. The notorious fickle nature of the theatre audience cannot be counted upon to give every actor in a show it's total due much of the time.

While I maintain that appreciation is owed by the cast and the audience to such small parts, the reality of the situation dictates that it may not always be forthcoming from either group. I therefore maintain that this ancient addage applies more to how large or small an individual actor's opinion of his role is. The "only small actors" segment referring not to the largeness of a stage presence bestowed on an audience by an actor, but the largeness of the same bestowed by the actor upon an audience.

I have seen it many times in my community theatre travels. People who "really wanted" X-part, but took the smaller one ofered because they had nothing better to do. Or for other silly reasons.

The atmousphere around such people is predictable; contempt. Sarcasm. Laziness. Lack of committment to what they are doing. Easily distracted from the task at hand.

I despise this, and I have tried my whole career to avoid it, no mattrer what role I am playing, leads or ensemble.

You see, if you keep at theatre, the chances are you will one day have a larger role than the one you find yourself in now. But awaiting that future production should not dampen what you are doing now, if you have bothered to accept the role in the first place. For once you do accept, accept everything about it. The lines, the blocking, the smallness, and the lack o applause during your curtain call if it comes to that. For if you cannot be totally into what you are doing now, I imagine there is little reason to believe you can totally be into any part in the future.

Actors that have decades long careers often forget which plays they have done, or in which theatres. They have to think sometimes if they have ever played certain roles. For me, this is hard to imagine, given that I remember with great detail the experience of each of the plays I have ever been in. I could tell you right off if I had ever played a certain role or not. But then again I am still early in my career relative to a veteran. Yet it is my hope that even the veterans, who find they took jobs here and there for too numerable to recall now, at least put everything they had into said roles at the time, even if later they would not think much of it. I think those that do that are the truly great ones...concentrating wholeheartedly on what they are doing now, not what they wish they had been doing onstage.

I have always tried to make whatever show I am in at the exact second count the most. Perhaps that is why I remember them all so well looking back on them. And maybe that is why I often get a lot of feedback, even when I have a tiny role.

I am not a small actor, it would seem. May it always be so.

Not Meant to Be

Due to a large scheduling change of a rather personal nature, I sadly had to withdraw myself from consideration for "The Sister's Rosenweig" at the Montgomery Playhouse. (Where I auditioned last week.) I don't take the choice lightly, but, circumstances are what they are.

I just hope that this doesn't leave them with a terrible impression of me. I am certain, however, that I will audition for that company again in the near future. I had that planned anyway, in case I did not get into this show.

The Joke's On...Everyone

I have said a million times that casts do not have to bond socially in order to do their jobs on stage. However, it certainly is fair to say those jobs are much harder when there is no social connection.

Indeed, with most community plays, I dare say some sort of social bonding is inevitable. Perhaps not with everyone, but certainly with various different parties and factions within the cast.

And with social closeness comes playfulness. And with playfulness comes levity. Both of which are fine, but...sometimes levity leads to pranks. On stage pranks. And I for one have in general been against them.

Yes, they can be quite fun. They can sometimes bring people closer, and without fail they break up the monotony of later rehearsals, when everything seems to be going exactly the same minute to minute each night...even using the bathroom at the exact same moments. The temptation is great to go for the gag.

But the truth is, despite what humor their may be, they potential costs out weigh such antics:

-Even the best of actors can be thrown when a very carefully rehearsed routine is interrupted.

-If the gag itself is not rehearsed numerous time, (and any gag that would be would cease to be a gag) always has the potential of going wrong. In terms of timing, appropriateness, the target of the "attack", or, in some very foolish cases, in terms of safety.

-Other actors on stage, that are not in on the joke run the risk of thinking something else is going on. Or worse, have no idea what may be going on. Remember, those people rely on the lines and blocking of other people to know what they are supposed to do next.

--It is exceedingly rare that a director will be as amused as you and your co-conspirators are.

All that being said, I know that gags and pranks are going to happen. Ergo, in order to avoid the problems I have just mentioned, those that simply must prank during a show should follow the following guidelines:

--Naturally, there should be in no way, any potential for danger, even the slightest bit, for the shortest amount of time.

--You should know the "target" personally quite well. As in friends before and after the show. Any less than that, and you may have an eruption on your hands. NEVER try to MAKE new friends in this way. You have no clue how an actor might act, and we tend to be a sensitive breed.

--Perform the gag, or have it discovered by your target during a scene wherein he will have few lines, and little blocking. That way there is plenty of time to recover, and whatever reaction they may have to said stimulus will not, hopefully affect the scene. (Crowd scenes, for example. I have been known to throw the odd shocking phrase at people when my character is in the background of a scene, when I know I will not be speaking officially for a considerable length of time.) This is especially true if you plan to do it during a performance as opposed to a rehearsal. (Which I advise against in the first place.)

--Do not do anything during tech week. Though this stressful time is when it could be the most tempting, everything should go exactly as planned on tech week, for actors as well as crew.

--Don't get caught by the director.

--Inform every single other person that is in the scene of what you plan to do to your "victim". This runs the risk of the beans being spilled, but if a significant number of others in the scene object to whatever you have up your sleeve, you shouldn't be doing it anyway.

--One prank per run of a show is sufficient.

Everyone wants to have fun, and we all like to spice things up occasionally. And though you find yourself in community theatre, that does not translate into "unimportant". Alot of people work hard, and people still pay money to see your show. No sense in mucking it up for everyone who does not find your hidden fart machine on stage particularly amusing.