For any actor committed to their profession the demand becomes great to take risks, leap out of comfort zones and act without a net. Coming to your edge as an actor can feel pretty exciting but it’s also pretty scary. So why leap? I think it’s healthy to ask this question as often as possible so we can continue to expand as performers and human beings.
Anyone who has picked up The Complete Works of William Shakespeare will realize the broad variety of characters spread throughout its pages. It presents a good example of the endless possibilities of casting and of course the human condition. As actors, if we want to deliver the depth and breadth of who we truly are via the roles we play we must commit to revealing the truth, moment to moment. This can go against all our conditioning and bring up our defenses. We may not always like aspects of ourselves (just like some of the characters in Shakespeare’s plays) but we must learn to love them. The audience then gets to experience real people, really communicating…remembering this allows me to connect to a purposeful endeavor and to commit over and over again to leap into the unknown and risk being caught with no net.
This quote has always inspired this practice for me:
Until one is committed There is hesitancy, the chance to draw back Always ineffectiveness.
Concerning all acts of initiative (and Creation) There is one elementary truth The ignorance which kills countless ideas and splendid plans:
That the moment that one definitely commits onesself , then Providence moves too.
All sorts of things occur to help one That would never otherwise have occurred.
A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favor all manner Of unforeseen incidents and meetings And material substance which no one could have dreamt would have come your way.
Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it.
GOETHE