"R-n-R"

Ok, so I had to work Box Office during the day...but, it was a nice break from the normal grind. I got to sleep in (7AM wakeup!) and was able to slow down life for a few hours. As an actor it's so important to do that from time-to-time. It's also something that I myself struggle to do. The mind keeps tapping at the back of your consciousness...trying to remind you off all those "to-do" post-its turning the inside of your skull yellow. They pile up until you feel like you can't even move. The mind, like the body, needs breaks, too. Sometimes you need to stop now, so you have enough will to get everything else done--just enough so that you can recharge your inner energy. Other times you just need to do something that uses another side of your brain for a little while. I've seen and used both active and passive approaches very successfully.

It's also challenge to meet everyone's needs, and your own, when you see the same groups of faces (your coworkers no less) from the minute you wake up to the very minute you close your door for bed at night: the challenge of maintaining the line, as my dad describes it, between professional and person life. And boy, can it blur. It can't be helped. Vunerability is wonderful on stage, but downright uncomfortable off of it. The kinds stress that can happen on tour are enough to make even the most patient person edgy. So, it stands to reason that when you're sharing that much of your time with someone else, everyones' lives are going to rub off on each other and the ugly side of human nature can peel through the cracks. I'd imagine there's a bit of that challenge in any industry to which one gets committed. So how do we manage stress and find moments for ourselves to keep up our working decorum?

Here's what I have observed, among myself and my cast, have been doing (either mutually shared or exclusive):

-Taking walks
-Running before work
-Writing
-Reading (books, plays, newpaper, etc.)
-Exercising daily either at a gym or in the apartment
-Making time for the Bible and weekly religious gatherings
-Skyping, calling, texting, and/or facebook-ing with family and friends (sometimes many, many times during the day)
-Staying in touch with their own acting communities.
-Listening to the good ol' I-pod
-Talking to fellow castmates about stresses
-Going out for food/non-actor things
-Finding non-acting folks to spend time with, including outside organizations and classes (where time allows)

The one thing I notice, and these are only what I imagine are a handful of other strategems floating around, is that actors need to make time for themselves as well as for the outside world. Acting, like any profession, does not live exclusive to the rest of life. In fact, it feeds off of it. The trick is to use the flow of our full experience to power the flow of our imaginations. Like a boat following a current, we must respect its course, as well as the vessel in which we use to navigate it. You need to take care of yourself in all aspects, including keeping your connection to what makes you "hot" in your own life. It's essential to maintaining the fire in the characters we need to perform. Actors need outlets to release stress and continue to take in inspiration. Otherwise, the risks to the integrity of the group and of the work could be devastating. It's hard, but necessary as an actor to find ways to, 1, vent out stressors, 2, orient oneself creatively for the work required, and, 3, provide oneself with ways to stay connected to life beyond your job. In fact, it's part of an actor's job to do so.

We are required to be connected to our emotions, but have that wisdom switch that can take notes and nudges from our working partners that could be scalding to the ego. There will be bad days. There will be mistakes and misunderstandings. Good actors know how to manage these challenges and keep their contribution to the group a positive, collaborative experience. They know how to forgive themselves when needed and have the strength to forge ahead towards improvement. An actor must have faith in the work they've done in rehearsal and stay loyal to the director's vision. These alone seem like tall tasks, but the ideas I've outlined here have helped us when the road seemed a little too long and the hills we had to climb a little too steep.

Happy Presidents' Day.

-Ben