Friday, February 17, 2012

Shakespeare Tryouts and Writing


Today Matthew and Jacob have Shakespeare tryouts. They’ve got their lines memorized, and they’ve worked through the blocking. And this afternoon, they’ll try out for the same role, Benedick in Much Ado About Nothing. That should be interesting. (The director is also casting for The Tempest, so one or both may be in that play.)

I go to tryouts for moral support. But it’s so hard. I root for all the kids and my heart breaks for the ones who struggle, especially for the ones who’ve never done it before. I want to shout, “Honey, project, we can’t hear you.” And afterwards, I want to console them. I want to tell them that even if it didn’t go well, getting on stage is the first step. And if they persevere, the next year will be better because they’ll know how to project. They’ll know that in stage acting you must always face the audience. And they’ll know how to use the stage and how to gesture.

It strikes me that there are many parallels between acting and writing. While it’s true that some people are more naturally gifted than others, everyone starts as a newbie. The first story/novel you write isn’t going to be very good. In fact, it’s going to be quite bad. Just like the actor who turns his back to the audience while speaking, the writer has to learn not to chase after irrelevant sub-plots. You may love scrapbooking and describing how to cut beautiful paper, etc. But if it doesn’t impact your novel in more ways than giving your MC a hobby, you need to leave it out. And just like the actor who doesn’t know how to project until he can practice on a stage, you have to learn how to choose your words so that your voice shows through and not your thesaurus.

Recently, a blog friend got a rejection on an R&R (an agent asked her to "revise and resubmit" her manuscript). I’ve been there, so I know how much that hurts. To be so, so close to having your dreams come true, and then having your dreams trampled on. But just as the actor who gets a small role, it’s a step in the right direction. Getting a small role means you’re a step closer to getting a big role. Getting a request for an R&R means that the agent thinks you and your writing have real potential. Who knows what may happen next time? Unlike a lot of things in life, you can only get so far reading books on writing/acting, the real education comes in the doing—you must write/tryout, you must hone your skills, and above all you must never give up.

8 comments:

  1. This is a wonderful analogy! I've never had to try out for an acting role (when we did plays in our youth group, we were such a small number of people that we had to bully even the ones who didn't want to act into getting up on stage, and you took the role you were given, no tryouts required), but oh yes, I've had that terrible first novel (which I printed and still keep among my treasured possessions, because as bad as it is, it marks something wonderful), that rejection after an R&R, and am now grimly, determinedly, not-letting-anything-interfere, working on polishing my next ms to as close to perfection as it can come. Even failures teach us something, if we choose to learn.

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  2. Great points--every small step takes us closer to a big step (or at least gives us a boost along the way!). And both writing and acting one really has to learn by doing--there's no magic how-to book or class that can teach you what it feels like to get it right. Trial and (sometimes embarassing) error--neither pursuit is for the faint of heart!

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  3. Sadly, most R & Rs often end in rejection. That really kills me. I've been on that side of the R & R myself...

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  4. Yep, we've gotta be grateful for every baby step. (But at some point, I wanta put on my big girl shoes!)

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  5. So true that eventually you have to put down all of the books on writing and do it.

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  6. Good luck to both Matthew and Jacob. I'd hate to be in your place, Connie! Couldn't one of them try out for the role of Beatrice? :>) It seems that would have been much easier on you...although I guess it might end out with some needed therapy sessions for the boys. Maybe one could have tried out to be Don Juan~ Anyway, good luck to them both!

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  7. So true. Everyone has to start somewhere.

    Fingers crossed that your kids will get roles. :-)

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  8. Good luck to your boys with the auditions!

    I love your comparison. It's so true! Both take practice and courage, although I don't think I'd ever be brave enough for the acting thing!

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