The danger of "If you can do anything else, do it"
Let's break down this absolute horse shit acting class narrative
Hey all, this post has little to do with improv, but could be of interest to anyone who’s been given The Talk about how hard it is to make it in the industry.
I went to Indiana University right at the turn of the century. (It’s been long enough that I think we can call it that now.) I had decided in the 6th grade that I would go to college for acting and my parents agreed, as long as I got my BA not a BFA. They wanted me to get a liberal arts degree so that I would get an education beyond performing.
I loved IU. I loved Bloomington. I loved almost all of the classes (sorry Charles and Theatre 101). In addition to acting classes, I was required to learn about stagecraft, lighting, costumes. I also had to take math, science, history and literature classes. I got to take perspective changing gender and cultural studies classes. It was great!
Acting 301 focused on Shakespeare. By 301, pretty much everyone still taking acting classes was interested in becoming a professional actor. Not everyone, but let’s say 85%. So in 301, we got The Talk.
The Talk is supposed to inform young performers about the reality of life as an actor, and our version went pretty much like this: Look around the room. Only one of you is going to make it. (Yards yadda yadda) If there’s anything else you can do professionally, do it.
Wow. What a load of horse shit! What a steaming crock of unhelpful, borderline-cultish crap to throw at the feet of a bunch of 20 year old kids.
I will now gleefully list the reasons I hate this talk:
What does “make it" mean? I’m presuming it means become a financially successful, working actor, right?
Could it mean become a regionally successful actor? Could you be one of Cincinnati’s full time, Equity actors balancing plays, occasional film roles, local commercials, and other work? Likely no.
Could it mean becoming a director, fight choreographer, social media influencer, playwright, development director or anything else in the entertainment sphere? Likely no.
How about happy? Could it mean you’ll be a happy person who loves theatre? Assuredly no.
Ok, so “make it” means become a famous, financially successful performer. That definition sucks. It’s exclusive and unhelpful. Also- does it mean famous or financially successful? Even within this limited, crappy definition it’s still unclear.
It is true that it’s incredibly difficult to make your living as an actor. You have to be dedicated, hard working, talented and lucky. You can also substitute one of those with unbelievably, out-of-this-world good looking. So that is helpful to say to students. “Hey all, acting is a difficult career path. Here’s why…” Helpful.
Let’s break down “only one of you is going to make it”. Nonsense! Statistically, sure, approximate 1 person in a group of 25 college aged students will “make it” (whatever we decide that means) BUT that doesn’t mean there will only be one in this group. AND (I am screaming by the way. I’m screaming this whole post.) AND CREATIVES OFTEN SUCCEED WHEN THEY BAND TOGETHER.
So this “look around the room” nonsense makes you frame your cohort, as not just competition, but enemies. In reality, college classmates have the potential to be lifelong friends, collaborators, and professional contacts. Horse shit.
What is this part of the talk supposed to do, by the way? For me, I looked around the class and listed the people that I thought would be successful and then decided I would make it too. If the choices are make it or not make it, which are you going to chose?
Perhaps my favorite piece of this shit pie “If you can do anything else, do it.”
Another wow. Exclusive, impractical, and maudlin all at the same time. A call to all the would-be theatre martyrs, this sentence created a litmus test that is sadly, still part of my decision making process. “Can I do anything else? or does my DESTINY tie me to this work???”
We need an a and a b for why this one stinks:
a. There are plenty of actors who could do other things, they just choose acting, at least for a period.
b. This “If you can do anything else” gives young actors a reason to shut out learning about anything other than acting. Current events? Forget it. Language? Truly unimportant. Environmental sciences? Why bother. Business? To what end?
This part of the speech tells actors to keep themselves uninformed and uninterested in anything beyond performance.
I mean really, the more I break this down, the more cultish it is. Yeesh!
Let’s circle back to underline that I got this speech as part of a BA program, where the only tools we were given to “make it” were related to the work itself and not getting the work which is a true 95% of performing. If a university offers a BA as more of a theoretical degree, why give this talk at all? If a professor (or a teacher, my husband got this talk in HIGH SCHOOL) feels compelled to give The Talk, then it must be because they feel like it’s the responsible thing to do. If that’s the case, then what’s the responsible way to give this talk?
For now, here are some things that would be a useful part of The Talk
Make The Talk an introduction to the practical aspects of being a performer. Talk about insurance, vacation pay, parallel careers, schedules, headshots, social media, unions, how to behave on set, networking, writing for yourself, producing etc. Cram young performers full of as much practical information as they can take. This could be a weekly class. This could also be something students organize for themselves.
Illustrate for students how all aspects of study and life-experience can inform and enrich their art
Bring in people who are working (and pursuing work) in the field. Have many Q and As.
Teachers, take your ego out of it. Remind yourself at every step along the way that your experience will not be the experience of any of your students, especially as things so rapidly change with AI.
Teachers, don’t pick favorites. Picking a favorite/guessing who’ll go on to be “a star” is another exercise in ego. It can guide a student to follow a path of your choosing, or dissuade a student who otherwise would have been fulfilled by performing. You never know who is going to go on to pursue a career in the arts. Steven Yeun went to my high school. He didn’t even do the plays.
There are elements of The Talk that are helpful. It’s helpful to point out that doing 8 shows a week means you’re working when most people are home. Your schedule is strange. Your pay is crap. You’ll have to miss weddings and holidays. You can’t count on health insurance or benefits. At some point, you’ll likely have to sublet your apartment.
What The Talk is missing is a wholistic view of life. The Talk assumes that acting is life, is all of life. There are no exceptions for changing your mind, for revisiting the work, for prioritizing family or health or stability, for becoming interested in anything else. And nothing about The Talk says, “This is my opinion. This is not law. I am saying this to help you in —— ways.”
Students in every area of study could benefit from learning what professional life would actually be like; a realistic talk, not a Gielgudian blood-oath.
So, like I said, this post has truly nothing to say about actual improv. Although, maybe it does! Maybe it’s why I kept doing improv. We improvise for all different reasons. We have to count on each other. Pretty often, people find creative and financial success by collaborating.
I hope that I went to school long enough ago that acting teachers no longer give this version of The Talk, but I suspect many do.
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Loved this post! Had similar but less well thought out ideas along these lines before.
Here, here! When we let fear guide us, nobody wins.