Since about age six, I wanted to be an actor. Time passed and after 12 years of school I had only ever done one high school play. But that dream stayed with me. After another #%#@# years, without having studied the field at all and not really interested in “going back to school” I decided to get involved in Community Theatre. What great experiences I had. I enjoyed meeting new friends while learning a lot about the language of theatre, the history of some forms, the different approaches actors took to do the job. Always listening, learning and – practicing my own formula for the stage. It worked. I was fortunate to be cast in a number of different community theatres around town and so I built a resume. Small roles, leading roles, walk-on roles. It didn’t matter to me I simply wanted to be involved and learning.
Since audition notices were not always published in the newspaper I decided I would ask the local community theatres to send me their notices and I would pass them along in a monthly newsletter. One evening while having a conversation with a fellow actor backstage during intermission I was backstage having a conversation with a fellow actor when an inspiration came to me and I knew what would be the name for my newsletter. Greenroom Conversations was born.
As time passed a very talented friend who was a writer and artist, contributed articles, helped with cartoons, wrote reviews and helped the newsletter grow from a one-page photocopy to a larger newsletter and larger subscription base. Issues fluctuated between 4 and 8 pages with columns of opinion as well as the aforementioned cartoons, reviews, etc. For nine years I did it all. I wrote, edited, did the layout, photocopied, folded, stamped, affixed mailing labels and mailed copies. For the most part I enjoyed this time-consuming task. But, when another source for this kind of information was established I was very happy to let go of the responsibility I had felt to my readers all those years. I was ready to move on.
There was one aspect of the community theatre experience that I didn’t care for. It was evident that ‘cliques’ were present in some of the theatres. Mostly the same people were cast in the major roles. Often these were the ones who partied together, who had worked together on many projects, were well-known and favored. Some of this was certainly understandable, you might choose to work with someone who has a solid track record, someone you knew was reliable and punctual. However, some things were not so clear, as when one of the “clique” members was cast in a major role so obviously wrong for him/her it seemed clear that the production was not the main focus.
Later, I decided to concentrate on professional theatre and have been fortunate to have had wonderful experiences in that sector. I must say however, there are many of the same troublesome kinds of things occurring in local professional theatre – the “cliques” are well entrenched and many times new faces are set aside for the familiar ones. It’s often to know who is going to be cast in a show when one hears about the upcoming production.
I am not so naive to think that this isn’t the case in major markets and in the motion picture industry. You’ve heard it before and here it is again: It is what it is.
However, it was this reality that inspired me to write a poem in the years when Aaron Spelling’s name was everywhere along with that of his daughter Tori. I’d like to share that with you today.
Success
Talent is one factor,
Good looks a real plus.
Study is important
And discipline a must.
But, let's face it,
Success is often relative.
That's not to say that many folks
Won't reach their goals alone.
But, kids or parents in the biz,
Can help by picking up a phone.
Just read the credits, they're a clue,
Which proves this tale I'm telling.
In my next life I think that I
Would like to be a “Spelling”.
Let's face it, success is often relative.
Have some fun and finish the last stanza with your take. Send it to me and I’ll try to share some. Here’s a thought to get you going:
Just read the credits, they're a clue
To some folks giving thanks,
In my next life I'd like to have
My surname changed to “Hanks”.