Actors Above the Fray

The college or university setting can often seem like 

a Rumor Breeding Ground.  There is every opportunity 

to dish, to eavesdrop, to jab, to tear down...

Although it can get your blood going when you hear that 

so-and-so did something, or did NOT do something, blah, 

blah, blah... challenge yourself to stand above. Notice 

that even though there are some in your class who are 

above or below you in certain skill areas... 

...classmates who don't seem to 'deserve' to be there
 
...those who don't seem to work as hard as you

...some very talented people who treat you like dirt

...and though you might even encounter acting, voice, 

and dance professors who treat some students unfairly...

Stand above the fray, and recognize the tremendous 

variety of resources around you. And you can learn 

from every one of them.

Unless there is an issue for which you need to stand up, 

best to act as an observer, and focus on what's important. 

You'll have your own built-in daily reality show that be 

very comical most of the time, if you're able to detach 

and survey the behavior.

I was somehow always able to turn a deaf ear to the 

drama that was forever unfolding off stage.  I certainly 

would have gained nothing by being involved, and 

would have lost focus on studying the thing I loved 

best: Acting.

I transferred to Wright State University's Professional

Actor Training Program after my freshman year at 

Hofstra University. The WSU faculty went back and 

forth on whether to accept me as a 1st or 2nd year 

student, but I was accepted as a freshman.

No big reaction on the Gossip Meter there...just 

another transfer student, right?

But I happened to audition for Private Lives within 

a few days of classes starting. Only I didn't realize 

that although freshmen could audition, they could 

not be cast in the 1st quarter production. Knowing 

that would not have changed my audition, anyway. 

It was a long night of call-backs for this 2-male, 2-

female cast show.  I remember hanging around the 

call board until near midnight, awaiting director 

Bruce Matley's decision.  It was the next morning 

when the cast list was posted and I got the role of 

Victor.  And, uh, subsequently became a sophomore. 

Well, gee, the Gossip Meter took a spike... Here was 

this TRANSFER student who was just a freshman 

YESTERDAY and now, not only did he get a role in the 

first show of the year, he's now a SOPHOMORE.

I avoided plugging in to the gossip. The Theater 

History class with Professor Bob Hetherington was 

a large class, a mix of freshmen and sophomore 

students.  Although I knew there was a little bit of  

Who Does He Think He Is kind of energy, it wasn't 

really that bad, and I'll tell you why.

I didn't play.  I could have been a snot. I could have 

been a Poor Me whiner with a Why Doesn't Everybody 

Like Me kind of attitude.  I could have contributed to 

that energy any number of ways -- but I chose not to. 

I just...did my work. I was there to learn how to be 

a better actor all around.
 

The week of opening, one of my new friends, Brad, was 

sitting beside me in Theater History. He scrawled a note 

on my paper (we usually traded silly cartoons and 

comments back and forth)...It was in reference to  

Private Lives.  He wrote, "You'd better be good." I 

laughed, but that half-joking note made me realize just 

how unaware I was at the degree to which both the 

freshmen and sophomore classes were watching me.

Still, I had too much to think about, with exams 

coming up, and the play opening and all.

Then, the Big Night, the Toughest Audience: Preview. 

The whole of the Acting Student body would be attending.

The show went well -- I think.  I truly don't remember 

anything specific, except being delighted that the 

audience was responding so well, thinking, opening 

night will never be this good...they're theatre 

people...so of course they're supportive.

Well, the next day, I slept in. Well, over-slept is more 

accurate...don't even remember turning off the alarm. 

But I woke up with the sinking feeling that I was late for 

my Theater History exam.

I bolted out of bed, ran down the path from my 

apartment, ran down the hall, paused for a minute 

before going in the door--didn't want to be breathing 

TOO hard, right?

The room was set up sort of arena style, the five or six 

long rows of seats curved to focus on the professor's area

...with the door to one side of that. No way to really 

sneak into class. Face red, I opened the door as quietly 

as I could.

They all looked up from their exams.

Then they began to spontaneously applaud.

For a moment, I was confused. Then I got it: They 

approved.  I passed the test. (Or as Sally Field might 

say, "They liked me! They really liked me!")

But to me, it was more than that.  I had stayed above 

the fray; I didn't play any game I didn't want to.  I had 

a single-minded focus during my time at WSU. (Well...

most of the time.)

I don't remember what I got on my exam.  I did well 

enough, but it doesn't really matter, does it?

Here's to Your Empowerment!

--Tom

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