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On a recent work trip I was talking with some folks about life and music and favorite foods...basically, anything but work! Around 10:30 someone suggested heading to the hotel pool and I mentioned that it closed at 10:00, to which they responded - "You don't strike me as a rule follower."
Really?
That one took me by surprise because I'm a straight-arrow from way back! But I started thinking about it and I think my stubborn, outgoing, and sometimes brash attitude can indeed suggest that I'd be a rule-breaker. Here's the thing - I'm also lazy. And growing up, it was just easier to follow the rules. My parents weren't overly strict and my friends weren't into trouble for the sake of trouble. I remember one year my Mom even bought me some peach schnaaps to ring in the New Year because she knew I wasn't going out anywhere that night. It's not breaking the rules if you have permission!
As I've gotten older, I do crave like a bit more adventure, but again, nothing too far out there. (Skydiving and rock-climbing are adventurous, but you can be damn sure I followed every instruction and rule I was given!) I've also gotten a little more stubborn (if you can believe that!), which actually makes me more of a stickler for the rules. Breaking the rules is cheating. And I don't cheat. I don't have to cheat to win. In fact, if you and I are going after the same thing, and I get there without cheating, that makes me even MORE of a badass. So where exactly is the incentive to cheat?
The wonderful <and often frustrating> thing about being an actor is that there's no right or wrong way to do something, so there's no possibility of cheating. Sure, in the world of art, folks are always 'breaking the rules' or 'breaking the fourth wall', but that is just a reinvention of the art form. It's reminding us that life has no hard and fast rules and art is constantly evolving to reflect that. Creating new doesn't mean cheating on the old.
In terms of how to do the work, I know people who obsess about Meisner's Method and others who swear by The Chekov Technique. For me, they, and many other theatrical disciplines, are all tools in the toolbox. They don't all work all the time, but the more you have at your disposal, the better prepared you are to handle whatever comes up. And regardless of what tool you choose for any given role, you CAN'T cheat on preparation.
Well, maybe you can - but if I did, I would never forgive myself, knowing that some audience saw a sub-par performance.
PS - This is the same trip that I was compared to Joan Jett AND Anne Hathaway on the same evening. How do you 'Type' that?!?!?!