Author Archives: thevsstudioblog

Who doesn’t love a good origin story? If culture is the story we all agree on, then it makes sense that in order to change the culture, we need to tell a different story. That starts with ourselves. To “be the change we wish to see in the world” as Ghandi advised, let’s first makeContinue reading “Origin Story”

My favorite question to ask a fellow artist (and one someday for the Vs. Studio podcast): “What production, either one you were in or saw, made a significant impact on you? And why?” Following up my most recent post about August Wilson’s Jitney, I’d be remiss if I didn’t discuss another giant personal takeaway fromContinue reading “Jitney (Part Two)”

The gift of a great script is that if the actor simply commits to learning the lines exactly as written, they will then get the rhythm, and once they have the rhythm, they will then have the character. One of the greatest productions I ever saw was of August Wilson’s Jitney. I saw it manyContinue reading “Rhythm Is Character”

A common response a celebrity gives when asked why they pursued a career in such a brutal industry like show business: “I had no choice. I just couldn’t do anything else.” When you make your own art, you choose. You could do many other things, more lucrative and “safe” things, but because you love andContinue reading “Choosing To Do This”

“You can do anything. But not everything.” -David Allen It’s the end of January and about that time when many people abandon their New Year’s resolutions. This excellent article by Arthur Brooks of The Atlantic details why. One reason we abandon our goals is because we’ve simply made too many. In a fit of enthusiasmContinue reading “Domino Goal”

Lebron James was in the zone last night. He scored 46 points and shot 73 percent from the field including 7 for 11 from the 3 point line. An absurdly great and efficient performance. Over the years, athletes and artists have described what it feels like to be in the zone. “A flow state”, “EverythingContinue reading “In The Zone”

A most generous thing you can do for any artist, whether it be a project you’re producing or just a friend who’s struggling to finish something… Think creatively, call them up and get them to agree to an arbitrary deadline. Maybe it’s a small group reading of their script? Or an entry into a contestContinue reading “The Gift Of Your Deadline”

“Hoping for the best, prepared for the worst, and unsurprised by anything in between.” -Maya Angelou, I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings “Two weeks.” In the hilarious film The Money Pit, that’s the answer given to Walter Fielding (played by Tom Hanks) whenever he asks how long the renovation will take. Walter knows better,Continue reading “Two Weeks”

Feeling stuck? Not knowing where to go, what to do next? That’s okay. Look around. Find someone who’s not stuck. Who knows what they want to do but could use some help doing it. Reach out. Give them a hand. Help them through. Now you’re active. You’re in motion. You’re unstuck.

Inaugurals are always exciting. They represent something new. The “first of” something. A blank slate. A clean start. But really we should think of them as marking the halfway point. Like zero on a number line. A ton of hard work happens before the inaugural event that often goes un-noticed. The political and “get outContinue reading “Inaugural = Halfway”