“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.” -Mark Twain We all know or have been around psychic vampires. They drain your energy, suck the life out of whatever project or idea you’re excited about.Continue reading “Beware Psychic Vampires”
Author Archives: thevsstudioblog
The Anchor
For my fellow actors, here’s something I do every year. I call it “the anchor” because no matter what happens, no matter how busy life gets, I can always come back to it. The anchor helps keep me sane and sharp and continuously excited about the craft. Here goes… At the beginning of the year,Continue reading “The Anchor”
Will Theatre Survive?
Depends what you mean by theatre. If you mean… People gathering together. In a shared space. Of some kind. To passionately tell. And receive a great story. Then…YES! Because that two thousand plus-year old, shared, communal art form will never, ever die.
The Thanksgiving Reader
“It is easy to praise providence for anything that may happen if you have two qualities: a complete view of what has actually happened in each instance, and a sense of gratitude.” -Epictetus “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live byContinue reading “The Thanksgiving Reader”
The Post-Show Notebook Practice
We should always strive to be our own toughest and most honest critic. In that spirit, here’s a good practice for the theatre artist. (Though, I think it’s adaptable for anyone trying to make art or pursue a goal.) As soon as you step off the stage and are in the dressing room, do this…Continue reading “The Post-Show Notebook Practice”
Plus, Minus, Equals
“False ideas about yourself destroy you. For me, I always stay a student, that’s what martial arts are about, and you have to use the humility as a tool”. –Frank Shamrock There’s a great chapter in Ryan Holiday’s book, “The Obstacle Is The Way” about the mixed martial artist, Frank Shamrock and his unique trainingContinue reading “Plus, Minus, Equals”
“Get Off The Stage”
“I always tried to treat my players fairly. That doesn’t mean I treated them all the same.” -Phil Jackson I was a younger actor and cast in a really difficult play and part. I was having a recurring confidence crisis about it. The director was wonderful. He believed in me to cast me in theContinue reading ““Get Off The Stage””
Minimums, Maximums, And Somewhere In Betweens
Quick productivity tip to battle the resistance and the insidious nature of perfectionism… Write down everything you think you need to do today. Once you’ve finished your list, go back and put an asterisk next to everything you “absolutely have to do”, “no questions asked”, “this is it”, “I gotta get it done or else”Continue reading “Minimums, Maximums, And Somewhere In Betweens”
FANatic
Fan is short for fanatic. To be a fan of something, that means you are fanatical. You obsess about it. You can’t wait, you’re chomping at the bit for the band’s next record or the writer’s next novel or the director’s next film. There’s nothing casual about your love of the thing. What, if anything,Continue reading “FANatic”
Edges
“Mama always told me not to look into the sights of the sun. Woah, but mama, that’s where the fun is.” -Bruce Springsteen, Blinded By The Light You could ski straight down a mountain. But where’s the joy in that? And how do you get better? We have to explore the edges. Especially in ourContinue reading “Edges”
The Vs. Studio Blog 