The Vs. Studio Blog

“It’s not hard to make decisions when you know what your values are.” -Roy Disney

“If you don’t stick to your values when they are being tested, they’re not values; they’re hobbies.” -Jon Stewart

A useful exercise is to get out a sheet of paper and write down all your core values. What matters most to you. One word that encapsulates each value is sufficient. Examples might be: family, spiritual, honesty, health, courage, discipline, fun, etc…

After you’re done (probably no more than 12), rank them in terms of priority. What’s most important to you right now.

This exercise serves a few purposes.

One…Know that as a producer or leader of any project, you will be faced with an endless stream of decisions. Tough decisions. That’s your job. Knowing your values and your organization’s values makes those decisions easier.

Two…When deciding whether to take on a project, you can examine if that projects aligns with your core values.

Third…Examine your rankings. For example, if “Fun” is one of your higher values, that might mean passing on doing something difficult right now. Don’t feel bad about the choice. Honor the ranking.

And realize that over time, your rankings will change. Just like money experts advise people to re-balance their investment portfolios every year, you might want to do the same for your sheet of values.

This blog and the mission of The Vs. Studio is to help people find and manifest the art they’re passionate about. And to do so with excellence and generosity. For themselves, their fellow artists and the audience they seek to serve.

So what if you don’t know what you’re passionate about?

That’s okay. In my experience, most people don’t. Not everyone’s walking around with a bucket list of plays and roles they’re dying to do. (Though I encourage you to start one.)

When you find a piece that you’re interested in exploring further, call up some actor friends and do a reading. Now with Zoom, it’s easier than ever.

“Tuesday Nights At Vs.” started a few years ago with this same ethos. Anyone can “sponsor” a Tuesday night. Sponsor just means picking the play, making a PDF, writing a brief synopsis, and inviting some friends to participate and or come listen. It can be any type of play, any genre, any time period. No restrictions. (While Vs. Theatre Company’s mission is primarily to produce World, West Coast and Los Angeles Premieres, the mission of The Vs. Studio is that any play is fair game.)

These nights are designed to be very fun and informal. Pre-Covid, we’d meet in our theatre lobby. Often roles would be cast on the spot from whomever showed up. People would bring a favorite snack or beverage. We’d gather together, read the play, converse and then disperse. A weekly tradition was born: “Tuesday Nights At Vs.”

We’ve kept it alive through Covid by embracing Zoom. I’m incredibly grateful for this platform and the artists who’ve sponsored nights and/or showed up. An unexpected and beautiful side benefit is that our reach has expanded to many new people across the country. As a result of the nights being open to anyone and any play, we’ve enjoyed an incredibly rich and diverse selection of plays. No artistic director or committee could ever program so well! And we have an amazing and super supportive community that shows up consistently week after week.

One of two things will happen as a result of you taking the leap to sponsor a Tuesday night. Both are win, win.

Most often you’ll read the play, have a great time and gotten it out of your system. Awesome.

In a few cases however, the play and the night will stay with you. You’ll keep thinking about it, wondering if you should to take it to the next level. Friends might call you up and say “you have to do this one.” You won’t be able to shake it. Hmm…you might just’ve found your passion project. Good news! You have an outlet for that passion: The Vs. Studio.

So, if you’re reading this and want to sponsor a night, email me (jclark@vstheatre.org) and let’s pick a future Tuesday. Don’t wait. Our backlog is pretty long. Nearly six months out.

Or if you just want to be on our email list (we send it out once a week, every Monday night) to come listen to the plays and be a part of the community, please reach out and I’ll add you to it.

I look forward to seeing you on Tuesday Nights At Vs. (someday back in our lobby) and experiencing your art. Thanks for showing up. We’re so glad you’re here.

The author and speaker Zig Ziglar classified goals into two categories.

(1) “Give Up” Goals. Think of trying to lose weight or quit a bad habit. For these type of goals, tell everyone. Let them know to keep you in check. It’ll serve as extra motivation, especially in those weak moments when your willpower is sapped.

(2) “Go Up” Goals. Think of making art, starting a business, pursuing a new interest. For these type of goals, only tell a few trusted people. You never know people’s reactions to the change you’re trying to make. Some might feel threatened and turn into psychic vampires. Others will be inspired and motivate you even higher. Just be discerning. Especially at the outset.

One more thing about goals…yes, you can do anything. Just not everything. At least not all at once. Limit yourself to just a few goals at a time.

A common note given to an actor is that the stakes aren’t high enough. “Raise the stakes.”

How exactly do you do this?

Here’s a simple cheat…

Go back through the script and for every action, say to yourself, “I will die if I don’t get what I want.”

That could mean physically, emotionally, mentally, etc…But you will die if you don’t get what you want.

Boom. Stakes raised.

“Look, and it can’t be seen. Listen, and it can’t be heard. Reach, and it can’t be grasped.” –Tao Te Ching, Stephen Mitchell Translation

Here’s the definition of a heat check as told by writer Shea Serrano:

A heat check is (mostly) a basketball term. It’s used to reference a shot attempt, specifically a difficult one attempted after a handful of easier, wiser shots have been made. Think of this: you make a layup, then you make a wide-open midrange jumper, then you make a wide-open 3-pointer. That’s great. Those are smart shots. You’re feeling very good about yourself and all the decisions you’ve made in life that have led you to that point, so the next time down court you receive the ball and then chuck up a 29-foot fadeaway. That’s the heat check. You are literally checking to see if you are figuratively hot. If you make it, you shoot again. If that goes in, then you do it again. And again. And again. Until you miss. Each make becomes exponentially more exciting and intriguing and more of an accelerant.

Nine times out of ten when you watch an NBA game and the announcer exclaims “Heat Check!”, the player misses. Whatever flow state they were in prior to the heat check is now gone.

No one knows how or why we get “into the zone.” If we did, we’d all be in the NBA or winning Pulitzer Prizes or Academy Awards.

But the surest way to get out of the zone is to start noticing that you’re in it. To lose humility for the mystery. To start feeling like you can do no wrong. A stand up comic will tell you that the minute they think the audience is in the palm of their hands and that the next joke will really slay, that’s when they hear…crickets.

Instead, when you’re in flow, just keep doing what you were doing. Stay focused on the task at hand. Remain fully present to the other person. And let the game come to you.

P.S. – The psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi wrote a brilliant book called “Flow.” Among other things, he studied flow states across many different jobs. Short order cooks experience some of the highest measures. Go figure.

The Resistance will try a million different ways to knock you off course. To prevent you from doing the work you’re supposed to do. The work you’re born to do. It’s a motherfucker. Insidious. It’s the wolf at the door.

Fight it!

Fight it every day of your life.

Your soul depends on it.

Go make your art.

P.S. – Check out Tim Ferris’ excellent podcast interview with Steven Pressfield (author of The War Of Art and many other books) who first named The Resistance. Click Here to listen.

“I have written eleven books, but each time I think, ‘Uh oh, they’re going to find out now. I’ve run a game on everybody and they’re going to find me out.” -Maya Angelou

“The exaggerated esteem in which my lifework is held makes me very ill at ease. I feel compelled to think of myself as an involuntary swindler.” -Albert Einstein

Feel like a fraud some/most days?

It’s okay. I do too. We all do. C’mon, we’re using our imaginations, playing pretend all the time! What do you expect? We’re bound to feel that way.

But if we don’t take action in spite of those feelings, then we are frauds. Because we’re wasting our gifts. Our talents. Not answering the call.

We’re being fraudulent.

Let’s not let that happen.

Go make your art.

Do you have a bucket list of all the plays and roles you’d love to do someday?

If not, why not start one?

Write down every play you read or see and the date. It’s a good exercise and fun to keep count.

For any plays that really grab you, bold them. Write down the role and maybe a short sentence or two why you’d love to do it. That’s it.

Obviously, you won’t get to play every role on your list. Some you’ll age out of (I’m too old for Paul Bratter in “Barefoot In the Park.”). Some you’re not yet old enough. (I’d love to take a crack at “Willy Loman” someday.) Doesn’t matter. The process of actively searching and selecting is what counts.

Because eventually, you’ll find one that’s just right.

“Pain + Reflection = Progress.” -Ray Dalio

Legendary hedge fund investor, Ray Dalio, swears by his principles. By knowing and writing them down. By constantly examining and refining them. He credits this act for his success and advises others to do the same. He even wrote a book about it.

The Stoics actually argued about the necessity of principles. What they termed “precepts.” Some like Aristo thought it a giant waste of time to write these down. He argued that a person should just instinctively know what the right thing was to do in any situation. Others like Zeno and Seneca countered that life was complicated and taxing. Situations would arise that would test us, that called for nuance, and it was important to know our principles so as to make the right decision in those difficult moments.

When you do hard things, when you make art, you will be tested. Constantly. Tough decisions will be required. You will second guess yourself. That’s part of the price to pay for leading.

Having principles you live by can help making those decisions a little easier. As well as being committed to doing your absolute best for the project and the people involved. To always have everyone’s best interest at heart.

When you make mistakes–and you will, lots of them–reflect on them. Learn from them. You’ll sharpen your principles and be that much better equipped for the next project.

I once asked a good friend of mine and phenomenal actor what it was like to work regularly in television. This was her response:

“Most days, I feel like a Ferrari stuck in a garage.”

She was very grateful for the steady work, money and the friendships that were made. But inside, she felt like she had so much more to offer. Her tremendous skill and passion wasn’t needed or called upon very much . She longed to do the kind of demanding work and roles she found early on in the theatre.

Maybe you feel like this sometimes? Or know people who do? Or both.

Good news! There’s a solution.

Find a play and role you’re passionate about. So much so that you’re willing to produce it. Produce it with excellence and generosity. For yourself, your fellow artists and the audience you seek to serve.

As a result of your decision and bravery, you can let that Ferrari out! And bring some talented artists along with you for the ride.