The Vs. Studio Blog

“More people went to the theatre in London when I was reviewing then went to Church. This would be a very good thing if the theatre took itself seriously. As a factory of thought. Of social conduct. An armory against despair and dullness. And a temple of the ascent of [humankind].” -George Bernard Shaw

It takes a lunatic to want to make art.

It takes a lunatic to give up a promising career for a life in the theatre.

It takes a lunatic to open up your own acting school when you’re young and being groomed by the great Sanford Meisner to teach at The Neighborhood Playhouse.

It takes a lunatic to direct plays.

It takes a lunatic to raise money, open a theatre, and commit to producing plays that feature new works by unknown playwrights. And then expect people to show up for years on end to support your vision.

It takes a lunatic to still teach acting when you’re nearly 100.

Wynn Handman did all of the above and more. He was a lunatic. And a legend. He was responsible for launching the careers of countless artists. He passed away last year at 97. His life is inspiring and worth learning more about.

Here’s a great podcast episode that Alec Baldwin did with him.

And here’s a great Netflix documentary, called “It Takes a Lunatic” about his life and legacy.

R.I.P. Wynn Handman. Here’s to you and all the other lunatics out there who are making their art.

“What if I come with you Lee?…What if I come out with you to the desert?” –True West by Sam Shepard

“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” -African Proverb

Yeah, you could go at it alone. But it’s nowhere near as fun as when you enlist others on the journey. And the way you do that is to dig deep, figure out what you’re passionate to say and why. Commit to that passion. Set the date. Communicate early as often. You’re a passion recruiter! And then when people come on board, welcome their ideas, their artistry, their input. Give them the space to create. Without ego. Best idea wins.

In the theatre, I’ve been blessed over and over with co-conspirators. People who cared as much about the project as I did. Who shared in the struggles and the triumphs. Who always had my back. Who lifted me up in the down days. I’m eternally grateful for them and can’t imagine ever doing a future project without co-conspirators.

Nor should you.

Who can you enlist on your journey?

Go make art with your friends.

“Reason shows us there is nothing either good or bad but thinking makes it so.” -Seneca, Letters To A Stoic

“Every being in the universe is an expression of the Tao. It springs into existence, unconscious, perfect, free, takes on a physical body, lets circumstances complete it. That is why every being spontaneously honors the Tao.” – Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu, Stephen Mitchell translation

Having an attitude of gratitude isn’t selective. It’s not something we reserve only for the good times. It’s for ALL times. For everything that happens to us.

A good mantra to practice is “Thanks for everything.”

The author Stephen Mitchell in his translation of the Tao Te Ching–which by the way is phenomenal, a must read–relates a wonderful Japanese story told in Zenkei Shibayama Roshi’s “A Flower Does Not Talk.”…

A hundred and fifty years ago there lived a woman named Sono, whose devotion and purity of heart were respected far and wide. Ony day a fellow Buddhist, having made a long trip to see her, asked “What can I do to put my heart at rest?” She said, “Every morning and every evening, and whenever anything happens to you, keep on saying, “Thanks for everything. I have no complaint whatsoever.” The man did as he was instructed, for a whole year, but his heart was still not at peace. He returned to Sono, crestfallen. “I’ve said your prayer over and over, and yet nothing in my life has changed; I’m still the same selfish person as before. What should I do now?” Sono immediately said, “Thanks for everything. I have no complaint whatsoever.” On hearing these words, the man was able to open his spiritual eye, and returned home with great joy.

“At dawn, when you have trouble getting out of bed, tell yourself: “I have to go to work — as a human being. What do I have to complain of, if I’m going to do what I was born for — the things I was brought into the world to do? Or is this what I was created for? To huddle under the blankets and stay warm?” -Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

“It was character that got us out of bed, commitment that moved us into action, and discipline that enabled us to follow through.” -Zig Ziglar

One of the many reasons I love Meditations is that it was never intended for publication. It’s a collection of Marcus Aurelius’ journal entries, his innermost thoughts, written to himself as he navigated the world. As you read it, you can almost feel him willing himself to act in the face of huge obstacles. The journal was later found, published and passed down for future generations. And we’re the lucky beneficiaries.

If Marcus, Emperor of Rome and most powerful person in the world had trouble getting out of bed, we should forgive ourselves when we don’t feel like doing it either. It’s our character, our commitments, our discipline, our habits, our desire to make art and make change in the world that gets us to overcome our laziness.

Rise and Shine. We’ve got work to do.

“The world is violent and mercurial–it will have its way with you. We are saved by love–love for each other and the love that we pour into the art we feel compelled to share: being a parent; being a writer; being a painter; being a friend. We live in a perpetually burning building, and what we must save from it, all the time, is love.” -Tennessee Williams

Just like love is best when thought of as a verb, an action, something you do or give to someone else, “willing the good of the other” as St. Thomas Aquinas wrote, so is art.

Art is doing something that might not work for the benefit of others.

And the best art always comes from deep love.

If you doubt that your art can make a difference, consider just one example…

When the Continental Army were struggling to survive a long, brutal winter at Valley Forge, George Washington decided to stage a play, Cato by Joseph Addison, to lift their spirits.

You can’t predict what effect your art will have. But you can listen to your heart and have the courage to manifest what’s inside.

We need your art. Now, tomorrow and thereafter.

What are you waiting for?

“Be careful, however, lest this reading of many authors and books of every sort may tend to make you discursive and unsteady. You must linger among a limited number of master-thinkers, and digest their works, if you would derive ideas which shall win firm hold in your mind. Everywhere means nowhere.” -Seneca, Letters From A Stoic

I gotta get away from this day-to-day running around. Everybody knows this is nowhere.” -Neil Young from his song, Everybody Knows This Is Nowhere

When you’re tempted to reach for something new, think about returning to something old. Something that once inspired you. See what another pass at it does to you today. Does it still hold up? Does it resonate even deeper?

The best things, the timeless classics, have that rare ability to still feel fresh every time out. They affect us in different and unexpected ways depending on where we are in our lives.

We don’t need a bigger library. We just need the right library.

We don’t need to be everywhere. We just need to be right here.

“Objective judgment, now at this very moment. Unselfish action, now at this very moment. Willing acceptance—now at this very moment—of all external events. That’s all you need.” -Marcus Aurelius, Meditations

Pierre Hadot in his book, “The Inner Citadel” discusses in detail the three most important disciplines of Stoicism. They are Perception, Action and Will. Here’s a cheat sheet…

Perceive things as they actually are. Not as you want them to be. Maintain absolute objectivity of thought.

Act based on your clear perceptions and in accordance with nature. Remember that we were made for others, not ourselves.

Will your actions into being regardless of obstacles. Focus on what you can control and ignore the rest.

“Secret of life is to stay hydrated. The brain can’t think if it ain’t hydrated, s’a natural fact. Drink up. They say eight glasses a day, eight ounces each. I say why stop there? No such thing as too much of a good thing. It’s a good thing, it’s a good thing. It’s not, it’s not, don’t do it.” -“Dom The Bartender” from the play Cops And Friends Of Cops by Ron Klier

Let’s face it, when embarking on our passion project we will have plenty of down days. Where it’s a slog. Before we decide to bail on our project though because “we’re not feeling it” or it’s “just not fun anymore” and we think we’ve made a mistake, we should first check-in with ourselves. Mentally and physically. Ask ourselves some very basic questions like…

Did I get enough sleep last night?

Did I drink enough water today?

How’s my food intake? Has my diet been pretty clean?

What’s my caffeine and alcohol intake been like recently?

Am I getting enough exercise? Including yoga or stretching?

When’s the last time I went for a walk, got some fresh air, felt the sun and wind on my face?

What’s my news and social media intake been like recently?

When’s the last time I had a good laugh or cry or thought and felt something deeply? See this Jim Valvano clip.

When’s the last time I had a really good conversation with someone?

Have I read any good books, seen any good movies, listened to any really good music, consumed any great art recently? Have I been inspired?

(Depending on if you have one) What’s my spiritual practice been like?

When’s the last time I felt or expressed gratitude?

Have I helped anyone recently?

When’s the last time I enjoyed quiet for an extended period of time?

These questions–and no doubt, you’ll have your own questions–are not meant to make us feel bad about our shortcomings. Far from it. They’re just opportunities for us to check in and recalibrate. That way, we can stay the course on our passion project. Not give up based on short-term feelings.

It’s amazing what a good night’s sleep, plenty of water and a long walk can do for our mood and outlook.

“We are our choices.” -Sartre

First off, HAPPY NEW YEAR! Here’s to clean slates, making art and brighter days ahead. I hope this year is everything you want it to be.

For those of you who believe in resolutions, I’m rooting for you. Here’s a past New Yorker article that sheds light on why we make and have trouble keeping them. Also, the single best book I’ve ever read on habits (I’ve recommended before) is James Clear’s “Atomic Habits.” He goes in depth on the science of habits, why they’re so important, and how to make and stick to them (hint: link your identity to your habits).

Easily, my favorite book of 2020 was Andre Gregory’s “This Is Not My Memoir.”  I’ve long been a huge fan of his.  “Vanya on 42nd Street”, Louis Malle’s brilliant film detailing Gregory’s fourteen-year odyssey with Chekov’s “Uncle Vanya” (my anchor play for 2021) is a must watch. As is “My Dinner With Andre” also directed by Louis Malle, which basically captures one long, riveting conversation between Gregory and his friend and playwright, Wallace Shawn.

Gregory is a legendary theatre director who values process above all else. His book is a page turner, filled with remarkable stories and at times, brutal candor about his shortcomings. One section which particularly struck a chord was about his early directing failures. Gregory was fired from multiple theatres in his twenties, including one that he founded!

How many of us, if in the same situation, would take these firings as a sign that directing was just “not in the cards?” That the “universe was trying to tell us something.”  But Gregory didn’t.  He treated them as learning experiences. How to get better. What not to do. Steps on the road to figuring out what he was trying to say and why. In addition to tenacity which Gregory says is his greatest gift, I would argue that he bounced back each time because had first decided on a life in the theatre.  No matter what. Once he decided that, then he interpreted everything that happened to him through this lens. I’m not suggesting these failures weren’t hard on him.  They were brutal. But he didn’t let them stop him. That led to him forming another theatre company, The Manhattan Project, which then led to his breakthrough production of “Alice In Wonderland.” And many more triumphs.

If you’re thinking about doing something, don’t wait for a sign or someone to tell you that you should do it. That’s it a good idea. Just listen to your heart and decide. Start. Take action. Then you can interpret everything that happens the way YOU want. Through your own decision lens.