"If you're not having fun, you're probably not doing it right!"

Last week at PPAS (my student teaching placement), Senior Shakespeare Scene Study class had the pleasure of working with Michael Rogers-- an accomplished Broadway actor and expert on Shakespeare. He offered a plethora of valuable information on technique and acting Shakespeare, as well as many useful activities I can steal for the future! :)  This was all amazing and very useful, but those aren't the things I am going to remember a few weeks from now...a few years from now. But this, I will remember forever: "If you're not having fun, you're probably not doing it right". What an idea! It's so simple, but so true!  I feel like as actors, and also as teachers of the arts we often forget this simple fact. We get wrapped up in all the technique, and desire to reach "perfection", that we rob ourselves of the simple pleasure Theatre offers. Why do we do art? Why do we act? Because we love it! We are passionate about it! It lifts us up and makes us feel alive. IT'S FUN!!!!! Yes, we have important objectives in teaching Theatre and sometimes it will be serious, but when it comes down to it, when you are up on the stage-- just have fun! If you're not enjoying it, then why are you doing it? Why go through all the effort that acting demands?

I just thought this was an excellent point and it had a great impact on me, as well as my students! After he said this, it was clear the students embraced it and as a result their acting actually improved. Such a simple instruction-- "have fun" and the entire scene was transformed. They were alive on stage!

When an actor is really living on the stage and having fun-- the audience will go on the ride with you and as a result, we will have fun and enjoy it more!