It happened! My heart may have stopped when I saw the first missed call, but once my hands stopped shaking, I was able to call them back. The sensation that grabbed hold of my body as I heard them explain how they wanted to represent me was almost indescribable. It felt like an I told you so moment to myself. That taking a gamble on something I was passionate about was the right move. There is still a lot of work ahead, and nothing is guaranteed in this industry, but right now, I think I will enjoy my time on cloud nine.
This great news also allowed me to switch classes without the typical fear or anxiety. It also helps that my new instructor just happens to be the same person I took my trial class with; the talented Todd Karner. Now, if you enjoyed the entries that were focused on monologues, then you are in for a treat. Todd informed the class that we would be spending the entire class for the month of July on monologues. My gut reaction of nervousness means that this is exactly what I need to be working on.
After the opening pleasantries of the class were finished, Todd began to explain something that he felt many actors do incorrectly when it comes to monologues and acting in general. With any type of learning, it can be easy to plateau when either the work stops challenging you or you stop challenging yourself. Real progress will only come when you can identify your growth, celebrate it, but then understand it is time to move forward.
Todd explained he has found that teaching other actors has made him become a much better one. He knows we all can't get that type of experience; however, he asked us if we would like him to perform a monologue, and then we, as a class, would give him feedback. This rightfully made many of us nervous. How could we give valuable feedback to someone who is teaching how to do the very same thing?
I do see Todd's point, and regardless of whether or not our class chooses to perform that exercise, it made me think about that philosophy of learning. If you are unsure of your ability in something, try and teach it to someone with zero experience. Sounds easier said than done, but I really think Todd is onto something there.
Building on the idea of working to not plateau with acting, Todd told everyone that if he liked their performance enough or if the actor felt like there was not much left to do with the piece, they could move on to another one. I love this idea. There is always forward progress to be made, and we must always make the choice to improve.