A light bulb has gone off. Acting is being human. The problems we face as actors, we face as human beings. The same goes for theatre and the whole entire world. Acting is the most natural and real profession in existence, which is pretty ironic. But what I love most about this is the power it gives to the theatre. Now I understand exactly what Uda Hagen was talking about. The battle between commercial theatre and the artists theatre. The FIght between money and meaning. Relying on talent and beauty. Laziness. Vanity, self - glorification, and narcissism. Serving yourself instead of serving the audience. These are the pitfalls of the American Theatre. But these are also the pitfalls for America, period. Valuing money above everything else. Viewing success as the ultimate goal. Wanting instant gratification. The list goes on and on.
So if we can change our theatre, we can change our world - that's amazing.
My favorite part of the chapter was these two quotes:
"I want to be the best actor in America!" - basically every young actor (including me) who gets trapped in the pitfalls of vanity and egotism and has yet to learn that there is no best; even if there was it wouldn't be something worth striving for.
And... "Love the art in yourself, not yourself in the art" - Stanislavsky. This requires no explanation because he is a genius and this just became my favorite quote ever and I might just have to tattoo this down my forearm.
Although all this is a little too conceptual, I'm really enjoying this. Uda Hagen is the girl for me.
