London Diaries - "Real" (2011-09-30)

Last night I went to see Footloose, the musical, at The Grand's high school project. Each year The Grand mentors a group of high school students with their High School out reach project. They audition students, and cast them in all elements and aspects for a show, and then the professionals of the theatre work with them to put on full production, which runs at the very top of the season. An excellent program, with great value for young artists.

The show was great. I went with a group from my own cast, we sat together and made an evening of it. We all enjoyed ourselves and were amazed at the talent on stage.

After the show I ran into the lead. I congratulated him, on his performance, and his cast mates. His reply "wow thanks, that means a lot coming from a real actor" surprised me. "Real Actor"? to me he was the "real" actor, having just finished a performance, (to a sold out crowd,one of many for this show I should add), having rehearsed, learned, evolved - he and his cast mates are all real actors to me. 

I ended up chatting with him and few of his cast mates and it started to sink in. They were asking questions about what it is like to pursue, how to do acting for a career - the next steps. I realized "real" is a perception, an idea of self. In their own eyes, those youths view themselves as students, and they view me as a working artist. "Real" being defined by not student. There was some awe associated to it. As I walked home I thought about perception and the value of it. How we see ourselves and what it can do for us. Any way we choose to look at ourselves has the potential to hinder or evolve us. This perception is very important, I believe, to the artist. Why? 

Perceive oneself as a struggling artist and that is all one will allow oneself to be. Perceive oneself as an artist and that is what one can be. An artist has potential to make a living being just that: an artist. Yes, philosophical, but I feel it is important, and it struck me last night. In many ways the youths on stage are more talented than I, some of their skill sets are not mine, they have just as much potential at making a living as "real" actors right now as I do. It just takes a mindset to pursue that point.

So as I sign off, I applaud, the very talented young cast of Footloose, who as far as I am concerned, are "real" actors. If it be there dream to pursue it as a career, I wish them all the best in their pursuits.