Pacing

It’s the audience, actually, who decides and dictates the pacing of the show.

Listen to them.

They’ll always be honest about where they’d like us to speed up and slow down.

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Life Hack: Wardrobe Changes

Multiple jobs in one day requiring multiple wardrobe changes.

If there’s time, I prefer to run home to reset and change clothes for the next gig. But sometimes, most times, there’s not enough time and I need to run from one gig to the next without stopping. Thus, it becomes a necessity to pack a bag in the AM with all the possible clothing options for the day. A necessity that gives me anxiety all day. Did I pack all that I’ll need? Right shoes? Right belt? Did I remember socks?

Rather than thinking through it and packing as best as I can, here’s what I’ve started doing:

I put on the entirety of what I plan to wear later in the day, and then take it off and pack it directly into my bag.

Sure, it takes a little longer at the start of the day, but the peace of mind that I have all that I’ll need for the rest of the day is well worth the extra time.

Do Something About It

When a reader spots a typo in a book, they tend to shift their focus, even if only for a few pages, to looking for more of them.

When an error in continuity occurs in a film, the viewer who caught it can’t help but become distracted and begin looking for more.

While some mistakes can’t be kept from an audience’s view, the live stage has the most remaining potential to cover up the gaffs and eliminate the distraction.

While sometimes it’s fun to be in the audience when something goes awry, our audiences don’t care to spend the rest of the performance looking for our next mistake.

Fix it.

Cover it.

Address it.

Include it.

But our job can never be to ignore it.

Because the truth is, our audience is desperate for us to do something about it.

It’s Ok to Question

Be respectful.

Be thoughtful.

Mind your timing and choose an appropriate location.

But do know, it is ok and sometimes necessary to question our leaders.

Playing Hurt

In sports…

Your team and the fans will understand if you choose not to play while hurt.

Meanwhile…

If you still play while hurt, and you help the team win, you can actually be seen as a hero!

But…

If you keep a team from winning because you played hurt, well, the team and the fans have little to no patience for that.

Anyway…

I bet there are a number of other places where this is true.

Outsmarting

Outsmarting your audience can sometimes be the goal.

However,

Outsmarting your scene partner…that’s pretty much never the goal.

Speed Reading Made Easy

Speed Reading Made Easy:

Read only the chapters that interest you. (It’s ok to have read a book and not have finished a book.)

Look for the quotation marks and read the quotes. (These are often the big ideas said more succinctly by someone else.)

Read only the first and last lines of paragraphs. (It is up to the author, not you, to catch and hold your attention. If the first line doesn’t draw you in for the rest of the paragraph, jump to the end and move on.)

Speed reading isn’t always necessary, but can often be helpful.