I received some very strong words from a dear friend this weekend. This friend was condemning the "star-seeking" attitude that seems to come with anyone in show business. I can see how this might be assumed: the photo shoots to find the perfect headshot, the hunger for feedback after a performance, the desire for leading roles in a show, the constant battle for a perfect self image, etc. I can also understand how hard it must be to have a friend in the industry. Instead of being able to hang out or go to parties, they have long rehearsals and multiple shows.
Since hearing her thoughts, I've thought a lot about this. Yes, I, like many performers, have a need for attention and encouragement. I want to know that what I'm doing is good and enjoyable. But is it this attention that has made me so addicted to being a performer? NO! My passion is for stories told truthfully, for music performed exquisitely, for magic to be found in every day things, all of which being presented to and audience in a way that makes them laugh, cry, wonder, and discuss. I want every performance I am a part of to be something that touches you in a way that other things can't. There is something so special about live theater, something that no other art form has been able to quite capture, and that is what brings people back to it. That is what brings ME back to it.
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