Regular readers of this column should share this writer’s sense of relief at the Earth’s blessed escape from destruction at the fly-by of Planet X. Once again another apocalypse has been averted.  So we ordinary mortals must get back to the business of moving on with our lives.  Ah well . . . . . .

This raises the question of what happens when a project is over. The life of the actor is a curious business. If an actor works in the theatre or is involved in a long film or video shoot, the actor is thrust into a curious relationship with colleagues and working material.

The actor as part of an ad hoc cast has the job of being vulnerable in the act of telling a story. First, this means that the actor should be vulnerable to one’s colleagues in the working situation. A hallmark of quality acting (in our current age, at least) is listening.  Again and again we hear from our best actors as well as admonitions from our best teachers and coaches that a fine actor listens well. To listen well, though, is a position of vulnerability. If a human being listen truly, the person allows the possibility of being affected by whatever is being communicated by another person.  This is vulnerability.  Allowing another person to affect me emotionally, mentally, physically – this is being vulnerable.

A high school classmate got a job in a semi-pro production of Cabaret as a chorus/dancer not long after graduation. He reported that the first day of rehearsal that a woman he had just met for the first time (in the choreography) threw him to the ground, sat on his back and played with his butt.  An amazing circumstance for a small-town, mid-Western boy. 

Secondly, the job of being vulnerable in the act of telling the story leads to further vulnerability. The actor should be vulnerable to the circumstances of the story.  If a story is reasonably well told, the circumstances of human life (regardless if it’s comedy or drama) should affect the actor. Consequently, the actor should be vulnerable to the “life” of the character. Indeed it’s not uncommon for actors to become friendly with their characters.

As a result actors tend toward a kind of intimacy with their colleagues and with the material.  Ben Kingsley said in an interview that actors are tribal. The actors become part of the group.

But then the run ends. The vast number of projects either have clear end-dates attached from the beginning.  The film or video shoot ends. The actors go their separate ways – sometimes to the four winds. The actor can be left wondering what happened to the camaraderie of the band of players to which they belonged. The actor can miss playing that wonderful character.

In central Pennsylvania there’s a homely way of expressing when nothing’s left – “It’s all.” (“Can I get another helping of the mashed potatoes?” After looking at the empty bowl, “No, they’re all.”) And when there’s nothing left – well, when it’s all . . . . . it’s all.

Given the lives of most actors, when one job is over, they’re already looking for their next job – if they haven’t already gotten it. And the new job, the new group, the new character all help with the separation from the last group.  But sometimes the separation can be large. Particularly if there’s not a next job very quickly. (And even more particularly if there’s no next paycheck very quickly ... .)

Still, the miraculous thing about actors is that they dive in to the task of joining with new colleagues in the hunt for quality work time and time again. The actor joins up with yet other members of the tribe and away they go. They listen. They make themselves vulnerable.  They join in the group creation of something new, knowing it won’t last, but joining in anyway.

There’s no particular end to this story. As long as actors act, they will join together to make something – to create. And they’ll leave at the end, having shared something non-show people will never understand.  When it’s all, it’s all.

©2003 Nathan Thomas

For more commentary and articles by Nathan Thomas, check the Archives.

Nathan Thomas has earned his
living as a touring actor, Artistic Director, director
stage manager, designer, composer, and pianist
He has a Ph.D. in Theatre and is a member of
the theatre faculty of Alvernia College

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