No More Games, or Knock It Off, Theater People

I have a favor to ask all you theater people.

 

Stop playing the game.

 

Okay, let me explain what I mean.

 

Ever since social media has convinced everyone that they have a brand, there’s been a particular habit amongst my theater friends that drives me absolutely nuts.

 

They’ve turned going to see theater and supporting other artists into a strategic maneuver.

 

A year ago, I posted a status saying “[Insert status complimenting a production at a theater I want to work at.]”

People were…not thrilled.

 

Well, some people were.

 

Some people messaged me and said “Oh god, thank you for saying that.  It’s so transparent what those people are doing, especially when the production isn’t good, but the theater is otherwise reputable.”

But some people took issue with me for calling people out on playing the game.

 

To be clear, I get that in every field, there’s a little bit of game-playing, and I get that it can actually be fun if you do it right, but so many of you are…not doing it right.

 

For one thing, it’s great to see theater.

See lots of it.

Please.

 

And yes, by all means, see theater at the places you want to work.  That’s just common sense.

 

But, like, don’t see theater at places you want to work where you know absolutely nobody in the cast and skip seeing theater where you DO know people in the show.

 

That’s just rude.

 

We don’t use the word “rude” much anymore, because #2019, but it is, in fact, really rude.

 

I know people who live out-of-state and will fly in to visit family or something, and while they’re here, they’ll ask me what’s playing locally.

 

Inevitably, I say “Well, I’m in this thing” or “I’m involved in this thing” and they’ll end up driving to New York to see a Broadway show instead.

 

That’s….really rude.

 

I mean, I know my stuff isn’t as good as a lot of stuff on Broadway, but you could always split the difference, sit through whatever it is I’m doing, then go check out the new Eric Clapton musical “I Shot the Sheriff.”

 

(That’s not a thing, but I’m sure it will be one day.)

 

Just today on social media, I noticed somebody I’m friends with commenting on an actor’s status—

 

“I’m coming to your show Friday!”

 

Now, this person does not actually know this actor.  I know this for a fact.

 

She does, however, know me.

And I have a show this weekend.

And I’m preeeeeeeeeeeeeetty sure she’s not coming to see it.

 

Now, that’s probably because she doesn’t have much interest in working with me, despite us being friends, and that’s totally fine.

 

But do people really think going to see Laurie Metcalf in “Death of a Salesman” and commenting with “You were great” is actually going to result in you getting on The Connors?

 

Because…it’s not.

 

And you look pretty desperate.

 

And your friends now know that you’re skipping their shows and strategically seeing theater you might not even want to see on the slim chance that it gets you a job.

 

Let me tell you something—there’s a thing called Actor’s Luck.

 

And the rule of Actor’s Luck is that if you’re friends with a thousand people and Person 1,001 is the one person you piss off, that’s the person who one day is going to cost you a job.

 

I can promise you that.

 

So it’s a lose-lose all around.

 

Don’t bother playing the game.

 

Support your friends even if they’re doing shows you don’t want to see because it’s the nice thing to do and it’s meaningful to them.

 

Or don’t go see any shows and maybe they’ll be mad at you, but at least they won’t feel like you care more about the stranger playing Javert in the 18^th revival of “Les Miz” than you do about your nephew or goddaughter or next-door neighbor.

 

See things you think will make you a better artist and creator, not things that might get you a job.

 

If that’s the only reason you’re seeing theater, you are doing theater wrong, my friend.

 

So do me a favor—

 

Knock it off.

 

It means you won’t have to sit through that production of “Long Day’s Journey” that you didn’t really want to see anyway.

 

And you can thank me for that after my show.