Nobody Said It Was Easy

I've been auditing an acting workshop this week taught by Michele Lonsdale-Smith. One of the many things I am getting out of this class is about being honest on stage.

I've been trying to apply this to my work in rehearsals and it has made me realized the true depth that we, as actors, can be thrown into.

I, Nancy the actor, have to honestly portray a character, Harriet, who throughout the vast majority of the play is lying to herself and is unaware that she is doing so, although I know it, but I can't let the audience know I know it because Harriet doesn't know it.

To translate this run-on sentence, what I'm trying to say is:

FUCK! This is hard!

When I auditioned for this play, my first impulse was that I wanted to play Janie, not Harriet. Why? Because Janie is easy. What you see is what you get with Janie. But Harriet? Harriet is complicated. She has levels. She is hard.

That was the selfish ego in me talking. The artist in me is thrilled that we got Harriet for those very same reasons. Harriet is a real. She's a bright woman who makes stupid choices without even realizing it.

Just between you, me and the water cooler, I am terrified of playing Harriet.

But I am also exhilarated at the challenge she will be for me as an actor and at the reward I can reap from taking the risk of playing a complicated person truthfully.

I am also faltered that the director thinks I am up to it.

And you know what?

She's right