Taking Notes

"The capacity to learn is a gift; the ability to learn is a skill; the willingness to learn is a choice." – Brian Herbert

As I write this, I’m between seminars at the American Association of Community Theatre’s Community Theatre Managers Conference. There have been lively discussions on a variety of topics, including Working with the Board of Directors, Legal Issues, Insurance, Season Selection, Burnout and Mental/Emotional Health for Staff and Volunteers, Financing and Marketing. Many more subjects will be discussed in the next few days. 

There is always something new to learn, even after many years in the theatre business. I’ve picked up some good tips and best practices from other community theater leaders from around the country. While every community is different and every theatre company is different, we also have many similarities.

I’m having lengthy discussions with people from theatres with budgets much smaller and much bigger than ours. The number of shows each company produces varies, as does the number of seats, staff and volunteers. Most of these companies have done the same shows as we have. They all struggled through Covid. They all came up with creative ways to raise funds, get community members involved, retain volunteers and expand staff to meet the needs of a growing theatre. Yet they are all here, just like me, to learn more.

Even though this is a leadership event, the same principle applies to everything we do in the theatre. How many shows have you performed in? If you have a resume that highlights many roles, you probably know a great deal about the craft. If you talked with other actors or studied the craft of acting, is there anything you might learn? The answer is, of course, YES.

At BDACT, we are so pleased to count among our participants people who have extensive experience in costuming, props, set dressing, design, writing, lighting, audio, teaching, directing, marketing and yes, acting. Regardless of what your experience has been up to this point, I feel it’s safe to say you can’t possibly know all there is to know. Taking a class, reading a book, watching a course online, networking with others who share your interest — all these things will expand your information base. 

I don’t have a picture perfect memory of every year of my life. I do have some crystal-clear memories of specific things. One of the latter is my memory of being 16 years old and realizing that I probably knew all there was to know about theatre. I’d been doing it for most of my life at that point. What else could I possibly be taught about a subject I’d been living and breathing for years? I also have a vivid memory of looking back at myself one year later, and realizing that I wasn’t nearly as knowledgeable as I thought I was. In fact, from 17 looking back, 16 was clueless. That experience has been repeated in my life so often that I have learned to accept the fact I will always know more next year. I’ve learned to preface many of my comments by saying, “I could be wrong about this, but … .”

Knowledge is power. Knowledge is comfort. Knowledge is helpful in so many ways. But when we cut off the flow of knowledge by incorrectly assuming we have mastered a certain subject and we don’t need to focus on learning any more about it, we make a grave mistake. We cut ourselves out of so much. We also rob those around us, and those who we’ll be working alongside on the next production, of the benefit of the added levels of knowledge we could be sharing.

Theatre is always a learning experience. You can’t help but be exposed to other points of view and the things someone else knows that maybe you don’t know. BDACT prides itself on being an educational theatre. Don’t relegate that only to the children who are in One Voice or Tell-A-Tale. You too can learn new things. The older you get, the more you are responsible for your own education. You have to seek knowledge to find it. 

We do such amazing things at BDACT. But think how much more we can do when we take the time, make the time, to study our craft. The people who I’ve worked with here who seem to possess the highest levels of talent in any aspect of theatre will no doubt be the first to admit they don’t know everything and there is still room to grow. Every show you throw yourself into will raise your levels of knowledge and talent. They’ll also raise your understanding and appreciation of other people. We all benefit when that happens.

So, in the middle of this extensive learning experience for me, I am taking copious notes. I will be bringing back and sharing with the appropriate people the things I’m learning. New ideas, new perspectives, new pathways toward achieving our own goals at BDACT. How about you? Are you actively doing anything to grow your skills, or are you just relying on what you’ve already learned? Are you content to coast as a director, actor, writer, or designer, or are you willing to set aside some time for self development?

I encourage you to put in the effort to grow in all you do, whether that’s theatre, or a hobby or your job. Ernest Hemingway said, “There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self.” 

Please visit our new website at www.bdact.org for info on auditions and volunteer opportunities, or give me a call at 920-885-6891. We would love to have you jump in and help us on the next show!