The Microwave Movement

I remember when my father brought home our first Microwave oven. I was mind boggled that things could cook so fast. Then, somehow, I became aware of how fast things were moving. It was a strange awareness to have at such a young age. I never forgot the feeling. When my hubby and I chat about the state of things in our world today, I have to laugh and say, “It all started going downhill when the Microwave was invented. We all expect things immediately now.” Nobody wants to build anything organically anymore. As I work with my growing roster of students, some memories come up for me.

Such as…

I am grateful for the education and many years of training it took to become a Theatre Professional. 

We used to Apprentice. The various jobs I did—backstage, front of house, taking notes, cleaning the theatre, costumes, design, building, sewing, sweating, crying, exhausted, running errands, making myself available to anyone that I thought I might learn something from—and making no money!  So why do it?

I did it for a passion that fed me like no other feeling in the world. This all taught me how to be a working professional that would have longevity in this business, at the same time holding onto my integrity. Then when I was ready, I could just do the work. 

Living and working in Fairfield County is a gift and I love it here. My husband grew up here and graduated as a STAPLES PLAYER under the direction of Al Pia. The training in Westport was exceptional, ground breaking, risk taking, accessible and respected. David Roth is certainly adding to the traditions, quality and respect. As are other theatre educators we have in the area.

But I do have concerns about the “Micro-wave” expectations from our talented youth. Many seem to think they are deserving of stardom or celebrity… But who said so?  Our world is celebrity happy and I refuse to teach that. These assumptions are amplified by reality TV crap! That isn’t reality. Reality is, kids, that we need to work our way up the ranks. Get your hands dirty and love it! Be an apprentice to a craft called theatre. Any professional working actor I know would agree with me that this craft is not about ego and privilege. It’s hard to instill a sense of “Apprentice.” No one loves to get their hands dirty anymore. They’re afraid to leave marks on the micro-wave. 

At SBEstudio, the education provided will help sustain these kids for a life in the Arts and beyond. I teach you to be a “Creator,” not just an “Actor.” Nobody can be just one thing in this business (or in this world) anymore. You can not depend on anyone giving anything to you in this business, even if you think you deserve it. Sure, there is a thing called “luck,” but you still need to do the work. You must be self motivated and as curious as a child even as an adult. Exploring things and ideas without judgment or preconceived notions is necessary in this business, including that you are going to star in a show.  Or Direct. Or critique any actor other than yourself.

There is an unfortunate arrogance in some of our kids around town, and I want you to know that we are not serving them.

For example (and there are many)…

I had two female students who were not at all hiding their dislike of Meisner's Repetition Exercises. “It's dumb,” one girl said. Now, I always allow any opinions in class. All opinions have value. Then I explain the layering of the work, how working through the tedium of the “repetition” is how we learn. But where is the microwave of gratification? The result in 3 minutes? Like a cup of tea. There is no patience for process.

We did Meisner's exercises for a few consecutive weeks and in the third week these two girls were unabashedly rolling their eyes and laughing at the work. I use “Accept and Include” strategies in all of my work, but these girls made me so upset because they were being so disrespectful. Not just to me but to the entire class. I was mind boggled. My other students were living from moment to moment, truly invested and growing.

I let 24 hrs pass so I could process what happened in class (a technique my son’s Basketball Coach asked the parents to employ before calling him), then I called one of the parents of the student who wanted to go to college for Musical Theatre. I asked the parent how this child was enjoying class. The parent said she wants to just do monologues and scenes. I explained that this is a class for people interested in really digging in or even doing this work professionally, but the work ethic she was displaying in class didn’t match up to her desire—that her behavior has become distracting to others—and that if this behavior happened in a college class or NYC Acting class, she would have been asked to leave. Class with me is a safe place to learn these kinds of things. No one will tolerate that behavior in the working world. Well, the child did not come back to study with me after that phone call.

Flash forward 2 years later when she came back to study with me again—by the way, she never apologized—but she did come back. I made my point.

You have to want it.

You have to be hungry.

You have to put in the work.

You can't build a career in the Arts without that drive, passion, and hunger.

For those of you who may be truly struggling financially, please know that passion has currency with me. Reach out so we can discuss and try to find a particular path that works for both of us.

I love the work. I love the process. I love sharing my knowledge, and I love your kids. I am training people not just so they can live full lives onstage, but fully live their lives off stage, too. 

I refuse to teach Microwave Training.