WE'RE ABOUT TO DO SOMETHING NOT EVERYONE CAN DO - BY GEOFF SHORT

This is something I’ve been fond of saying over the years to my cast mates whenever I’m in a show, moments before the show starts. Those electric seconds as the curtain speech is winding up...as the lights go to black... 

“We’re about to do something not everyone can do.” 

It’s not arrogance. It’s gratitude. 

For many actors, singers, and dancers, it can be easy to get jaded about the gifts we’ve been given. Or, rather, the gifts we’ve worked relentlessly for our entire lives to develop. We can get jaded, tired, even complacent. Especially during longer runs or two-show days or (especially) during long tech weeks. It’s in those weary moments that we need to remind ourselves that we have an awesome responsibility – and privilege. We get to use our talents to entertain, edify, provoke, challenge, and bring joy to the people sitting in those seats.  

Not everyone can do this. 

Not everyone can work with a team of artists to create something extraordinary out of nothing.  

Not everyone is a storyteller. 

Not everyone can memorize pages of dialogue, music and choreography and bare our bodies and souls to present it convincingly to a room full of strangers.  

Not everyone gets to. 

Of course, not everyone wants to. But the sentiment isn’t about career choices. It’s about not taking what we have for granted. Sure, lots of people literally could do what we do, but choose not to. Probably because they have decided that consistent employee benefits and food on the table are more important than the privilege of delighting audiences...for pennies, or less. But no one could tell this story in this space in this way at this time. Only us, that have spent weeks together creating this. Only us, standing together behind curtains right now. We made this. 

Sharing what we’ve made is a privilege and we owe it to ourselves and to our audiences to remember that and approach our art with that in our hearts and minds. We’re about to do something not everyone can do. For me, just saying those words gives me a lift just as I’m about to go onstage. Magic, electric moments only those of us who have stood in dusty dark wings waiting for our cues can appreciate.  

We’re about to do something not everyone can do. How lucky are we? Now let’s go do it.