Actors vs. Tennis Players
I’m a big tennis fan and I’m excited that the Wimbledon Tournament in London started this week! When I watch a tennis match I see the players as two people on a big stage with thousands of audience members. The drama that often ensues never ceases to fascinate me. It’s amazing how a player’s attitude can literally determine the outcome of a match. Many times it’s not about their talent at all, but rather how well they handle their mistakes, especially in the pressure moments.
Being an actor in a stage production is very similar, because we have to perform in front of an audience, who is paying to be entertained by the characters we create. If we make a mistake, which is always going to happen during live theatre, we have to make a “beautiful mistake”, and continue on as if it’s all part of the action.
This is also true of being on a tv or movie set, because there’s always an audience of crew members and background actors. Plus, there’s the added pressure of too many takes, which costs too much money and takes too much time.
The moral of this story? Just like a tennis player or any athlete, actors have to stay in shape and be as prepared as possible with our lines and character development, so that when we show up to work, we can let our talent flow out of us effortlessly. Game-Set-Match!
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