I was informed, sadly, that this year's senior class at the conservatory I graduated from has been a nightmare. The university brought in a new person to head the program, and the senior class in particular has been awful to this man. They've talked back to him, yelled at him, walked out of his class, etc. I've met the man; he's not the warmest of people, but I can tell his heart is in the right place and that he genuinely wants to help these kids grow and prosper.
I think the reason this upsets me so much is that this year's seniors were freshmen when I was a senior, and I mentored many of them. It was very disappointing to hear they've been behaving like such amateurs. I scoured the Back Stage website and was surprised there hasn't been a column about this already. I suppose that's because it's something most of us consider common sense.
I'm not the best writer, and I don't want to directly call them out on their behavior myself. But I wish there was a way to tell these kids that they're really damaging their reputations—and possibly their futures—by burning these bridges. I just don't know how to do it without sounding preachy. Are there any words of wisdom you could offer to this year's graduating senior theater students, and young actors in general, about the importance of professional relationships and their behavior as professionals?
—A Concerned Peer, Los Angeles
Dear Concerned Peer:
It would be my pleasure.
Dear Future Professional Actors:
I'm guessing that right now your focus is on launching your careers in this business. You're wondering whether you'll make it and itching to get out there and find out. But for the purposes of this conversation, let's travel forward in time. Let's imagine that things have gone really well and all of you have begun getting hired professionally. Today, I want to talk to you about maintaining those careers—the ones you only hoped for back when you were conservatory seniors—and about continuing to get hired. I want to talk to you about something that's crucial to the health of your acting career: the importance of not being a jerk.
Now, before you tune out, this isn't a lecture about morality, ethics, or niceness. The reason you shouldn't be a jerk is simply that it diminishes your chances of working in a field where employment is already scarce. Who's a jerk? It's the actor who insults people, habitually criticizes, complains unreasonably, creates drama, behaves selfishly, or undermines the work at hand. Jerks cost time, money, and morale. Producers are so determined to avoid them that they'll sometimes hire a mediocre mensch over a talented jerk.
Right now, while you're in school, there's a group mentality that allows you to support each other's jerky behavior—for example, expressing disrespect for a new department head—and be celebrated by your peers for such conduct. But each professional actor's reputation is his or hers alone. And nobody celebrates a pain in the ass. So now, while you're learning other important skills, it's a good time to develop a pleasant, professional demeanor that'll help you remain among the employed. You can start by daring to exclude yourself from any misbehavior that surrounds you.
Maybe your teachers are worthless idiots. Guess what: Some directors you'll work for will be worthless idiots. And while they wear the director hat, they get to direct, even if they're lousy. They don't have to meet with your approval. So there's nothing to be gained by insulting the person in charge—except a bad reputation. In fact, whatever your complaint is—script, lighting, choreography, advertising—you could be 100 percent right in your criticism and still be the ass no one wants to work with.
That's because people prefer to work with lovely actors who make them feel great. They want to be treated with respect and spared from conflict and drama. Do yourself a favor: Become that kind of actor as soon as possible. If you don't, you might pay a professional price.
I speak from experience. Years ago, I was in a play. It was a difficult story that beat us up emotionally every night. And some of the behind-the-scenes people weren't really on top of their jobs. Those two things got to me, and I became dark and edgy. I was perpetually aggravated, intolerant, and withdrawn, and I wasn't nice to people. It wasn't until a year later that I realized what a monster I'd been. In spite of consistently high praise for my performance, when the show was remounted, I was the only cast member excluded. I just wasn't worth the trouble.
I've cleaned up my act since then and now enjoy a reputation for being great to work with. But that story demonstrates two important things you should note: 1) You can be the jerk and not realize it; jerks usually don't think they're being jerks. And 2) For the most part, no one will tell you. If you're very, very lucky, someone will pull you aside and set you straight. But that usually doesn't happen. More likely, rather than deal with a confrontation, they'll make a mental note for future reference and just not hire you again. And if anyone asks about you, they'll be sure to warn their colleagues about what they're in for. That's how it works.
People do ask, by the way. In his book "An Actor Behaves: From Audition to Performance"—a book I emphatically recommend for all of you—Tom Markus (who has taught at the Yale School of Drama, the University of California, City University of New York, and Temple University) tells of fielding an inquiry about the professional demeanor of an actor who was being considered for a big role. Producers have told me they checked up on my reputation before casting me. I myself got a phone call not long ago asking for my opinion of a colleague. (I was so happy to be able to recommend him without reservation.) This kind of research goes on constantly. Nobody wants to subject themselves, or their company, to a difficult actor.
And directors aren't the only ones who get asked. Stage managers, producers, costumers, choreographers, crew members, and your fellow actors are all in a position to relate their experiences in working with you. So don't be a jerk.
It's remarkable how things get around. Don't think so? Look how quickly someone let A Concerned Peer know about the disrespect those conservatory seniors were showing their new program head. Now it's being referenced in print. Your reputation, like theirs, is already starting to develop. Is it the one you want?
[More next week.]