With the start of each semester, I like to look back over things I've written to remind myself of various ideas that have fallen into the forgotten corners of my mind. I came across a handwritten journal entry from last summer that I've been meaning to post for a couple of days, but I convinced myself it wasn't worth posting.
However, I just received some very exciting news that changed my mind: My brother will be coming out from Rochester, NY to Flagstaff, AZ in March to see my capstone performance, Forgotten Places! I actually started crying from happiness and excitement when I read the text. And knowing that my brother, whom I admire for so many things, but especially his artistic outlook and creativity, is going to be able to see a project for which I care so deeply (live and in person no less, instead of on a shaky, pixelated videotape)..."Elation" is the most appropriate word to describe it. All of this to say that my creative vigor has been renewed.
I'M SO STOKED!
So I decided to go ahead and post that handwritten journal entry from a year ago, because it's about creativity and structure, which I've been struggling with lately. So, here it is...
"Unfortunately, among actors and actresses, there's a stigma against hard work."
-No Acting Please by Eric Morris
Why is that? Why do we punish hard work with put downs and negativity? Perhaps it stems from the idea that talent can't be taught. I refuse to believe, however, that most people are simply born great and don't have any work to do. Sure, there are a few prodigies of exceptions, and some people catch on faster than others. But that shouldn't displace the value of hard work. Personally, I have way more respect for someone who works their butt off as opposed to someone who sits on their derriere and thinks they're "too good" for method, regimen, or discipline.
Why do we think creativity can't have structure? Sure, there should be options, varieties, new ways of thinking. But the newness, novelty, and absolute wonderment we receive from creative mediums result from choices made in some form of structure. And structure doesn't have to be stiff or boring--it's simply an agreed set of given circumstances: A piece of music will be performed on B by C musicians; X spoken piece will be performed on Y by Z performers. The piece of music and the spoken piece can vary. The time and location can change. The types and number of people performing and attending will differ. But nonetheless, we have a structure. Even the structure itself can be flipped on its head. But structure exists in creative expression, and that's okay.
Structure is also what makes us good artists. We rehearse individually and together. We revise and change choices. We figure things out during this time of structure--what works and what doesn't. And without it, creativity and art is sporadic at best, and trapped in our heads at worst.
