The Power of Three

One of the challenges an actor, dancer, singer or speaker faces, especially in a long running show, is keeping thing interesting and fresh. With a short run, one or two weeks, usually the "newness' of the work stays in place. but what about when you are running for 4-6 weeks, or for months or even years? Or what about the performer on tour, who repeats and repeats a role, with just a new venue to deal with? Or a speaker, who has to deliver a popular speech 50 times in the course of a year?

Familiarity breeds contempt, the saying goes. It also breeds boredom, and makes us lose our edge. So what to do? My good friend and exceptional actor Peter Carey has a way to try and keep the work interesting, even over a long haul. Peter played John Adams in 1776 at the Lyric Stage Company, for a run of 6 weeks, ( I played Ben Franklin in that production). He then went on soon after and played the same role at Goodspeed Opera House for another 2 months.

J.T. Turner, Timothy John Smith and Peter Carey in 1776 at the Lyric Stage Company

To keep things fresh, Peter tries to find 3 new things each show. Now let me jump in and say these are not major changes to blocking, lines or songs, rather small adjustments to his performance that perhaps only he or a few other actors would even notice. For the audience, it is the same great show. From the actors perspective, little, interesting adjustments that keep a small jolt of newness in the work. It also may give a new meaning to a scene or a line that you hadn't discovered yet.

The next time you are feeling that your work needs some freshness, try and change 3 things. See what new possibilities may appear.

J.T. Turner
The Actors Sensei