Uta

I was reading over my current quote on the sidebar, which was said by a famous actress and teacher named Uta Hagen. In case the quote isn't there anymore, it reads:

“We must overcome the notion that we must be regular...it robs you of the chance to be extraordinary and leads you to the mediocre.”


After thinking about it for a while, I found that I 90% agree with it, and I 10% disagree with it. I only slightly, slightly disagree with it. I find it funny that I do have a disagreement with it, as I am an "actor" and should understand what it means. Of course, I do understand what it means, at least to myself I do.

As actors, we are taught to be bigger than life, and that boring is not what any audience wants to see. We must become something that is totally not regular, something that truly stands out from the rest. And, we reflect this in our lives, as well. We always strive to be something that is great. Many actors try to "change the world" or try to find a way to "become something" in the world. It seems that's what many people in the theatre, and the arts in general, want; to be something so extravagant. Extraordinary. And that's what we want to do and all we want to do, is to be something so amazingly great, known for something. And that can't happen if you're "normal," if you don't have that drive to be great. If you are a regular person, you carry on life like everyone else, and "conform."

I'm sure that's what Uta meant, but there's still the 10% that doesn't agree.

There was some valedictorian from some school, which I honestly wish I knew where it was or had a copy of the speech, but I heard it somewhere. In his speech at his graduation, he talked about how he tried to stand out and be the best. He tried so hard to be known for something, and he fell flat on his face. Sure, he had the grades, but that was it. He didn't have anything else. His friend, on the other hand, was the most interesting person he knew. That person didn't try at all to be who he was. He was simply himself; he was being "regular." He was everything that the valedictorian wanted to be, and he didn't even break a sweat trying to do so.

Does this mean that regular can be extraordinary? That the most simple of people can be the most amazing, different, and wonderfully extravagant beings that exist? I pondered this. It's like every time I try to find an old gameboy game. It seems like that when you search for something, you never find it. When you stop looking, almost instantly it's there.

It's an interesting conundrum. If we don't strive to be extraordinary, we're mediocre. If we simply stop trying, we can discover that we're all great in our own ways.

Personally, I indulge in the "regularity" of the world. There is so much beauty in everything: One of our assignments in art one year was called "ugly into art." We were able to make beautiful images from ugly concepts. And, observing the regular world shows you how extravagant it is. Why should we try to be more than what we are? It's an amazing concept, really, how we can become more than what we are through determination.

It's a double-edged topic, but I want to hear your thoughts. Comment below, or leave an email, or ask on my tumblr, anything.