Do you FEEL me?

Now that I'm half way through the performances I can attest that this is by far one of the most exciting endeavors in my life. Performing on stage is all that it is cracked up to be: anxiety-ridden, exhilarating, challenging, and timeless.

I know when I first contemplated acting, I thought that the biggest obstacle would be memorizing lines, and working with the other characters (it is difficult at times). But if you prepare hard, and know your character inside and out something magical happens. It's like the character just shows up and takes over when you hit the stage. At that point, it's not about lines, props, costume or anything technical. All that has been learned the past months is left behind, and the only thing that matters is connecting with the character which in turn helps you to connect with the audience.

We live in a time where folks are so damn HARD CORE, they've lost their ability to reach out, to feel other people around them. In fact, some of us have been taught that the ability to feel is dead weight, it's a weakness that must be obliterated as soon as humanly possible. And yet we all act surprise when we read the headline news story in which it usually goes a lil something like this: "Young boy takes the life of two other students with little to no remorse". And the public's reaction is usually appalled for a moment and then back to biz as usual until the next day.

And that's why artists are Completely necessary. They are the bullhorns sounding off when the public gets too complacent about society's problems. I remember when the Dixie Chicks took a personal stand that almost cost them their career. Sometimes artists go wayyyyyyy overboard to get our attention, sometimes they use Crazy tactics that undermine their original purpose. But they remind all of us of our humanity and how we all have a responsiblity to each other. They make us laugh when we need it most. They make us cry and heal ourselves even if it's only for an hour or two in a theatre or movie.

P.S. Art is subjective, but my goal for every piece of work that I produce is to make the viewer feel something. We got too many Blah folks running around here as it is.

Shak
100.