Emerald Coast Theatre Consultant

Early on in my career I had the opportunity to work with the Cantor at the local synagogue.  His theatrical education was in the Jewish Theatre in NYC.  He told me that he had performed on Broadway proving it by hauling out a large tome, turning to a well-worn page, and, sure enough, there he was!

He was part and parcel of my theatrical education; a major source until he retired and, with his wife, moved North to the Seattle area to be near his children. 

I cannot imagine my life without his guidance, not only in theatre but in Jewish culture and, even more importantly, life in general.   If I had a problem with a scene that was not communicating to the audience, he would come in, listen and pinpoint exactly the problem.  He had the professional objective ear that anyone caring to grow and develop could count on to correct an incorrect reading or fine tune a bit of staging. 

I had the privilege and the honor to direct this man twice as Tevye in Fiddler On The Roof.   What an education that was, not only for me, but for the entire company as well.   He tied our rehearsals together like a neat package of joy every night and made the entire process of producing the play a thrill, making it a learning experience for all of us.  But I get ahead of myself…   

He was a board member at the theatre where I held at my first directing job. Shortly after I arrived there, he and his wife came out of our current production and he heard me ask one of the departing patrons if they liked the show.   I forget what they said, but I will always remember what he said:  “Never ask anyone what they think, Gordon.  It says more about you than they need to know!”  He invited me for coffee and a bagel the next day.    Now that was a meeting I will never forget. 

The next morning, we trudged out the back door of the temple, following the alley one street over to nosh a bit!   

Oh, my, how that man loved to share his knowledge with anyone who knew how to listen.   Fortunately, my nurses training had taught me to shut up when someone smarter than I was speaking.   I knew how to do that very well and came prepared with one of  those legal-sized yellow writing pads and several ball-point pens.   

He started out sharing with me how in the theatre, everyone in audience or anyone working on a production, considers themselves a critic.   

Why, you might ask?   I’ll tell you! 

Because the theatre is about human lives and relationships with all their various subtle and not so subtle aspects.  Everyone, because they are “living a life,” feels that they are wise enough to criticize .   With that, both he and I totally agreed.   

The real kicker is that what people might not recognize is that there is a difference between seeing a problem and correcting a problem.      He said to me something that has been my benchmark to keep learning and growing the years I have worked in the theatre:   ”Hear all criticism of your work, Gordon, but listen only to those people you know have the background, the education, the experience, and the talent to help you.   Do not let criticism from a novice or a self-appointed critic get into your head, ever.” 

So, after years of directing play after play after play, when some one comes up and tells me what they like or don’t like about a particular production, I smile and listen attentively, mentally recording exactly what they are saying, and, when they are through, I simply say:  “Thank you for coming to the theatre.  We appreciate you!” 

Now that doesn’t mean that I just discard anything anyone might say, but as I say to my actors when I am directing them,   “If I say or suggest anything to you, do not accept, blindly, my input into your performance.   Think about it, challenge it, agree with or don’t agree with it, but examine it in terms of what that suggestion could do to your performance good or bad.” 

Most actors do not want to spend time thinking.  They just want to feel.  And that is all well and good, but when it comes to criticism, a little thinking on everyone’s part is a valuable use of time. 

Now I could go on and on about critics and who they are, what they do, and experiences I have had with them, but suffice it to say that, in my opinion, a good critic is worth their weight in gold to the educated, talented, sensitive directors who care about a production and the growth of the actors under his wing who are going to carry the playwright’s work to the audience.    That is, after all, the job of the director, to get the play to the audience in the best possible condition he can muster. 

A couple of years ago we attended an amateur production.   At the intermission, mind you, the local maven came gushing up to me, almost peeing all over her feet,  asking what I thought!   And I swear I heard the Cantor whispering in my ear:   “See, that’s what you looked like!”   And I could hear my answer to her just as clear as a bell:  “If you’re happy, I’m happy!”   And she seemed puzzled by that response.   It was obviously not what she wanted to hear.   And I thought to myself:  “What history do you have lady that you are so insecure that you have to ask someone what they thought of the play?”    And of course, she didn’t want my help, she wanted my validation.   Poor, misguided woman!   I can tell you it will be a long day in hell before I would share what I have worked years for with some one so cavalier!