The Artistic Endeavor...

The booklet that accompanies my CD includes a quote from Martha Graham (as recounted by Agnes De Mille). It reads as follows:

"There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is not how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open. You do not even have to believe in yourself or your work. You have to keep yourself open and aware to the urges that motivate you. Keep the channel open. ... No artist is pleased. [There is] no satisfaction whatever at any time. There is only a queer divine dissatisfaction, a blessed unrest that keeps us marching and makes us more alive..."

The Graham quote comes to mind in the wake of Meryl Streep's acceptance speech at the Golden Globe Awards:

Viola Davis's Introduction, Meryl Streep's Acceptance Speech:

I respect everyone's right to their own opinion. In my own artistic experience, I've come to believe that there is a special gift that comes with having to place yourself in another's shoes and portray their emotions effectively. To be able to step into another's shoes and make that person's point of view accessible, as one must do in an intensive role of dramatic acting, requires a great understanding of humanity.

I remember my favorite teacher of all time - my acting teacher - talking about playing various roles. He was speaking about playing the role of someone whose views may be COMPLETELY different from your own. What if you were playing the role of a psychopath, for example? In that character's mind, they are probably not TRYING to be psychotic. Similarly, a drunk person is not TRYING to act "drunk." They are trying to act normally within the context of their own ability. To portray them effectively, the actor must try to deeply understand their motivations, limitations, frustrations and inspirations. This is the level of human understanding we can expect from a studied, practiced, and gifted practitioner of the dramatic arts.

Regardless of your political views, I am a believer that we can ALL benefit from cultivating a practice of understanding one another better.

Here's hoping we can all step up our game a little in this department and be not afraid to stand up for ourselves and our beliefs in ways that are as brave, articulate, and inspiring to others as was Ms. Streep's speech.

Namaste,
T