Doing theatre means your career is over?

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 12:04pm

I HATE THIS ASSUMPTION SO MUCH!

I'm just wondering why there are so many film actors who will not do Broadway. Some of them are so talented and I would give an arm just to see them perform live.

Not to say that all film actors do this, some of them realize how wonderful theatre is and still pursue it. Glen Close, Kathleen Turner, Meryl Streep...just to name a few.

But why don't we see more of today's big actors doing Broadway? I've read so many interviews and whatnot of film actors claiming that, if they do theatre, it means that their career has peaked and theatre is what they turn to when they can't get movie jobs anymore.

Don't some of these actors realize that theatre is the roots of acting. Back in the days before Christ there was no film. But we had amazing playwrights like Sophocles and Euripides writing thrilling works of drama.

I think theatre should be viewed as something to achieve...not something to turn to when there is nothing else. It is one thing to shoot a movie...and have many chances of getting that "perfect take." But, in theatre, you only have one chance. You are thrown out in front of a live audience and it is your job to entertain them. If you mess up, you rely on yourself or your fellow actors to save you and continue with the story. Live theatre is thrilling and a HUGE challenge.

I believe theatre is much harder than movies are and that actors should strive for a chance to grace a Broadway stage and have their turn to prove themselves true masters of their craft.

I truly applaud actors who realize how important theatre is. Case-in-point, Ewan McGregor. I had always thought of him to be a good actor and I liked him in a number of roles he's played. But recently, he has recieved a great deal of respect from me. This is a man, who in the prime of his career, took a break from his movies and played a sold-out run in GUYS AND DOLLS in the West End. I applaud him for having the guts to step away from the safety of the camera and to really flex his acting chops and show audiences what he's got.

I truly believe that more actors should do this. Not to speak down of movies at all. I enjoy when theatre actors give film a try...I would just like to see more film actors give theatre a try.

Random post, I know. But just something that really stirred up emotion in me today. Feel free to post your views on this.

Updated On: 9/9/05 at 12:04 PM

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 12:10pm

Sorry to be picky but:

You're should be your.

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 12:12pm

:slaps forehead:

And I JUST returned from my Writing for Mass Communcation class.

[uncageg]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 12:14pm

Billy Crudup
Denzel Washington
Julia Roberts (Next year)
John Lithgow
Jeff Goldblum
Taye Diggs
Mia Farrow

I thought I would get the list started. I am sure there will be more to come from other posters!

Updated On: 9/9/05 at 12:14 PM

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 12:15pm

I'm not saying all film actors feel this way.

In fact I applaud all of those actors. I just wish more would follow in their footsteps.

And Taye Diggs was a theatre actor, first.

Updated On: 9/9/05 at 12:15 PM

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 12:15pm

I love all the people in LA who think theatre is what you do after you have a movie career and want to stretch yourself as an "actor".

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 12:17pm

Agreed, Bobby.

[SorryGrateful]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 12:18pm

As much as I LOVE movies, and I do, I believe that theatre is true acting, the purest form of acting. I'm aware of how snobby that sounds, but I think theatre requires a lot more discipline, stamina, and heart than film. But that doesn't mean I'm putting film down. I just put theatre on a very high level.

[diva007]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 12:18pm

Who has said their careers are over if they do theatre? I want names. I have never heard anyone say that before. I think film actors are afraid of the stage because they rely on the 32 takes, the cannot be instinctive, or react truthfully, they depend on the camera to tell the story.
Laurie Metcalf said once that the stage is the place where actors come to make sure they still know how to act.

[FOAnatic]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 12:19pm

I love Laurie Metcalf and that quote is perfect.

[SorryGrateful]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 12:22pm

I'm seeing Laurie Metcalf during this season at Steppenwolf. Now I'm even more excited than I was. That is such a simple and true quote.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 12:23pm

Who has said their careers are over if they do theatre? I want names.

Tom Cruise

[best12bars]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 12:25pm

I would say there are 2 main reasons why more "hot" movie actors don't do theatre. The time commitment involved... and fear that they'll actually be reviewed for their acting ability.

Even a six-month run involves rehearsals, and possibly out-of-town tryouts, etc. Six months of Broadway usually equals closer to a year of time away from the big screen. If an actor is hot, he/she isn't going to want to stop the train in the middle of multiple offers to do a play. Plus there's always the money. Even top Broadway dollar ($50K-$100K a week, next to 5 - 20 million for starring in a flick? And that's about 3-6 months time commitment total.

And the critics can be brutal to "movie actors," so it's not exactly a guaranteed stretch for them to do it. It could end up being a setback instead. There are many tricks and multiple takes that are used in film acting. On the stage, as you know... good luck. It's "all you" up there.

[BobbyBubby]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 12:26pm

Alec Baldwin has made some nasty comments about stage actors, and how young actors would rather not work than be in a play.

[HamletWasBipolar]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 12:26pm

Ah, there is an old adage that says if your pretty, go to LA, if you have talent go to NY. The reason most actors in Hollywood dont do Broadway, is because they cant really act. Take away their 28 takes for 2 minutes of dialogue and they are in trouble. The actors who do well on stage, for the most part, started out on stage, and then went to film. The other way around is much more difficult. If they didnt start out acting on stage, you can bet that most( there are exzceptions) are at least stage trained. Just watch our so called "superstars" try to perform a Saturday Night Live skit, live..lol. MOst of them cant ecen read the cue-card convincingly, let alone own a sense of humor, which is a necessity for serious acting!

[Gothampc]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 12:28pm

Because movies and tv allow you to be lazy. Theater requires you to give a strong, consistent performance eight times a week. There is very little room for mistakes. No stopping and doing a reshoot.

Close and Streep were both trained as stage actors.

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 12:28pm

I think that that USED to be the case several years ago, but not anymore. Theatre is seen as a hip thing to do nowadays, both here and in London, especially for 20-something up-and-coming stars. They've had a who's who of Hollywood stars who are still at the top of their careers come to the West End in the last few years -- Gwyneth Paltrow, Jake Gyllenhaal, Brendan Fraser, Ewan McGregor, Matt Damon, Casey Affleck, Matthew Perry, Hayden Christensen, Anna Paquin (who's also done several off-Broadway plays in the last few years), Kieran Culkin (ditto) Freddie Prinze Jr, Chris Klein, Heather Burns and others.

On Broadway, in recent years we've had Denzel Washington, Hugh Jackman, Jessica Lange, Christian Slater, Whoopi GOldberg, Edie Flaco, Brenda Blethyn, David Hyde Pirce, Tim Curry, Hank Azaria, John Lithgow, Kathleen Turner, Billy Crudup, Jeff Goldblum, Alan Alda, Christina Applegate, P Diddy, Peter Krause, Danny GLover, Ashley Judd, Jimmy Smits, Alfred Molina, Billy Crystal, et al. This season, people like Meryl Streep (in the Park next summer), Julia Roberts, Martin Short, Mia Farrow, Taye Diggs, Harry Connick, Edie Falco, Diana Rigg, Laurence Fishburne, Gabriel Byrne, Brad Garrett, Cynthia Nixon (a longtime stage actress of course), among others are scheduled to appear.

Given the endless list of major names who do theatre frequently these days, I think the stigma of tv and movie stars playing stage is completely a thing of the past.

Updated On: 9/9/05 at 12:28 PM

[HamletWasBipolar]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 12:38pm

Calrification: Just because oone signs a contract, takes the money, and charges a great ticket price, and walks on the stage make them a stage actor. Most of the younger ones mentioned received less than stellar reviews for their "performances". The older ones, as said previously, mostly started on the stage with stage training. The younger ones were spending too much time beiung on the O.C to take an acting class. I mean dont get me wrong they have great careers and they are professioal actors. But I dont want to see Hayden Christensen in Les Miz any time soon. I still havent quite recovered from Ricky Martin in Les Miz. Abominable!

[overthemoon419]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 3:56pm

in the words of the one, the only, the magnificent terrence mann, who has done it all:

"movies make you famous, tv makes you rich... but theatre makes you GOOD."

[Jon]

Posted: 9/9/05 at 4:14pm

Denzel was a stage actor first - A SOLDIER'S PLAY. The only movie he'd done befroe that was the awful "Carbon Copy" with George Segal.