Miss Smith's Advice

After building a career as a teenage boardwalk juggler, Jason is inspired to try out for a school play (inspired because a girl he likes is on the stage crew). He lands the lead, but soon discovers that performing in an ensemble is not quite the same as a solo act. The director, Miss Smith, offers some advice.

Rehearsals were going well. After every one, when Miss Smith gave the actors our "notes," she reminded me to look at the other actors and actually listen to their lines. "Try a little harder," she advised me one afternoon. "I can appreciate how challenging it must be for you. After all, you've been a solo performer for a long time. But sending and receiving lines is like playing catch. It's about intention."

"I've never actually played catch," I said.

"Never?" She sounded surprised. "Not with your father?"

I shrugged. "My dad and I don't play together. We work together."

"When someone delivers his or her lines," she said, "listen to the words. Process what the person says and respond with your lines. Think about where you're sending them. And listen to the other character. You have to trust that when you make the communication real, it will be real to the audience."