Years ago in class, something was going awry in a scene I was in and Seth said, “Don’t make it wrong.”
It was a revelation to me. Instead of covering up this “mistake” or hurrying on to the next bit so I could distance myself from the flub of a line or the bobble of a physical task, he was suggesting I incorporate the messy part. What could be more real than a human making a mistake, right? It calmed my brain down and some really magical things happened in the scene that had never occurred in rehearsal.
I remember performing the one woman show “The Search for Signs of Intelligent Life in the Universe” and while I was in the midst of playing the character Trudy, (a homeless woman with a raucous sense of humor,) an audience member entered the theater late. I felt a moment of panic because my concentration was interrupted. I suddenly felt really self-conscious. I took a breath and, “Don’t make it wrong” came to mind. I thought, what would Trudy do? Trudy would acknowledge the late entrance of this guy, call him out on his tardiness, and play with him a little bit. So I did. And he was a really good sport. We had a fun little
exchange, and when it was time to get back on track, I asked the audience, “Where was I?” A guy in the front row shouted out the last line I had said right before the interruption. I thanked him for his help, the audience laughed, and I moved on with the show.
It wound up being one of my favorite moments in the run of the show. I felt like I was riding a wave, acknowledging what was going on in front of me instead of ignoring it or plowing through with determination and grit. There was a yielding, an allowing, and an adjustment to the truth of the present moment. It resulted in a moment of play and an unexpected ride that both the audience and I got to go on together. What fun! I believe that when we make room for the unexpected, magic happens.
“Don’t make it wrong” also comes to mind when students in my class say, “I should be farther along in my career,” or “There aren’t a lot of roles for my type,” or any number of painful beliefs that can keep us from having hope for the future and taking empowered action in the present. Master life coach and Harvard-trained sociologist Martha Beck says, “The opposite of your most painful belief is the next step toward your enlightenment.”
So, I have students turn those beliefs around to their opposite, “There is no hurry.” “I’m right where I’m supposed to be.” “My career is unfolding in the perfect time,” “The world needs to hear all different stories from all different people.” “My story counts.” “The industry is becoming more inclusive every day.”
(It’s best when we come up with our own turnarounds, because it’s important that the new statement is something that really rings true for us when we hear it. Do you take a deep breath when you sit with your turnaround? Does your body relax and your chest open up? That’s a sign that there’s truth to this statement.)
What if this seemingly imperfect circumstance isn’t the thing that stops us, but the thing that fuels us? What if this perceived limitation is actually a portal to our superpower? What would it look like if this were the key to our thriving? Whether we’re playing in a scene or thinking about our lives, “Don’t Make It Wrong” can open us up to possibility, to magic, to peace. It can remind us that we can start right where we are. All is well.
No need to hide the flaw or shine things up. Life can be messy and unpredictable and beautiful all at the same time. The urge we feel to share ourselves, to play and explore, to get our hands in the clay, is a good urge – I would even say a sacred one – and our hearts delight when we follow it.
You can’t get it wrong.
– Tricia
Upcoming classes with Tricia include Acting: Creating a Thriving Career I and II, with new sections coming soon.
Check out TBG’s full schedule of classes, including youth options!