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Laurence Sterne

Laurence Sterne Quotes

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Famous Laurence Sterne Quotes

“To write a book is for all the world like humming a song—be but in tune with yourself, madam, 'tis no matter how high or how low you take it.”

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Book:The Works of Laurence Sterne: Containing The Life and Opinions of Tristan Shandy ... [etc.] ; with a Life of the Author Written by Himself
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“There are a thousand unnoticed openings, continued my father, which let penetrating eye at once into a man's soul; and I maintain it, added he, that a man of sense does not lay down his hat in coming into a room, --or take it up in going out of it, but something escapes, which discovers him.”

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Book:The Works of Laurence Sterne: Containing The Life and Opinions of Tristam Shandy, Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy, Sermons, Letters, Etc
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“You can't make theater happen without actors. The actor is the central ingredient in making theater happen. Audiences may come to theaters to see the work of stage managers, directors and producers, but the only people who can communicate theater magic to audiences, through ideas and emotions, are the actors. They are the only ones who can communicate this by themselves, and if necessary, they can get along without you. But you can't make theater without the actor.”

PeopleIfsMayIdeasHappensActorsEmotionAudienceMagicStageDirectorsTheaterCommunicateTheatreProducersManagersIngredientsWithout YouStage Managers
Author:Laurence Sterne
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“There is no definitive list of the duties of a stage manager that is applicable to all theaters and staging environments. Regardless of specific duties, however, the stage manager is the individual who accepts responsibility for the smooth running of rehearsals and performances, on stage and backstage.”

RunningIndividualResponsibilityAcceptingEnvironmentStageDutyPerformancesTheaterTheatreListsManagersSmoothRehearsalStagingStage Managers
Author:Laurence Sterne
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“An interesting difference between new and experienced stage managers is that the new stage manager thinks of running the show as the most difficult and most demanding part of the job, whereas the experienced stage manager thinks of it as the most relaxing part. Perhaps the reason is that experienced stage managers have built up work habits that make then so thoroughly prepared for the production phase that they [can] sit back during performances to watch that preparation pay off.”

ThinkingReasonShowsRunningJobsDifficultDifferencesInterestingPayWatchesStageHabitBuiltPerformancesPreparedProductionsTheatreManagersPreparationPhasesWork HabitsStage Managers
Author:Laurence Sterne
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“The cast, staff, and crew of a live theater work together toward a common goal: a good performance. Thus, theater is necessarily a group effort. However, it is never a group effort of vague fellow committee members, but of associated autocrats-a playwright, a producer, a director, a stage manager, designers, and, above all, actors. Each accommodates the others, and may overlap others in function when necessary. But each autocrat assumes distinct responsibilities and accepts them completely.”

MayTogetherActorsGoalCommonEffortResponsibilityAcceptingGroupsStageDirectorsMembersPerformancesFunctionTheaterFellowsAssumingCastsTheatreProducersManagersDesignerWorking TogetherStaffCommitteesCrewVaguePlaywrightAccommodateCommon GoalGroup EffortLive TheaterStage Managers
Author:Laurence Sterne
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“Pain and pleasure, like light and darkness, succeed each other; and he that knows how to accommodate himself to their periodical returns, and can wisely extract the good from the evil, knows only how to live: this is true contentment, at least all that is to be had of it in this world; and for this every man must be indebted not to his fortune, but to himself.”

KnowsLightPainEvilPleasureDarknessKnow HowReturnGratitudeSucceedLight And DarknessAccommodateLight And DarkPain And Pleasure
Author:Laurence Sterne
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“Sweet pliability of man's spirit, that can at once surrender itself to illusions, which cheat expectation and sorrow of their weary moments! - long - long since had ye numbered out my days, had I not trod so great a part of them upon this enchanted ground. When my way is too rough for my feet, or too steep for my strength, I get off it, to some smooth velvet path which fancy has scattered over with rose-buds of delights; and have taken a few turns on it, come back strengthened and refreshed.”

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Book:The Works of Laurence Sterne ...
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“I often derive a peculiar satisfaction in conversing with the ancient and modern dead, — who yet live and speak excellently in their works. My neighbors think me often alone, — and yet at such times I am in company with more than five hundred mutes — each of whom, at my pleasure, communicates his ideas to me by dumb signs — quite as intelligently as any person living can do by uttering of words.”

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Book:The Works of Lawrence Sterne: In Four Volumes, with a Life of the Author, Written by Himself
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“Tis no extravagant arithmetic to say, that for every ten jokes, thou hast got an hundred enemies; and till thou hast gone on, and raised a swarm of wasps about thine ears, and art half stung to death by them, thou wilt never be convinced it is so.”

ArtHumorHalfEnemyGoneTenJokesHundredEarsRaisedConvincedExtravagantArithmeticSwarmsWasps
Book:Works, Containing the Life and Opinions of Tristram Shandy, Gent: A Sentimental Journey Through France and Italy, Sermons, Letters and C
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