Best theater & actors Quotes | Short & Famous Sayings Page 2

“In a theater you can fool everyone past the tenth row if you're good, but on the screen you can't really fool anyone for a second.”

Ifs Past Actors Fool Theater Screens

Author:Gloria Swanson

“The theater audience is the ultimate teacher, instructing the actor on the degree to which he has executed both the author's and the director's intent.”

Actors Audience Teacher Directors Degrees Ultimate Theater

Author:Joan Fontaine

“My stage fright gets worse at every performance. During the overture I hope for a theater fire, typhoon, revolution in the Pentagon.”

Actors Fire Stage Revolution Performances Theater Fright Pentagon Stage Fright Typhoons

Book:THE GIFT HORSE

Source: THE GIFT HORSE

“The stage is actor's country. You have to get your passport stamped every so often or they take away your citizenship.”

Country Actors Acting Stage Theater Citizenship Passports

Author:Vanessa Redgrave

“As actors, we need public relations to campaign for our next possible role, and any media promoting our work seems positive in nature; but whether in theater or on a film set, a bad unprofessional photograph at the wrong angle may not be as flattering to some actors, and may be considered a harmful exposure.”

Needs May Seems Film Next Actors Roles Media Relation Theater Photograph Campaigns Angle Exposure Promoting Flattering Public Relations Film Set

Author:Carson Grant

“other artists - poets, painters, sculptors, musicians - produce something which lives after them and enshrines their memories in positive evidences of their divine mission; but we, - we strut and fret our hour upon the stage, and then the curtain falls and all is darkness and silence.”

Artist Fall Actors Hours Memories Silence Darkness Stage Produce Divine Poet Musician Evidence Theater Missions Painter Curtains Sculptors

Author:Charlotte Saunders Cushman

“Dustin Hoffman said this one time, that if he hadn't made it as a film star, he would still be happy as a character actor because he was a character actor because of his face from day one, so he would always work in the theater.”

Ifs Made Said Stills Character Film Faces Actors Stars Theater Made It One Time Character Actors Film Stars

Author:Denis Leary

“I'm not one of those actors who's very good at having a list of roles that I want to play someday - which is bad, because I really need to do it. I have people in theaters ask me what I want to do and I don't have an answer!”

People Want Needs Play Actors Asks Answers Roles Theater Very Good Lists Ask Me Someday

Author:Michael Cerveris

“Perhaps society should give actors the same sort of protection it gives to those who follow a religious life. Actor/priest was originally the same job. The theater is left wing magic and theology is right wing magic.”

Giving Should Jobs Actors Left Religious Magic Theater Wings Protection Theology Priests Right Wing Left Wing Religious Life

Author:Jennifer Stone

“Statistically, it would be insanity to go into the theatre for money. According to the statistics, you should just stay home. The odds are just incredible.”

Should Home Would Be Actors Theater Incredibles Theatre Insanity Statistics Odds

Author:Maureen Stapleton

“Actors are as anxious about the state of audiences as aviators are over weather conditions.”

States Actors Audience Conditions Theater Weather Anxious Aviator

Author:Katharine Cornell

“I'm sort of one of those weird actors who whenever I do a play, I think, "Oh, we should film this." As opposed to have to belt it out of ourselves in a theater auditorium.”

Thinking Should Play Film Actors Theater Belts Auditoriums

Author:Clive Owen

“When I was in theater I was forever trying to inhabit a space which puts yourself under the microscope as an actor and your personality and your take on life, but actually through another portal of a character.”

Trying Character Actors Space Forever Personality Theater Microscopes Portal

Author:Andy Serkis

“At the moment, my trajectory isn't to think about acting. I'm absolutely devoted to The Imaginarium, our projects and directing. And watching and enabling other actors do their thing in our studio is hugely rewarding. I expect at some point I'll probably want to go back on stage and do some theater, because I've not done theater in 10 years.”

Thinking Want Years Done Moments Actors Acting Stage Projects Theater Studios Devoted Enabling Trajectory

Author:Andy Serkis

“Never stand still. Only stand still enough to learn, and once you stop learning in that stance, move off. Always keep yourself engaged, in theater, in whatever job you can get. If you can't get an acting job, then go backstage. Or take tickets. But be around actors because that is where you will primarily learn.”

Ifs Stills Enough Jobs Moving Actors Acting Theater Engaged Tickets Stance

Author:Ed Asner

“customary interruptions are not only gratifying and cheering, but they are also really necessary in order to gain breath and voice to carry one on through some violent exertions; though after all it must be confessed that silence is the most flattering applause an Actor can receive.”

Order Actors Voice Silence Gains Theater Breaths Violent Cheer Silence Is Applause Flattering Exertion Interruptions

Author:Sarah Siddons

“[To actors on opening night:] You have had good equipment to work with. You've had a theater with everything you needed, and you are involved with the play; but all the way through you have been handicapped. One essential has been denied you. Tonight the audience is there; now they are sitting out front; you have everything you need.”

Way Needs Has Beens Play Night Actors Audience Fronts Needed Involved Essentials Sitting Theater Opening Tonight Denied Equipment Handicapped Opening Night

Author:Hallie Flanagan

“In high school, theater was all I ever wanted to do. I didnt see that I was going to set it aside for so many years and take a right turn into television. Of course, wanting to do theater is something you hear a lot from actors. I think Ive been embarrassed to be in that big cliche.”

Thinking Years Bigs Wanted School Turns Courses Actors Television High School Theater Embarrassed Cliche

Author:Mare Winningham

“There is probably some great acting that goes on in movies from people who have never been on a stage, but if you are in for the long haul, you'd be missing an enormous part of what being an actor is if you're not part of theater.”

People Ifs Long Actors Acting Stage Missing Goes On Theater Enormous Haul Long Haul

Author:Justin Kirk

“I learned my business in the theater and in television, particularly working with the actors. You can learn much more in the theater than directing a movie, because then you have no time when you are shooting a movie to really work with the actors. You have to learn this craft somewhere else.”

Actors Television Theater Crafts Shooting Somewhere Else

Author:Michael Haneke

“When real actors are approaching their work, we could be on a little stage somewhere, doing community theater. It's all the same. They're just trying to make the scene work. They're just trying to do the best they can and figure it out.”

Trying Littles Real Actors Community Stage Figures Scene Theater Do The Best

Author:Kurt Fuller

“I had a background in theater as an actor, and then a photographer, and then as an experimental filmmaker and editor.”

Actors Theater Photographer Backgrounds Filmmaker Editors

Author:Lynn Shelton

“The alienation effect in German epic theater is achieved not only through the actors, but also through music (chorus and song) andsets (transparencies, film strips, etc.). Its main purpose is to place the staged events in their historical context.”

Art Film Purpose Artist Song Actors Effects Events Tragedy Theater Historical Etc Epic Alienation Transparency Chorus Historical Context

Author:Bertolt Brecht

“It had been drilled into us that when an audience pays to see a performance, it is entitled to the best performance you can give.Nothing in your personal life must interfere, neither fatigue, illness, nor anxiety--not even joy.”

Giving Joy Actors Pay Acting Audience Anxiety Performances Theater Illness Entitled Interfere Personal Life Fatigue Best Performance

Book:The Movies, Mr. Grifith, and Me

Source: The Movies, Mr. Grifith, and Me

“The artist's personality must be left in his dressing-room; his soul must be denuded of its own sensations and clothed with the base or noble qualities he is called upon to exhibit.... [he] must leave behind him the cares and vexations of life, throw aside his personality for several hours, and move in the dream of another life, forgetting everything.”

“The theater is a baffling business, and a shockingly wasteful one when you consider that people who have proven their worth, who have appeared in or been responsible for successful plays, who have given outstanding performances, can still, in the full tide of their energy, be forced, through lack of opportunity, to sit idle season after season, their enthusiasm, their morale, their very talent dwindling to slow gray death. Of finances we will not even speak; it is too sad a tale.”

Source: Past imperfect

“I like to think of myself as some of the Scotch tape that holds things together - I'm very handy to have around. But all that actors really need is a bare stage. Lighting is just one of the luxuries of the theater.”

Thinking Needs Together Actors Stage Theater Luxury Just One Tape Lighting Handy Scotch Scotch Tape

Author:Jean Rosenthal

“In the theater one must sit in such a way that one sees the audience as a dark mass. Then it cannot bother one more than it does an actor. Nothing is more disturbing than being able to distinguish individuals in the crowd.”

Way Doe Able Actors Individual Dark Audience Mass Theater Crowds Bother Disturbing

Book:Half-truths & One-and-a-half Truths: Selected Aphorisms

Source: Half-truths & One-and-a-half Truths: Selected Aphorisms

“Every single night I'm nervous.”

Night Actors Fear Acting Theater Nervous

Author:Vivien Leigh

“... actresses require protection in their art from blind abuse, from savage criticism. Their work is their religion, if they are seeking the best in their art, and to abuse that faith is to rob them, to dishonor them.”

Ifs Art Faith Actors Acting Drama Criticism Abuse Theater Blind Seeking Protection Actresses Savages Dishonor

Author:Nance O'Neil

“The requirements of the theatre are very great--a strong constitution, energy and unflagging purpose, charm of feature, these alone do not necessarily mean anything, and they must not be relied upon as assurances of an easy conquest of the public heart. It is not only a question of fitness for the work, but of long years of most diligent effort to master the technique of the theatre, and to develop whatever of the art instinct we may possess upon the simplest, broadest, and most human lines.”

“I don't think actors are to blame for poor writing. The culture changes first, and the theater follows it. In the case of the movies, it's the same thing.”

Thinking Writing Firsts Culture Actors Poor Cases Theater Blame Culture Change

Author:Christopher Reeve

“In order to be an artist and an actor, like tackling the classics in the theater as well as film, there's lots of discipline, lots of work, physical work put in.”

Wells Film Artist Order Actors Discipline Theater Tackling

Author:Val Kilmer

“One of the things that I really love about doing a film is working with actors and the whole casting process. I feel I'm not looking for actors. I feel I'm looking for characters. If the characters come from Bollywood, fine. If they come from Indian theater, perfect.”

Ifs Feels Whole Character Film Actors Process Perfect Fine Theater Indian Casting Bollywood

Author:Deepa Mehta

“A theater is such a revealing form of art, such a transparent and good actors, they're such powerful individuals. I always kind of dreamt that one day I will open my mouth on stage.”

Kind Art Form Actors Individual Powerful Stage One Day Mouths Theater Revealing Transparent Good Actors

Author:Mikhail Baryshnikov

“I come from the theater, so for me rehearsal is vital and a way of life. There are many film directors who don't believe in it and some actors who prefer not to rehearse.”

Way Believe Film Actors Directors Theater Don't Believe Rehearsal Film Directors

Author:Hugh Jackman

“When I was in high school, I was the guy directing plays after class. I started my first theater company at 19, and my second theater company at 21. I've always been a guy who doesn't do well with the passive nature of being an actor.”

Firsts Wells Play School Guy Actors Company Class High School Theater Passive

Author:Matthew Lillard

“Something like the alleyway scene, where it's like a mini one-act play and you run the whole 18 pages of it, it's so much easier to get lost in it. That's why actors love doing theater so much, I guarantee you. It's refreshing to be able to do something where you don't have to be stopped every two seconds, and you can just play it out and it's done.”

Two Done Play Whole Running Able Actors Lost Easier Scene Pages Theater Guarantees Seconds Refreshing Alleyways

Author:Dylan O'Brien

“The TV schedule is fantastic. It allows you to have a life. Theater actors are so disciplined - especially if you're doing musicals, you have to be in shape physically, mentally, and have to be on your game all the time. That's exhausting. On TV, especially a sitcom, you have a lot of free time to play.”

Ifs Play Actors Games Tvs Shapes Theater Fantastic Schedules Exhausting Sitcom Free Time

Author:Neil Patrick Harris

“The most reliable pleasure afforded by theater is the intermission.”

Actors Pleasure Acting Theater Intermission

Author:Mason Cooley

“We don't want bores in the theatre. We don't want standardised acting, standard actors with standard-shaped legs. Acting needs everybody, cripples, dwarfs and people with noses so long. Give us something that is different.”

People Want Needs Giving Long Different Actors Acting Standards Theater Legs Theatre Noses Bores Dwarfs Cripples

Author:Sybil Thorndike

“Instead of being a theater actor who sometimes does movies I became a movie actor who sometimes does theater.”

Doe Sometimes Actors Theater Movie Actors

Author:John Lithgow

“Having grown up in the theater family, having done a huge amount of acting from a very little boy to precocious teenager in Shakespeare festivals that my father produced, I went off to college and fell in with the theater gang. I was already an experienced actor. I became a kind of campus star. I heard all this applause and laughter.”

Kind Littles Done Actors Father Stars Acting Boys Heard College Huge Amount Laughter Theater Teenager Festivals Gang Applause Little Boys Campus Precocious Off To College Theater Family

Author:John Lithgow

“I always tell that to young people - go to college, do theater, work with an audience. Don't try to learn how to act in front of millions and millions of people. Don't make that your first ambition, to be on a sitcom or get into the movies. Learn who you are as an actor, and the best way to do that is to do it in front of an audience.”

People Way Trying Firsts Young Actors Millions Audience Fronts College Ambition Theater Who You Are Best Way Sitcom

Author:John Lithgow

“The difference between film and theater is that in film, an actor is sort of under a magnifying glass and everything that they do, just the smallest movement, is very detectible.”

Film Actors Differences Movement Theater Glasses Smallest Magnifying Magnifying Glass

Author:Olivia Thirlby

“I never want movie theaters go away. It is the greatest time out on the town. You go out, it's a great place to go, great location, great hang, great date, good place to be with friends. But as an actor who works hard at making movies, I am glad that no matter what people can see your movie on. It's hard to keep a theater for long time; there are so many movies, so when you leave a theater, you're just glad there's a life for your movie.”

People Want Long Matter Hard Actors Hard Work Long Time Theater Towns No Matter What Glad Going Away Location Good Place Places To Go Movie Theater

Author:Adam Sandler

“I was sort of trained in drama. I went to theater school. I started on the stage. Comedy is absolutely an essential part of what we do as actors. But I think in the grand scheme of things, comedy was born from tragedy. First there was tragedy and then there were the comedies.”

Thinking Firsts School Actors Born Comedy Stage Drama Essentials Tragedy Theater Schemes

Author:Alex O'Loughlin

“Learn as much as you can about performing. Live theater, improv classes, music, stand up comedy, dance, anything to make yourself confident and comfortable in front of an audience. It'll all come in handy when auditioning for producers and performing with other actors. The best voice actors all have a live performance background. And are competent, fearless, incredibly creative actors.”

“I know for a fact the reason I'm an actor is because one, two, maybe three people when I was younger saw something that I did, in youth theater or some small play somewhere, and said, "You're good."”

People Knows Said Two Reason Play Facts Three Actors Saws Youth Theater

Author:David Oyelowo

“I never did improv professionally, but that was certainly in my training as an actor. I like it. Actually, when I did theater, I used to have a partner, and that was the way we used to write a lot of our sketches, through improvisation. So it's something I feel comfortable with.”

Way Feels Writing Used Actors Comfortable Training Theater Partners Improvisation

Author:Steve Buscemi

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