"No Small Parts... Only Small Actors"

“There are no small parts, only small actors’ is what Konstantin Stansivlavski the great Russian director said. We need to apply this to our professional life knowing that our job/ role/ title matters and we contribute to the “Though Line” of our organization.

I directed “Inherit the Wind” back in my hometown of Zanesville, Ohio and it is a great example of there are “No Small Parts” mindset. This play has a cast of over 30 characters and it takes place in a courtroom. The two main characters are lawyers, Brady and Drummond. Yet, the actor who stole the show was Beau Livingston who had a minor role in the play, but a huge impact on the audience.

When Beau entered the stage he would flash his boyish smile, say his lines with an accent, and capture the crowd. They were mesmerized. However, it would have been easy for Beau to minimize his role and his importance. He could have taken on the mindset of “My part really doesn’t matter and I am mainly in the background.”

Over twenty years of being on sound stages, wooden stages, and now managing an acting studio I have to say the majority of actors I work with truly do value their part, regardless of how big or small it is. They have a great ability to appreciate their role, contribute to the collaboration, and work as a team. Remember, we all contribute to the “Through Line.”

It is all about a mindset and it is us who “Minimize” our role, title, and contributions to our organizations… Often times we are the “Small Actors.”

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Photo by Avel Chuklanov on Unsplash