5 REASONS TO PERFORM IN ONE ACT FESTIVALS (and 5 photos of a young Robert Redford)

I have performed in 4 festivals and am about to put number 5 into the belt notch collection.  So yes, this is partially self promoting the show, and also a semi gratitude list of all the benefits of doing a One-Act festival.  ALSO!!! I am including a bunch of Robert Redford photos.  I worked with my hair stylist Ludwig, and these photos were the basis and inspiration for the haircut.  I just couldn't let them go without sharing them all with you.

1.  Stage Time.  The biggest and best reason do one act festivals is stage time. 
Let's face it - as an actor we need stage time.  It's precious.  I never understood this while I was doing improv. All we needed was a few chairs and a few friends watching us and there was show. I did some time in the "bar-prov" scene.  But stage time where you let the lines live in you and you doing the same script over and over again. This is a great place to get this precious community. 

2.  Networking. With One-Act festivals, for each one-act there is a writer, a director and your fellow actors. There are usually 6-8 one-acts. Plus the stage manager and artistic director curating the entire festival.  So that's 30 to 40 people who get to see you work.  (They also see you be a diva - so be sure to show up and be professional) You never know when you will walk into an audition and there will be one of those people on the other side of the table.  It seems the longer I do this, the more important relationships and the building of them is very important!!!!  

3.  Tiny Play.  You get to go through the entire experience of putting a show up. But in half the time.  Sometimes even faster. Maybe it's been a while since you have been in a production? These little plays is the production process on cocaine!!  It goes really fast, and then all of sudden it's opening night.  Which is basically like a full production play - all of a sudden it is Opening night.  It's go time. 

4.  Low Pressure. I'm not saying to not be professional.  In EVERY situation please show up as a Professional. It's part of believing that you are a professional.  But the stakes are low.  Your friends will be in the audience.  They want you to succeed.  You get to discover your pre-show process. Your preparation. You get to flub lines and learn to deal with the shame after the show and how to pick yourself up and bring it.  Basically these one-act festivals teach you how to show-up every night and deliver the goods consistently.

5.  Fun and Experimentation!! More than likely, your one-act play will be the first time it has ever been on stage.  There is no movie that has been done before. No You-Tube clips.  You will be breathing life into these characters for the first time.  For myself, that is incredibly exciting. The writer is excited to see what you can do with their words.  And you get some creative license as an artist to CREATE!!! As an artist and an actor this is the sweet spot!!


Go out there! Audition audition audition!!! Get that stage time! Start treating yourself as the professional you are.