This is an excerpt from Jane Lynch’s commencement speech at Smith College.
“YES AND” is the vital and only rule of improvisation. Never deny your fellow actor. You should be willing and able to accept whatever your fellow improviser throws at you. Use that as your jumping off point and expand it. “Heighten and Explore.”
For instance, if I say to you “Stick ’em up!” and you say “That’s not a gun, that’s your finger!” We’ve got nowhere to go. If I say “What a beautiful day” and you say, “No it’s not, it’s the middle of winter and it’s snowing!” Where do we go?
In order for our scene to go forward, we affirm what the other is saying, which is the “YES” and take it and build on it with “AND.” And in order for our lives to go forward to engage fully in life, we need to be willing and able to accept what is right in front of us. Whatever it is, the good, the bad, the thrilling, the heartbreaking, every emotion, occurrence, event, person, place or thing, you will experience them all. That’s the “YES” I’m talking about. And the acceptance and embrace of it with all your heart and doing something with it, that’s the “AND.”
YES Jane. AND I would add that living in “YES AND” allows you to BE IN THE MOMENT which is an essential tool for a great actor and a happy human being.
Share below your experiences with YES AND in acting and in life!
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Many actors tell me that when they go into an audition they just want to “Get it Right.” But “Getting it Right” doesn’t get them the part. Because when you focus on “Getting It Right…”
- You become the most important person in the scene.
- It creates no reason for you to connect to the other person in the scene.
- It puts you in judgment of your performance and doesn’t allow you to be in the moment of the scene.
“Getting it Right “doesn’t allow the actor to experience what the scene is about and leaves an actor feeling unsatisfied, in turn, leaves the Casting Director unsatisfied and on to the next actor.
So take into your audition an intention then fight for it and allow the experience of the scene to unfold. That’s more likely to get you the part.
Share below your audition experiences and how you prepare for an audition.
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Keith booked his first Lead Role in the Independent Feature, R.A.S.C.A.L.S. He begins shooting in June! Congrats Keith
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Hannah won “BEST PERFORMANCE IN LIVE THEATRE” Young Actress for her performance in the IT Factor Theatre production of “ONCE UPON A DREAM” the 33rd Annual Young Artist Awards. Congratulations Hannah! You’ve worked hard for this!
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Erica Kiehl booked not one but two National Commercials for DODGE and REMA 1000 along with a featured role in the upcoming Feature Film AMERICAN LIE.
Congratulations Erica!
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Many times when I’m working with an actor on a scene and I feel they are holding back they tell me they don’t want to be too _________ fill in the blank. Too big, too loud, too sexy, too…. many things. But really what they are holding back from is: following their instincts.
Often this “holding back” is because of a director or teacher gave them that note for a different performance in the past. Don’t generalize your notes from a director or teacher and bring them forward. At least run these old notes by your current teacher and get their feedback.
Take into consideration that every Casting Director I’ve met has said that it is better to be too big because they can always tell an actor to bring it down, but rarely can an actor take the adjustment to turn it up.
Know that when you’re holding back – you’re not risking going outside of your comfort zone and so your performance will probably be safe. Instead, trusting your instincts, go for it and don’t hold back.
Are you holding onto any notes? Share with other actors and get some feedback below.
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What happened the moment before the scene started? This is a key question to get your scene off to a strong start. Just be sure you answer it specifically.
I find most actors attend the University of MSU (Make Stuff Up) and fail to look for the answer in the script. The clues are in the script! Before going to MSU, read the script again with the intention that it will tell you what happened the moment before.
Remember it’s the moment before, not the hour or day before. What happened the second before your scene started? Think logically what did the last person say before you entered or logically what would have happened before this scene.
Use your moment before to make a strong choice. Come in expecting the opposite of what actually happens in the scene. For example: The script says your character asks your boss for a raise and the boss says “No.” Enter the scene expecting your boss to say, “Yes” and allow yourself to discover the disappointment of not getting the raise.
Comment below to let other actors know how your choices for the moment before helps your auditions.
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“Don’t be too conscious of what the next move in your career will be. I’ve seen many actor friends turn down alot of gigs because they think, ‘Now I’m a big actor. I can only do these kinds of movies.’ Well, they often just stop working.” ~ Neal Patrick Harris, star of HOW I MET YOUR MOTHER.
Which do you want be? Working and happy or not working and resentful?
I’ve seen the same attitude with actors who haven’t even started working! They turn down auditions, opportunities, agents because they think, “I’m better than that.” They are not working either.
Work begets work. Turning down acting opportunities begets sitting at home and fantasizing about working as an actor and resenting those who are working.
Success = Preparation meets Opportunity. Be in class. Be prepared for any audition when it comes. Take every opportunity to act you can – you never know what it will lead to.
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Mark Yee 
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After many months of a nationwide search Neil Patrick Harris (How I Met Your Mother) was cast at age 16 as the infamous Doogie Howser, MD by show creator Steven Bochco ( NYPD Blues, LA Law, Raising the Bar).
Before starting production, Steven took Neil and his parents to dinner and gave him this advice:
“A career in acting is like surfing. You paddle out and paddle out and get wet and hit by the waves. When you finally get out where you’re supposed to be you have to sit on a surfboard for a long, long time, just waiting. If you’re really lucky, you’ll catch a wave, and it’ll be the most amazing feeling. ut the key is that that wave will inevitably crash to the sand. Then what you have to do is paddle back out and get hit by a bunch of waves again. But trust that in the long term there will always be waves to catch.”
Thinking back on this advice, Neil Patrick Harris said, “It turns out (to be) absolutely accurate.”
Where are you in the process, do you agree with this? Start the conversation with a comment below.
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Mekia Cox 
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Several years back I was coaching a student who was being followed by Academy and Emmy award winning
documentarians, Dylan Nelson and Dan Sturman. (TWIN TOWERS, SOUNDTRACK FOR A REVOLUTION, NANKING). The footage of my coaching is now included in a fascinating documentary,The Hollywood Complex.
This film is a must see for any child and parent planning and/or venturing to Hollywood to pursue the child’s dreams of making it big. The documentary follows the life and auditions of five “Show Biz Kidz” staying at the infamous Oakwood Apartments.
The film premiered at Hot Docs in Toronto, and has played a number of major festivals, including Sheffield (England) International, Melbourne, and has been selected for the Cleveland International Film Festival in late March. It has already played on Channel 4 in the UK, and is selling around the world – France, Germany, Finland, Japan, and Australia on Qantas Airlines.
Check out the Showtime schedule and share your thoughts in the comment section below about the journeys of these Show Biz Kidz.
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