"Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of many alternatives."
William Foster
Being in the throws of putting on a show, I sometimes get caught up in all the technical and logistical things that are involved with getting the show on the stage... building the sets, crafting press releases, finding props, making sure everyone knows their lines. If I get the chance, I get to work on acting with cast members. All this and more is important for sure. I try to focus on big picture and little details. For me it is not about just doing a show. Any show I work on must be one of quality - one that can foster some pride when you see it up there on stage. One that shows talent and care and thoughtfulness and intelligence. It is something I demand of myself and try to instill in actors and technicians I work with. I have seen too many productions that lack quality and it is very disheartening to sit in the audience and know that it could have been better, and should have been better. Lack of quality feeds mediocrity in the arts and who wants mediocre theatre?
I encourage anyone in theatre to demand quality in anything you do -- demand it from yourself, demand it from cast and crew, and especially the directors. Quality is that shine that makes a show pop - makes a show stand out - makes a show memorable. It makes the experience so much more rich. If you have people who are passionate, organized, thoughtful, creative, intelligent and disciplined, you can have an amazing theatrical experience and any audience will notice that high level of quality... and thank you for it.
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