- Over the 40 plus years of my experiences as a professional actor, singer, producer, I have had countless numbers of parents come to me and say, “We feel our child has talent, but we don’t know what to do to help him or her, develop their gift. Where do we start? How did you do it?
- My first response has always been,”Is it you, or your child that most wants to pursue a career as an entertainer?” You would be amazed how many times after a little conversation and self examination, the parent says “Well, I always wanted to be a…….. in show business, but practicality didn’t allow me to try it.” How sad to never pursue one’s dream.
- My next response is, “If this is your child’s passion to pursue, then we have a real starting point for discussion. It’s even better when the parents share in the dream of the child and are willing to support that dream to wherever it may lead.
- As my students will tell you, I constantly ask them if this is what THEY really want to do, or is it what their parents think they should do. Sadly many parents don’t, or won’t encourage their children to go into “show business” because it’s too risky, or it’s full of weirdos, or the odds are slim that you’ll ever become a “star”! That’s where I say it’s not about “stardom”, it’s about having a passion for a career that enriches humanity. There are literally thousands and thousands of artistic people, who you never hear of, that make their living in “show business.”
- They are better and happier people for it. Miserable is the person whose only artistic goals are fame and fortune, i.e., “stardom.”
- The ability to sing or dance, is only a portion of what it takes to be successful in the entertainment industry.
- You have to be able to really perform to a point that you move the audience emotionally. These are the entertainers with the “it” factor.
- What is this thing called the “it” factor? When a performer walks in to a room, onto a stage, or enters a recording studio, and displays his or her craft, in such a way that they become the absolute focus of every one’s attention, because of their talent, that’s a real good indication of having the “it” factor.
- “It” can be a natural gift, or “it” can be taught, if the student is willing to listen, be open to learning, be unafraid to take risks, and become vulnerable.
- The art and craft of singing is something that can be taught to nearly every one. The art of performance is a learned skill.
- Parents give your child the opportunity to follow “their” dream.
Mar
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