I'm not going to lie: standing ovations drive me crazy. It seems like everybody here in the Richmond area gives them out willy-nilly. I go into a theater and sit through a mediocre to good show. The lights go down as the last act comes to a close. The lights come back up and the performers come out for a curtain call. The audience claps and stands in approval. Meanwhile I'm stuck behind a lot of guys standing. I can no longer see the performers because of the people standing in front of me. Why didn't I stand you ask? The answer: I don't believe in just handing out standing ovations. I appreciate the show and the effort that all involved gave, but I just don't think it deserves that high a praise. There is always room for improvement. (Yes I'm a director who will continue to give small technical notes after opening night. I work in an education setting for goodness sake. Even though you did GREAT. There is always someplace else to take the performance. There is something else to learn. It's about the process rather than the product.)
After seeing a show recently I was discussing this with a good friend and graduate school colleague. She told me that a wise theater person once told her this:
"You only get three standing ovations in your life to give out. Use them wisely." This sounds like a good mantra for me to live the rest of my life by. I have handed out a few standing ovations in my life, but they were when I was young and naivete. I'm going to be stingy with them. Realistically I will probably only give out two because when it comes time to give out the third I will find myself unable to give it out in fear that I might come across something better and not be able to give it one.
So from here on out. I'm making a commitment. Three standing ovations. That's it. I'll try to use them wisely.
Cross posted from
(The Backstage Door.)
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