As I like it!

As I like it...

“All the world’s a stage, and all men and women are merely players…” so goes the famous poem.

Theater it is. The stage, the spots/lights, the curtains excite me. Being a part of theater has given me a sense of achievement. And a sense of freedom. It has helped me portray characters that I would have never imagined. It has given me the chance to live life as another person. Method acting, they call it - or do they? Dressing up as your character all the time and embracing the mannerisms and the various shades that come with it —isn’t that a wonderful feeling?

Theater has been a part of my life for three years now. It’s a once-a-year activity—the time of the year that brings an enormous amount of excitement and a burst of positive energy. It is a journey of self-introspection, discovery, and life’s important lessons. Life is all about learnings. And theater teaches you the lessons of life like no other.

Three years. Three plays. Multiple performances. A bunch of awards.

And loads of learnings that will live on forever. Points to ponder. I don’t mean to be preachy but these are my very own gentle reminders. :)

It is very important to have a plan in place.

Scheduling is equally important.

Always take into consideration the availability of your team members.

Every person is unique. What may look promising to you may not necessarily be the perception of the other.

Regular physical and voice exercises are a must for overall health and well-being. And that it helps you perform on stage, is a bonus.

Art is a stress buster.

Learn to be a team player.

Be a leader without a title. Involve everyone in the process, delegate, and move ahead. Bossing around is a strict no-no!

Be ready to adapt. Ups and downs are a part and parcel of life. Accept, learn, and move ahead.

Adopt best practices.

If you’ve lost friends to (their) egos, you’ll always make new ones. Forgive and forget. Live and let live.

If you want to learn how to interact with people across different cultures and age groups, get back to theater production.

Theater production is nothing less than project management where you need to weigh the risks and be proactive, planning way ahead.

….and there’s much more. Every single frame teaches how to move ahead, how to plan ahead, and how to be your own boss. Theater teaches you discipline in a way your teachers or parents may not have been able to. And it helps you to keep your emotions in check.

And so is life. We encounter emotional ups and downs, professional achievements and failures, and unfriendly creatures around us all the time. These are just phases. Best not to take them to heart. Accept, learn, and move on. Because “All the world’s a stage, and all men and women are merely players…”

Maybe that is the path to salvation.