Ernest Borgnine On Acting

[filkertom]

Yahoo has "Ernest Borgnine" Trending right now.

My first thought was, naturally, "Oh man, I hope he's all right."

He is. He's getting a Screen Actors Guild lifetime achievement award tonight.

The article is a nice little overview of Mr. Borgnine's -- sorry, Ernest's career. But what really stood out for me was a quote from him on the art of acting:

If you watch [Gary Cooper], you can see him listening and then answering in turn. The same is true for Spencer Tracy. He listened before talking. That's what acting is all about. Many actors today don't listen. They speak because it's their turn to speak. I was lucky. I worked with actors like Bill Holden and Hume Cronyn. They were marvelous people and talented. They gave it their heart and soul. That's how they were brought up. Cary Grant was a beautiful person. Everything was in his facial expressions. You want to see real acting, watch the movies on TCM.

That's a beautiful thing.

Who here is, or has been, in community theater? (I know already of a bunch of you; I just figured a little roll-call wouldn't hurt. :)

Comments

[eftychia]

I haven't been on stage in community theatre (though I did act in high school), but I've played bass in the orchestra pit for three nearby community theatre groups.

[markbernstein.livejournal.com]

How can I turn down the opportunity for a plug? :)

I'm currently in rehearsal for PTD Productions' staging of Neil Simon's Laughter on the 23rd Floor, which is loosely based on his experiences writing for Sid Caesar. I'm playing Val, the head writer, and having a great time. I love this cast, and think it's going to be an outstanding show.

March 17th to 26th, at the Riverside Arts Center in Ypsilanti, MI. See the link above for details.

And yes, Borgnine is absolutely right about the importance of listening.

[ravenclaw-eric.livejournal.com]

I wasn't in community theater, but I was in every play they'd let me be in back in high school.

[rev-ursa.livejournal.com]

For eight years, but mostly behind the scenes. My degree is in technical production. And I work in IT. Go figure.

[autographedcat.livejournal.com]

I was for about 5 years during high school, and I miss it terribly. I'd consider finding a local one, but my work schedule (being on call one week out of every three) doesn't really lend itself to the commitment a show would require, alas.

[ashkitty.livejournal.com]

Not currently (the PhD takes up pretty much every waking moment) but off and on since high school. :)

[per_solo]

I've not been in theater for a while...have directed or acted in Plays at InCon, but that's a different beast.

I keep thinking, "one of these days", with regards to getting back into acting...I do miss it. It was a bulk of my High School, and strangely, is how I got into conventions in the first place. Lynette Cowper said, in 1995, "We have a convention that is doing a play, you should be in it". That was my first convention..and I've been doing them since.

One of these days.. :-)

[ericcoleman]

HS, college (BFA - Lighting and directing) community and semi-pro.

It's the family business, my father taught theater for decades, you have seen a lot of his students in movies and TV shows.

[dr-zrfq.livejournal.com]

I haven't been involved since leaving Williamsburg (Good FSM has it *really been 20 years? I'm so $@^#!ng old) but back then, even well after graduation I was involved with the Sinfonicron Light Opera Company (http://sinfonicron.300mb.us/), who just finished their production of Gilbert and Sullivan's Patience (or, Bunthorne's Bride) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patience_(opera))

[roane.livejournal.com]

HS, College, Community Theatre. The high point was playing Ruth in my college's production of Pirates of Penzance. Low point was either being in the chorus of the single WORST production of Sweeney Todd ever (we didn't rehearse the second act at all until 2 weeks before open), or playing Aslan in a horrible kids' theatre production of The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. I had three lines (which I still remember), and didn't die.

I keep thinking I want to get back to it, but I'm afraid that Ann Arbor's community theatre world is probably too cut-throat for me. :)

Ernest Borgnine Anecdote. No shit, there I was.

[snobahr.livejournal.com]

I spent my infant years in Beverly Hills, on Mulholland Drive. If I went across the street, I'd be in Sherman Oaks. Next door to us was Ernest Borgnine.

In the early 70s, during the energy crisis, he had a chest freezer, which he kept stocked with meat. He was going away for a week or two, and due to the semi-frequent blackouts, he didn't want his meat to go to waste. He knew that my parents bred and showed dogs (basset hounds and Irish setters), so he offered us his stock of frozen carnage.

For the next two weeks, we had a lot of venison! And so did the dogs :)

He was a really cool neighbor, at least from a 4 yr old's perspective.

[cainle-bean.livejournal.com]

I have been in community theater, several times.

I have a book here that is his bio or autobio that I was about to start reading tomorrow.

[capplor.livejournal.com]

I'm currently living in the first town where I have NOT been on stage in some capacity.

I suspect that may change soon.

[the_rck]

I did community theater in high school and a little bit in college. I miss it, but I don't have either the spoons or the transportation for it these days.

[filkertom.livejournal.com]

Talk to markbernstein about it. :)

[tealbeen.livejournal.com]

Sorta' semi-pro theatre in high school, studied acting in college, community theater with the Chicago Heights Drama Group for 10 years after I got back from college, including Second City classes and children's show - and nothing in the 25 years since. My current job's hours wouldn't support a return right now, although I have thought about it on and off for 20 years.

[msminlr.livejournal.com]

I was mostly backstage, building sets; occasionally singing in the chorus.

[rowangolightly.livejournal.com]

*raises hand* Oh goodness yes, plus an oh-so-useful double major in Art and Theatre, cum laude. That and two bucks will get you a cup of coffee.

I helped to start, with some other theatre-geek college buddies, a community theater called "Olive Branch Players" in Independence, MO. For well over a decade we did 4 shows a year plus a children's show in the summer. It eventually morphed into performing at the local Renaissance Festival and pretty much petered out after that. But we did some great stuff, most of the 'big' musicals that were popular back in the late '70s and '80s.

The last community theater I did was a couple of shows with the Bell Road Barn, associated with Park College, north of the river in Missouri, first a wonderful production of "Quilters" when we reprized the next year and then a fun production of "Barefoot in the Park." Renfaires and my sewing business made it hard to have too much time to do shows and I miss it. But it was loads of fun and I'll always treasure the memories and the pics.

[tomreedtoon.livejournal.com]

Closest to that was the several years I did The Rocky Horror Picture Show. But...

Borgnine, to me, represents what would be my ideal goal if I were a professional actor. Most people forgot he won the Best Actor Oscar for Marty, playing a lower-class guy with no hope of love - like most of us here - actually finding love.

Even when he had made his pile, by doing basic sitcom stuff in all those years of McHale's Navy, he had no trouble playing supporting roles in all kinds of TV shows and movies. In everything he did, he made the entire production better. Even Disney's The Black Hole was tolerable because he was in it, in the thankless Dr. Zachary Smith part.

Not so much theater, as college and community music-related

[infobits.livejournal.com]

In the chorus for the high school musicals of "Hello, Dolly", "South Pacific"

Chorus and Yente in "Fiddler on the Roof", by virtue of being the only girl who could sing the low pitched solo

College and graduate ensembles and choruses.

In the chorus of a community production of Gilbert and Sullivan's "HMS Pinafore" - a last minute request to audition because they were short of altos and someone knew me and thought I could do it.

Much later, in the chorus for community production of "Oklahoma" ... with the low voice, I wound up singing and dressing as a guy (went for padding to look fat, rather than strapping to look flat!) and found I really didn't have the athleticism for the choreography.

And now, since 1994, Columbus Symphony Chorus, an all volunteer chorus which sings 3 to 4 times a year with the Symphony. And the Verdi Requiem is our next piece, whoo hoo! Double tympani, big brass section, and one killer Dies Irae!

[alicebentley]

Moebius Theatre, the well-named science fiction improvisational comedy group, was just getting started when I joined in 1977. Our first scripted show was Stage Wars, preformed at Windycon and Minicon. I hung around with those guys, doing the occasional road trip, until 1981 when I finished college and moved out of the area.

Good times, good times.

[insane-ian.livejournal.com]

I've been doing theater on and off for almost 26 years now. My dad got involved in Baltimore Community Theater when i was very young, and as such my fascination began early. When I was 13 years old, I got involved in a production that started in MD and then moved to NY...at 13 I was on Broadway (well, the show technically was know as "off-Broadway" but the theater I was in was across the street from the theater playing Phantom of the Opera, so damnit, it was Broadway). The show was all improvised & audience participation...probably the best time of my life. Sadly, the show closed due to poor money management from the producer...if he'd been smarter, it'd still be running today.

Since the show closed, I've been doing a tiny bit of extra work in film and more local community theater...i never got my Equity card when I was on B'Way so i can still do whatever...but I miss my 15 minutes. ^_^

[rickvs.livejournal.com]

Do church musicals count? I sang a solo when I was eleven that I got good feedback on, but nothing since then :>

[markbernstein.livejournal.com]

I've been working with Ann Arbor Civic Theatre for about thirteen years now, and I've almost always found them to be not only welcoming, but eager to find new talent. If you're good, you'll likely get cast in the chorus at least, and if you're very good, you have a shot at a large part. Most of the casts have good chemistry and very little backstage drama. (There have been exceptions, but not many.) I encourage you to take a look at the upcoming auditions.

[terriwells.livejournal.com]

Well, I spent about a year in community theater, and helped Gary McGath with the plotting and writing of "The Filkado" (all the songs were his, except for the Filkado's piece, which was Harold Feld's). I was Nitpick in the WorldCon premiere (I forget which WorldCon, sadly) and was on a performer's high for at least an hour or so afterwards.

I went to a recent production at the local community theater. They listed their next three or four upcoming pieces in the program, with audition and performance dates; I was disappointed to see that I couldn't audition for any of them, because for every single one of them I'd miss at least one performance. Ah well, I'll probably at least make a point of seeing them.

[old-fortissimo.livejournal.com]

Cain Park Summer Theater, Cleveland Heights Ohio - a marvelous experience for teen-agers.

Property manager for a production directed by my brother at Karamu in Cleveland

When active in SCA I considered it 24 hour improv rather than a sport competition, but I won't claim it as community theater.

[judifilksign.livejournal.com]

High School drama.
Rocky Horror Picture Show for years, as first Janet, then Magenta,then Columbia as I aged.
Bits in SF fandom musicals: ConFluence shows: The Kruton Interface, the Dune one, and the Thing one.
Nothing since the kids, though. (If we don't count filk.)

[paltergo.livejournal.com]

I spent a few years (much too long ago) working with one of my local community theaters, never as an actor though. Mostly I did lighting and other various backstage work. I miss it terribly and have it on my list of things I'd like to get back to when I can.
~Patricia

If I were not upon the stage...

[shinymarigold.livejournal.com]

Frustrated actor, me -- I got involved with theater my senior year in high school, and played Balin in a college production of The Hobbit, but nothing since, except for the occasional fannish improv opportunity.

However, I've been in and out of choirs since I was twelve -- I miss that more than I can say.