I spent several years as a casting reader for Jersey Boys, the hit-musical about the formation, success, and highs and lows of the 1960s rock'n roll group, The Four Seasons. As a reader I had the chance to read with some of New York's most talented actors. I often sat in awe as they belted out tunes like December 1963 and Sherry.
I'd been a reader for the production so long I got to the point where I often didn't even need to glance at the script while performing. Over time, I also began to appreciate the broader themes of the play on a deeper level. Topics like how jealousy corrupts, the importance of friendship, and how commercial success doesn't always equate to personal happiness began to really resonate with me.
One line in particular sticks with me to this day. It comes towards the end of the play when members of the Four Seasons look back on how the group first came together. Despite all the money they made and the notoriety they gained they still long for those simpler days when they didn't have a dime and everything was out in front.
"Just four guys under a street lamp. That was the best."
As I look back on my career as an actor the moments that stick out the most were performing in little black box theaters in the East Village in front of 10 people and rehearsing A Doll's House in a cramped corridor with my scene partner while at grad school. Those were my "street lamps."
Someday, you'll miss the very moments you're trying to speed through. Enjoy the process and try not to rush it. Trust me, it goes by fast enough on its own.
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