Conclusion
I’m wracking my brain to see if I’ve covered everything. Well, hell. If I missed anything I’ll just add it in later and republish it. This is a living document anyway.
I’ve really talked a lot here, haven’t I? Here I was, just blabbing away and I didn’t get a chance to hear your point of view. Sorry about that. I’ll try to listen better the next time we jaw.
We’ve covered the dangers of Newspeakianism (George Orwell), Rhetorical vs. Substantive Justice, the Rehearsal Room, a whole lot of psychology, taking radical responsibility for our mental health, honesty, curiosity, work ethic, not taking things personally, bullying, generational differences in the woke movement. We had a hard talk about trauma, and I hope you weren’t offended by my take on that. I don’t like it when people are mad at me. It’s silly of me to care, but I do. We had a little history lesson on the generations, a couple of anecdotes from my own experience. We talked about how a regenerative theatre must go Gonzo. That about cover it?
Oh! I told you your show sucked. How rude. I didn’t even see your show. How would I know?
Let’s see… I gave some ideas that I have floating around in my head for ways to move us into the future. I’m sure you have a bunch of your own and you’re screaming in your head, “Why didn’t he include that obvious thing that I’ve been thinking about for years!?” Well, email me and I’ll write about it. Or you go write on it, how about that? If you tell me where it is, I'll read it.
Boiled down, we have a steep hill to climb, and like Sysephus, as soon as we get to the top something will roll our boulder back down. That’s just the way of life on this planet. We can get depressed about it and quit. Or we can say, “I don’t do this for anyone else to approve of. I want to do it, and so I will.” And that’s enough. There are no wrong choices in this life. Only choices that make us less or more comfortable, increase or decrease our enjoyment of our extremely limited time on this earth, are more or less efficient by some arbitrary standard, etc… Who cares? Just do what you like and try not to get in other peoples’ ways. Try not to be a dick. Oh, you’ll be a dick. I promise you’ll be a dick. But notice when you’re a dick and say sorry. This is what “Do Better” should mean. Just do your best.
Don’t put up with bullshit. But don’t let other people’s bullshit derail you. It’ll be your fault if you do. Don’t say yes when the answer is no. Free yourself from rules. Blaze your own trail and fuck the haters, of which there will be plenty, my friend. Especially when they see you’re on your own path, not following the rules they thought were set in stone. They’ll come out of the woodwork to hate on you for your strength of character. You don’t have to engage in that hate, but you can facilitate their freeing themselves by listening and being curious. Ironic, isn't it? Haha.
I hope I didn’t paint too dark a picture. There is real hope for some breathtaking theatre coming out of this difficult last century. We’re the ones who’ll make it. We’d better get after it. Time’s a wastin’.
Zack Preston Rouse
June 21st, 2021
Eureka, CA
ziggidyone@gmail.com
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