ON THE PAGE, ON THE STAGE
Monday, September 19, 2022 - column #7125
On the page, on the stage.
I like that phrase – something I heard recently on the radio when a playwright was being interviewed about the nuances of his craft, that if something wasn’t on the page, he could not expect his thoughts to be portrayed on the stage no matter how good the actor or director might be.
I tuned out the rest of the interview – my mind focused entirely on that phrase. I wondered how often I’d not gotten my message across, made my point or even made progress if my true meaning was stuck in my head somehow, situations where I had not convinced someone of something – because it was still stuck in my head.
We are on stage when we talk to someone, comment in a meeting, show up on a Zoom call, or write a text, email or letter. Is our message on the page? Are we conveying clarity to our audience when we are on stage?
“Do you know what a playwright is? A playwright is someone who lets his guts hang out on the stage.” – Edward Albee
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