Inside The Actor’s Studio

“Acting is all about honesty. If you can fake that, you’ve got it made.”~ George Burns

 

In a funny way, that kind of describes faith, venturing confidently into the unknown without really knowing what we're doing. But, when we act in faith, we're not faking it, we're trusting in the one who knows what's going on. Getting from here to there, however, can be humorous. Take a look at my acting process and see if any of it looks familiar to you.

How I Write Myself Into The Story

I find it amusing how I write myself into the Scriptures. When I read the Gospels for example, I never seem to take on the role of a Pharisee, rejecting Jesus as the Messiah; nor do I ever find myself walking away from his hard sayings. I always seem to play the role of a true believer, the one smart enough to figure out what’s going on, eager to believe and be commended by Jesus himself. 

In this play, one where I already know the outcomes of each scene, I am able to cast myself as a character who performs well. But, what I come out looking pretty good. Unfortunately, in real life, it's not that easy.

That’s Acting!

Let's face it! We all want to look good playing our parts, but while we have a script to follow, it lacks some of the finer details of stage direction when on the stage of life. When we're lost, we often find ways to compensate.

One method includes over-acting in some form of false humility where we play our roles in silent faith, appearing as those who would not vainly grasp for glory. Likewise, we might find it necessary to hide our discomfort when playing alongside others who are, or who might project themselves as being “more spiritual” than ourselves.

Perhaps we are just stuck in some roles that were never written for us because we haven’t known how to properly get into the character created for us.

It’s on the Page, But Is It on the Stage?

Let’s face it, no matter where we are in the process, our expression of faith can look better on paper and in our own eyes than it does in reality. I have both deceptively acted as if I had it all together, and in false humility, pretended as if my role is less important than that of others. I must, as they say, learn to commit to the role put before me. It’s in the script, but I need to live it out dynamically on stage for all the world is a stage. We all must believe that this is not only possible, but understand that this is the commission we’ve been given. 

Roles of A Lifetime

Look at the drama going on around us! The world is ready for a modern revival of the Book of Acts. After all, its an action-adventure vehicle which has proven itself the perfect counter-cultural play. If we were to enact a revival of this transformative drama, the poster would again read, "They turned the world upside down!" Yes, we’ll be playing against type, no longer stuck in our self-imposed silent movie, or in our own horribly produced and performed, B movie. 

This is our big shot! We have the opportunity to perform the perfect production for the perfect audience. Can we honestly act any other way?

Stealing the Scene

We must ignore the critics who believe that by taking the stage, we'll do nothing but overshadow Jesus, the star of the show. I doubt if actors performing with Robert De Niro, or Meryl Streep think to themselves, "Gee, I hope I don't show them up." Likewise, we must have faith that Jesus is secure enough in his position that he has the grace to help groom us to be his proteges. After all, we have been both cast and commissioned to follow his lead in acting out the Gospel. Even on our best day, we can never steal the scene from Jesus, so there is no need for false humility on this set.

Yet, as we embrace this honest motivation to take on the role before us, our boldness can come across as threatening to those who have not yet, or never will, take that risk. This is how the critic was born. Regretfully, I sometimes find myself playing that role.

A Supporting Role

If I do my best work as a supporting cast member and give my strongest performance, I can only bring more credibility to the protagonist—the star of the show.

A good supporting cast member recognizes that they too are being supported. We must always trust in the director’s skill and ability. We can relax for if we flub a line or miss a cue, he's more than able to compensate. 

Taking an Honest Risk

As I began this actor’s studio, I recounted that how, on paper, I have cast myself in all the right roles, saving myself from any dangerous plot twists and surprise endings. While I read the scriptures, I somehow end up as the hero in every scene. While Peter denied Jesus three times, I didn't do it once. Neither did I call down fire from heaven, nor did I ask to sit at Jesus' right hand. When I read the script, I cast myself as positioned in a safe place. I'm never wrong and I'm never found in a place of uncertainty. And if the suspense gets too high, I skim over those sections of scripture which would require from me a higher sense of accountability.

The best actors in the business will tell you that they still get nervous before a performance and that's all right. That's because they know that the unknown before them can reap great benefits. They call it risk, but Jesus calls it faith. So that begs the question, when he returns to the stage, will he find us taking those risks?

End Scene

A curtain call never takes place on an empty stage. When the Son of Man returns, will he find faith on the earth? Only if there are cast members filling their roles, willing to act in faith.

The fact is, while this saga is closer than ever to coming to an end, we don't have any real idea when the final scene will be played. We must act as if the show must go on. That's our motivation and that's how we get into character. 

The Experience

Sometimes, we get too caught up in staging, trying to authentically replicate concrete pillars and leather sandals, forgetting that we've been cast primarily as performers and not stage hands. Too often we get caught up in the props more than the proper motivation needed to faithfully tell his story. What we need to experience is a revival of the Book of Acts. The show is not about robes and chariots, but about swords! 

When Peter preached his sermon at Pentecost, it says that the people were cut to the heart. That's the performance we should attempt to capture. Each of us have been cast in the role of a lifetime and its not something that we can fake, as George Burns jokingly suggested. 

This is, however, a role that should stretch as if we're participating in a master acting class, and...we kind of are!