Be dedicated, be yourself, and always say yes

This post stems from a few experiences that have happened to me in the past little while. From what I've seen, being dedicated, natural and willing can get you far in life, and this is directly applicable to creative writers and other artists.

Be dedicated: For a while now I have been part of a production of Shakespeare's 'Much Ado About Nothing' in Spanish Fork. Things have been a little complicated and dramatic, but I've always tried to do my best, and show up on time and work hard. Because of this, I am being considered for being recast as Beatrice, and will at the least be understudying for that role. I am super excited about this, but these opportunities are readily available to people who are simply dedicated and ready to work. Those are characteristics that really do set you apart.

Be yourself: A couple weeks ago I auditioned for the Princess Festival in Lindon, Utah. I auditioned with my roommates, and one of them is a theater major. We went through the roles, and my first thoughts were that the role of a stepsister would not only be the most fun, but also would be the part I could probably do best. I've never been very "princessesque". Her advice to me whenever we go audition is that I should just give them what I've got, and not worry about trying to fit a specific role. So thats what I did. When we got to the auditions, they gave us both a character side and a princess side. When it was my turn, I went to go up to the big audition room and tripped up the stairs. Yes, tripped up the stairs. I then sang 'I'm a Woman' from Smokey Joe's Cafe. After my song, with somewhere between amused and bemused looks on their faces, they said, "We'll just have you read the character one." So I did. I went all out, and just gave them my best character self. And guess what? I'm a stepsister! It's like the story behind Anne Hathaway and Princess Diaries: I've heard that she was cast because she fell off the chair during auditions. So no matter who you are, don't be afraid of it, and give it your all. Good things will come of it.

Always Say Yes: Ok, ok, so having just recently seen 'Yes Man' for the first time only has slight bearing on this post. Ok, so more then slight. But the movie has a good point. Good things come when you're not afraid to take opportunities. I would not have any of those theater opportunities if I had not said yes to auditions, and at least for the princess ones I almost didn't. I have honestly been trying this the past little while, and I'm discovering that saying yes really isn't as scary as it seems. You don't have to say yes to throwing rocks at bank windows or giving a stranger all your money, but get over the fear/inconvenience factor and say yes to things that you maybe typically wouldn't. This may actually be one of the best ways to enhance both your personal life and your artistic career.

What do you think? Do you find these traits helping you in your life?

Sarah Allen