How to Deal with Difficult Actors

On behalf of tvlesson.com, my name is Joseph Alder and I'm producing artistic director
of GableStage in Coral Gables, Florida.

I'm often asked about what it’s like to deal with difficult actors. I had to tell you that I've
been privilege in my opinion to have spent my career working with actors I think as a
group. They are the most intelligent, the most caring, the most committed and people I
could ever hope to work with. And the most unselfish I must say too, the idea of an actor
stepping all over everyone to get a part. I mean that’s not the way I see it and not the way
it’s been for me. I must say in all sincerity, I don’t think I've worked with one actor in my
career that I wouldn’t work with again. That’s not to say that some aren't more difficult
than others.

Of course, the term difficult has to be defined. Usually a difficult actor is somebody
whose been abused and misused for so many years that when they get a chance to
actually put their foot down and to express themselves, all of their anguish and anxiety
comes out. And it’s not that difficult to deal with if you recognize that that’s often what
the case maybe. There are difficult people. As a matter of fact, I think people in this
profession are called difficult or “high-maintenance” when they ask too many questions.

Now, speaking only for myself, I welcome it. I love it when people ask questions. I
especially love it when they have opinions. And when those opinions don’t coincide with
mine, I think that’s something that has to be encouraged during the process. After all,
theater is about conflict. So they try to remove conflict completely from their rehearsal
process is kind of absurd. I mean its conflict that makes the play work. So occasionally
we need a little conflict in the rehearsal process. So if that’s what happens when you're
working with difficult actors, it’s usually something that can be resolve with a discussion.

On behalf of tvlesson.com, I'm Joseph Alder. Thank you for watching.