I love being perfect. And I LOVE getting it right on the first try.
Rehearsal? What’s that? Don’t need it.
I’ve gone on stage millions of times and experienced it all–good and bad. Standing ovations, 30-second rolling laughs at my jokes, I’ve even had an audience walk out in the middle of a show (one time in college, experimenting with in-your-face-theater).
You name it, I can handle it. If anything goes awry, I’ll deal with it, perfectly, in the moment.
NO. REHEARSAL. NECESSARY.
Besides–rehearsing just makes my performance feel stale and robotic.
That’s what I thought, until…
I moved to Los Angeles. An actor’s paradise (or hell-hole depending on how you look at it). I’d walk into the audition room–unrehearsed–and try to compete with LA actors.
Spoiler alert: They blew me out of the water every time–
Why? Cause if you’re NOT serious about making it as an actor in Hollywood, then you’re NOT gonna make it.
So, actors in LA don’t just rehearse their scripts for auditions; they take classes to practice getting ready for the audition itself!
Fast forward a couple ass-kicking auditions later….
I broke my “no rehearsal” rule because banking on being ‘perfect’ the first time wasn’t actually ‘banking’ any gigs.
Here’s what changed:
- Less Fear: Perfectionism meant I was afraid to make a mistake. Rehearsing helped me get comfortable with the unexpected so I could recover quickly and NOT beat myself up over every slip-up.
- Flexibility: Over-rehearsing is a myth! The more I practiced, the more relaxed and adaptable I got AKA less robotic.
- Top shape: Keeping my skills sharp meant I was never out of ‘work-shape.’ LA actors might not get paid every day, but they’re working every day to make sure they do.
- FUN: Practicing my craft with other actors made me enjoy the process even more!
Now let’s apply this to your work as an attorney…
What if you could iron the wrinkles out of your upcoming depo, cross-examination or opening statement while you boost your confidence, and reduce the mojo-killing effects of perfectionism?
Answer: It’s exactly what our courses and trial consulting help attorneys do.
Which one of these is missing from your trial rehearsal process?
Witness Simulation: Leverage your witness’s kryptonite. Give us your case details + witness specifics and we’ll play the part–realistically. Takeaway insider info on what makes them tick–their feelings, thoughts, effective control techniques–before you even face them.
Acting for Trial Lawyers 100 On-Demand: No more robotic storytelling! This is your re-createable method for rehearsing and presenting an opening statement that hooks your audience. Bonus: familiarization/memorization hacks so you can stay engaged with your listeners.
Not sure what’s right for you? That’s OK. Let’s strategize together. Tell us your goals and we’ll tell you how we can help. No strings attached. Just real solutions.