People do not come to a Penn & Teller show to see a magic show. They just don't. They come to see weird stuff that they can see no place else, that will make them laugh and make the little hairs stand up on the backs of their necks.
TellerRead
Onstage, you just have to tell the absolute truth about the character you are playing. You hope you communicate it, and you hope it comes back like a tennis ball. If you're listening to the sound of your own voice, nobody else is. The audience knows, and they freeze on you.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Performing requires authenticity and connection with the audience.
This quote emphasizes the importance of sincerity in performance. Carol Channing suggests that when actors portray a character truthfully, they not only engage their audience effectively, but they also create a reciprocal relationship, much like a conversation, where the audience's reaction enhances the performance, bringing it to life.
Themes
PerformanceAuthenticityAudienceTruthCharacter
In practice
Example use cases
Using this quote during a drama workshop to emphasize the importance of genuine acting.
Similar quotes
Very quickly a painting is turned into a facsimile of itself when one becomes so familiar with with it that one recognizes it without looking at it.
Robert RauschenbergRead
Spoken word poetry is the art of performance poetry. I tell people it involves creating poetry that doesn't just want to sit on paper, that something about it demands it be heard out loud or witnessed in person.
Sarah KayRead
It was incredible to have J Dilla in your dining room making beats - it was one of the greatest experiences I've had.
CommonRead
I could imagine at a certain age, when I have no vocal cords left, that I would find a young man who could sing my parts for me. But I don't see why I would stop.
David BowieRead
A good poet feels what his community feels. _x000D_ Like if you stub your toe, the rest of your body hurts.
Gil Scott-HeronRead