Laugh at yourself, but don't ever aim your doubt at yourself. Be bold. When you embark for strange places, don't leave any of yourself safely on shore. Have the nerve to go into unexplored territory.
Alan AldaRead
On the stage, the characters express themselves more through words than images. So the arguments of the characters and the tension between characters - words have to be used to express that, and I love that about theater.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Theater relies on dialogue and character interactions to convey emotions and narratives.
In this quote, Alan Alda emphasizes the unique power of theater, highlighting how it is primarily through spoken words that characters convey their thoughts and feelings. This reliance on dialogue not only drives the plot but also fosters a deeper connection between the audience and the characters, showcasing the profound impact of language in storytelling within the performing arts.
Themes
TheaterDialogueCharactersExpressionArt
In practice
Example use cases
This quote would be perfect at a theater festival to highlight the importance of words in plays.
More from Alan Alda
All quotes →Begin challenging your own assumptions. Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in awhile, or the light won't come in.
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If you know what you're looking for, that's all you'll get - what's previously known. But when you're open to what's possible, you get something new - that's creativity.
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I found I wasn't asking good enough questions because I assumed I knew something. I would box them into a corner with a badly formed question, and they didn't know how to get out of it. Now, I let them take me through it step by step, and I listen.
Alan AldaRead
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