Try To Suck Less

Tim: “…And Chris, that last song?”

Chris: “Yeah, I know, I came in late… It sucked.”

Tim: “Okay, so, I guess my note on that would be—try to suck less.”

Last Saturday, we held a rehearsal for Act I of the musical I co-wrote with my friend and collaborator, Les. It was only our third read-thru so as expected it was very stoppy-starty in the music department and generally clunky around the edges.

It was also the best time I’ve had with my clothes on!

The cast is made up of a bunch of Improv veterans, the most delicious gay man with the most fabulous handlebar mustache imaginable, and the lead is a dude who can sing your pants off. Seriously. When he sings my pants struggle to stay on.

Anyway, when I hear my words said by smart, funny people and when they sing the music we wrote, I float out of my body and hang out up on the ceiling with a box of Kleenex and a bag of popcorn.

Once they finished, the director, Tim, cleared his throat and went page by page giving “notes.” “Notes” in the theatre is a nice way of saying criticism. The director has the unenviable job of telling the actors what needs work.

“Try to suck less.”

The room erupted in laughter. I think I peed a little.

That is the best “note” ever given in the history of notes and one that I want to pay forward.

Whether we’re learning something new—flubbing something familiar—or seriously fucking up in the most heinous way imaginable—I have only one note for us—

Try to suck less.

Laugh it off.

Grab a beer.

Do better next time, and…

Don’t take ourselves so fucking seriously!

Carry on,
xox