Easy Hicks

A couple of weeks ago I had an interview, a meeting (an audition of sorts) with a director and an actor/playwright. I was meeting with them because I was up for a role. The meeting went well, immediately after I was sure the role was mine. I called MinDog and told her to pack her stuff because she would have to visit me while I was away. We planned, laughed and I recounted what happened in the meeting. This was going to be a nice dose of good in the middle of our summer.


I was floating after the meeting. I've had meetings before but I don't recall floating after them, something was different about that day. Being near levitation had everything to do with the meeting, specifically a particular set of questions they had asked me. Who is the most influential director you have worked with and why? I paused when they asked the question and the director elaborated. She asked, "Who do you think you learned the most potent lesson from at this point? Who did you enjoy working with at Juilliard and why?"


Of course I began my answer with the generic that we are all obligated to give because it's true. "I've learned from everybody I've worked with….blah, blah, blah." After delivering the generic statement I checked their eyes to see if they really wanted the detailed answer that was ready to slip off of my tongue the minute the question was asked. They wanted it. They also saw that I was ready to give it.

Israel Hicks.

"I've heard of him." That's what the actor/playwright said. "I don't know who he is," the director said.
Well, I went on, he was the most influential because he was so EASY in the room. He was so easy that the work seemed easy. Well, easier. I wasn't accustomed to working in that kind of environment. I wasn't accustomed to breaking rehearsal early because everyone was tired. I was accustomed to beating a scene to death until something worked or until I knew it wasn't working because of me. I wasn't accustomed to laughter and jokes in the room but the work still getting done. I wasn't used to hearing the best stories a director could possible tell…secretly influencing the storytelling that would happen on stage. I was accustomed to directors telling stories and basically saying, now get that in there, show me that. I wasn't accustomed to WANTING to be in and going to rehearsal when I wasn't even called. I wasn't accustomed to a director taking time to speak to each person in the cast truthfully. I wasn't accustomed to asking can I trail you for a day and getting the answer, "sure." As if it was nothing. I wasn't accustomed to someone telling me to be easy in an easy manner. Israel Hicks was so EASY. It was at a time when I needed it most and those around me needed it most. I watched him at work and wondered why he wasn't saying anything about that, or that, or that…but he was saying something about all of it just not in the "I'm going to make you feel really bad about yourself way." He was easy and gentle and smart and inventive and creative and nurturing and made me feel like I was a part of a process and taught me that I should always should be a part of a process…he taught me to not shy away from what I have to offer. He talked to me about first impressions and reminded me that everyone isn't easily attuned to my heart so I may need to be easy…EASY, EASY, EASY.There is so much more…

After the meeting that day, since I had talked Israel up, he was on my mind. So of course I was levitating. When I think of him I think of so many things but mostly I remember to be easy and take my time. Even talking about him in the meeting changed my demeanor…yummy! I think of the people that had the opportunity to be around him for decades…wow. The gems they must have. I have a whole sack full of gems given to me by Israel Hicks and I didn't have the opportunity to be around him that long, they must have truck loads.

That has to be the mark of a great teacher…it has to be.

A few days later I got an email from the director of the project I was up for that basically said we loved you but we went with someone else.

Uh, Ok. There was nothing I could do about that except bemoan my existence for two seconds and then move on. And that's what I did because I really have learned how to be easy with myself, I'm getting better at it and of course I'm still working on being easy with others.

Thanks for the gems Israel Hicks! I'm trying to rock them every day.

Read more about Israel Hicks in this Denver Post article...just click here.