Get Out There and Smile!

When I was a young entertainer, I had directors who would say exactly that:

“Get out there and smile!”

What they meant was simple: walk onstage, give the audience a great big smile, and everything will be just fine.

And many of us—myself included—did exactly that.

But eventually, I realized that not every moment calls for a smile. A scene might be joyful, but it might also be tender, mischievous, uncertain or heartbreaking. So I began paying closer attention to what the moment was actually about and allowing the emotion—not a rehearsed expression—to lead me.

Years later, when I became a writer and director, I wanted performers to understand that emotional context is critical. I also wanted them to discover how much depth can live inside something as seemingly simple as a smile.

Is it a grin, a chuckle or a full, unrestrained laugh? Are you being coy or sly? Are you smiling to hide your nervousness—or somehow laughing through the tears?

The deeper you explore the emotion, the more truthful the moment becomes.

A painted-on smile is exactly that: paint. It may be bright, but it is still a mask. The audience shouldn’t merely see that you are smiling. They should understand why.

So my direction now begins very differently:

Never go onstage and smile without a reason.

Find the moment. Understand what you’re feeling. Let the expression come from someplace honest.

And once you know why you’re smiling, I can safely say:

Now, get out there and smile!