--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was growing up in the '80s and…" description: "\"When I was growing up in the '80s and working in the theater, David Mamet exploded with a whole new reworking of what dialogue should sound like. It wa..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8a/anthony-mccarten-16426_communication_when-i-was-growing-up-in-the-80s-and-wor_2690795.jpg" --- # When I was growing up in the '80s and working in the… ![“When I was growing up in the '80s and working in the theater, David Mamet exploded with a whole new reworking of what dialogue should sound like. It was punchy and raw and repetitive, bursting with dynamic. I remember that switching on a lot of lights for me.” quote by Anthony McCarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8a/anthony-mccarten-16426_communication_when-i-was-growing-up-in-the-80s-and-wor_2690795.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8a/anthony-mccarten-16426_communication_when-i-was-growing-up-in-the-80s-and-wor_2690795.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c8a/anthony-mccarten-16426_communication_when-i-was-growing-up-in-the-80s-and-wor_2690795.jpg) > “When I was growing up in the '80s and working in the theater, David Mamet exploded with a whole new reworking of what dialogue should sound like. It was punchy and raw and repetitive, bursting with dynamic. I remember that switching on a lot of lights for me.” [Anthony McCarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-mccarten/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Mamet's raw, punchy dialogue revitalized theater, inspiring dynamic, energetic performances **In simple terms:** Mamet's style energized theater Key Takeaway Embrace bold, authentic dialogue in creative work Themes theater dialogue creativity Mood energized reflective Type observational inspirational When to use this quote - playwriting - acting workshops - directing rehearsals - script editing Key Concepts dramatic structure authentic voice Questions to Reflect On - How does raw dialogue affect audience engagement? - When is repetition effective in storytelling? A Different Perspective Some audiences may find the style too aggressive or repetitive ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [David Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/david-mamet-330353/) [Growing up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growing-up/) [Mamet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mamet-330354/) [Mamet Exploded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mamet-exploded-2656064/) [New](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new/) [Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember/) [Sound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sound/) [Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/up/) [Working Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/working-theater-540580/) ## Related quotes > [ David Mamet, Tim Kazurinsky, and Denise DeClue, who adapted \[ About Last Night\]. Between the three of them... I mean, it's always down to… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-lowe/david-mamet-tim-kazurinsky-and-denise-declue-who-adapted-about-last/) [Rob Lowe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-lowe/) > [David Mamet was great to work with. He was everything that I thought he would be as a director. He's incredibly articulate, an easy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chiwetel-ejiofor/david-mamet-was-great-to-work-with-he-was-everything-that-i-thought/) [Chiwetel Ejiofor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chiwetel-ejiofor/) > [I learned a long time ago from David Mamet to wipe your feet at the door, get it out on stage and then go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patti-lupone/i-learned-a-long-time-ago-from-david-mamet-to-wipe-your-feet-at-the/) [Patti LuPone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patti-lupone/) > [David Mamet's writing is pretty spectacular, obviously. I like the honesty of it; I like how funny it is and how sad it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-r-knight/david-mamet-s-writing-is-pretty-spectacular-obviously-i-like-the/) [T. R. Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-r-knight/) > [Any time you get to do a David Mamet play, it's a great opportunity. His writing is such that I think it's a big…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-priestley/any-time-you-get-to-do-a-david-mamet-play-it-s-a-great-opportunity/) [Jason Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-priestley/) > [David Mamet gives me great heart. When I ask myself, 'I don't know if I can do this again,' Mamet would say, 'Oh yes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-ripley/david-mamet-gives-me-great-heart-when-i-ask-myself-i-don-t-know-if-i/) [Alice Ripley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-ripley/) > [You've never seen anything until you've seen David Mamet be an Edwardian lady. He always conveys what he means, but he's so... masculine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-steenburgen/you-ve-never-seen-anything-until-you-ve-seen-david-mamet-be-an/) [Mary Steenburgen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-steenburgen/) > [I would probably do anything with David Mamet. He's so great. I just love his writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-kilmer/i-would-probably-do-anything-with-david-mamet-he-s-so-great-i-just/) [Val Kilmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-kilmer/) > [It's more than sentimental for me to be working in theater in New York; it's very personal. I think it's a spiritual experience for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-scolari/it-s-more-than-sentimental-for-me-to-be-working-in-theater-in-new/) [Peter Scolari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-scolari/) > [I was working in theater, so I didn't get to go to my prom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-ortega/i-was-working-in-theater-so-i-didn-t-get-to-go-to-my-prom/) [Kenny Ortega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-ortega/) > [That's the main lesson I've learned from working in the theater: respect the dramaturgy. I don't want to overwhelm everything with music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-desplat/that-s-the-main-lesson-i-ve-learned-from-working-in-the-theater/) [Alexandre Desplat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-desplat/) > [There are directors you never, ever want to get close to. Lubitsch was one. 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Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-r-knight/) > [I loved being in the room with Mamet as a director - he is the most generous, funny, delightful person to work for every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-thomas/i-loved-being-in-the-room-with-mamet-as-a-director-he-is-the-most/) [Richard Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-thomas/) > [I think I'm better than Mamet, I would say.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-mckay/i-think-i-m-better-than-mamet-i-would-say/) [Adam McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-mckay/) ## More by Anthony McCarten > [One of the great things about Churchill is that he had the guts to say the unpalatable, to level with the people, even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-mccarten/one-of-the-great-things-about-churchill-is-that-he-had-the-guts-to/) [Anthony McCarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-mccarten/) > [At 17, I wanted to be a rock star.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-mccarten/at-17-i-wanted-to-be-a-rock-star/) [Anthony McCarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-mccarten/) > [Reading is essential to human life. 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This means that when I do get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-mccarten/my-routine-is-to-create-activities-for-myself-unrelated-to-writing/) [Anthony McCarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-mccarten/) > [I was born to a very large family, one of 7 kids. 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From this all troubles rise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-mccarten/finally-it-s-not-the-lies-we-tell-others-that-do-the-most-damage-it-s/) [Anthony McCarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-mccarten/) > [We're living in extraordinary times, all the time. The issues that assail us are perennial. They haven't changed since the Greeks picked up a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anthony-mccarten/we-re-living-in-extraordinary-times-all-the-time-the-issues-that/) [Anthony McCarten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anthony-mccarten/) > [It's impossible to make a living in the arts unless you make a fortune. There's almost no in-between. 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Smashing heads does not open minds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deborah-tannen/in-dialogue-there-is-opposition-yes-but-no-head-on-collision-smashing/) [Deborah Tannen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deborah-tannen/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [I get afraid of the dark if I'm in a great deal of dark, and I have to move around inside of that fear...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emil-ferris/i-get-afraid-of-the-dark-if-i-m-in-a-great-deal-of-dark-and-i-have-to/) [Emil Ferris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emil-ferris/) > [I've been in a serious conversation with one of my children, and a fan has come up. 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