--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Usually, I don't feel comfortable with a…" description: "\"Usually, I don't feel comfortable with a character until I've played him before an audience for several performances. It is not until after three month..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f62/brian-stokes-mitchell-6113_audience_usually-i-don-t-feel-comfortable-with-a_1995557.jpg" --- # Usually, I don't feel comfortable with a character until… ![“Usually, I don't feel comfortable with a character until I've played him before an audience for several performances. It is not until after three months of performing that I learn to discover what I call 'all the nooks and crannies' of the person.” quote by Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f62/brian-stokes-mitchell-6113_audience_usually-i-don-t-feel-comfortable-with-a_1995557.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f62/brian-stokes-mitchell-6113_audience_usually-i-don-t-feel-comfortable-with-a_1995557.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f62/brian-stokes-mitchell-6113_audience_usually-i-don-t-feel-comfortable-with-a_1995557.jpg) > “Usually, I don't feel comfortable with a character until I've played him before an audience for several performances. It is not until after three months of performing that I learn to discover what I call 'all the nooks and crannies' of the person.” [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding a character fully requires repeated live performances, allowing deeper insight over time. **In simple terms:** Live performance reveals character depth. Key Takeaway Perform repeatedly to discover nuances. Themes the acting character development performance process learning Mood reflective analytical Type educational inspirational When to use this quote - Theatre rehearsals - long-running shows - character workshops Key Concepts Method acting embodiment audience interaction Questions to Reflect On - How does audience feedback shape your portrayal? - What techniques help uncover hidden traits? A Different Perspective Time constraints may limit depth of exploration. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Feel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feel/) [Learn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/learn/) [Months Performing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/months-performing-3388363/) [Performances Months](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performances-months-3482942/) [Performing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/performing/) [Person](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/person/) [Played Audience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/played-audience-1405532/) [Three months](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/three-months/) ## Related quotes > [In every waking hour a sacred theater is in session, played out before an audience that is largely blind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-meyers/in-every-waking-hour-a-sacred-theater-is-in-session-played-out-before/) [Robin Meyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-meyers/) > [“There is no you, Maria, any more than there is a me. There is only this way that we have established over the months…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-roth/there-is-no-you-maria-any-more-than-there-is-a-me-there-is-only-this/) [Philip Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-roth/) > [Before my commercial career, I never played for more than an audience of 99 seats somewhere in downtown New York, but occasionally someone would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-marcarelli/before-my-commercial-career-i-never-played-for-more-than-an-audience/) [Paul Marcarelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-marcarelli/) > [I always say it takes three weeks to know a character and three months to own it. And I think that's probably true of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/i-always-say-it-takes-three-weeks-to-know-a-character-and-three/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [Most of my career has been about standing on a stage performing music to an audience, and once the show is over, they go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-lake/most-of-my-career-has-been-about-standing-on-a-stage-performing-music/) [Greg Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-lake/) > [And treating poetry as a performing art emphasizes its ephemerality. A printed poem can be endlessly reprinted, photocopied, scanned, uploaded, cut and pasted -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-arthur/and-treating-poetry-as-a-performing-art-emphasizes-its-ephemerality-a/) [James Arthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-arthur/) > [It was always acting, singing and dancing that I loved. Not the horror of performing on the piano in front of an assembled audience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-lavin/it-was-always-acting-singing-and-dancing-that-i-loved-not-the-horror/) [Linda Lavin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-lavin/) > [When you are performing in theater, you feel so connected to your audience. Its exhilarating!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-marano/when-you-are-performing-in-theater-you-feel-so-connected-to-your/) [Laura Marano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-marano/) > [I love performing on stage the most. It's getting that instant reaction from a live audience. There are no boundaries, you can take your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-ellison/i-love-performing-on-stage-the-most-it-s-getting-that-instant/) [Jennifer Ellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-ellison/) > [I had to get used to wearing a mask and wearing a prosthetic and performing with those things while singing and expressing myself through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerard-butler/i-had-to-get-used-to-wearing-a-mask-and-wearing-a-prosthetic-and/) [Gerard Butler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerard-butler/) > [ I love doing sitcoms and I love performing in front of a live audience, so \[Payne\] was a really fun experience. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-benz/i-love-doing-sitcoms-and-i-love-performing-in-front-of-a-live/) [Julie Benz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-benz/) > [We can't have a government that will collapse in three months.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-varadkar/we-can-t-have-a-government-that-will-collapse-in-three-months/) [Leo Varadkar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-varadkar/) > [“My aunt Carol hasn’t heard her say a word in the whole six years and three months of Grace’s life—not a single syllable. Carol…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-oliver/my-aunt-carol-hasn-t-heard-her-say-a-word-in-the-whole-six-years-and/) [Lauren Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-oliver/) > [“Winter was every kid’s favorite season in Kabul, at least those whose fathers could afford to buy a good iron stove. The reason was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/winter-was-every-kid-s-favorite-season-in-kabul-at-least-those-whose/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) ## More by Brian Stokes Mitchell > [Stay as connected as you can. Sometimes that means you're going to do a job that may not pay you much but may give…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/stay-as-connected-as-you-can-sometimes-that-means-you-re-going-to-do/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [Cabaret presents different challenges, as it is all on me. I love having the freedom to say anything you want - do anything you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/cabaret-presents-different-challenges-as-it-is-all-on-me-i-love/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [I love doing theater. It's what I grew up in and is my roots. I get a huge fulfillment from it. But if my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/i-love-doing-theater-it-s-what-i-grew-up-in-and-is-my-roots-i-get-a/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > ['Kiss Me, Kate' was my 'Ragtime' Tony.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/kiss-me-kate-was-my-ragtime-tony/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [I've always felt that my career was in wiser hands than mine. Whatever, in its good time, is supposed to happen will happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/i-ve-always-felt-that-my-career-was-in-wiser-hands-than-mine-whatever/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [I started out on the stage, then I had a great career in television for quite a few years. The good news about a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/i-started-out-on-the-stage-then-i-had-a-great-career-in-television/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [My favorite music is jazz, actually. It's what I listen to, it's what I was raised on, and it's what I prefer to sing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/my-favorite-music-is-jazz-actually-it-s-what-i-listen-to-it-s-what-i/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [I love the theater, and I just don't love television like that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/i-love-the-theater-and-i-just-don-t-love-television-like-that/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [You need raw talent to be successful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/you-need-raw-talent-to-be-successful/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [I always say it takes three weeks to know a character and three months to own it. And I think that's probably true of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/i-always-say-it-takes-three-weeks-to-know-a-character-and-three/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [Oddly enough, I almost never listen to show tunes. But there are some shows I love, like Adam Guettel's 'Floyd Collins.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/oddly-enough-i-almost-never-listen-to-show-tunes-but-there-are-some/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [I like being different people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/i-like-being-different-people/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [I kind of feel the career chose me. My motto has always been, 'Go where I'm wanted.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/i-kind-of-feel-the-career-chose-me-my-motto-has-always-been-go-where/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [I'm one of the few lucky actors in the world. I've never waited tables. I never pumped gas. I've always earned a living. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/i-m-one-of-the-few-lucky-actors-in-the-world-i-ve-never-waited-tables/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) > [Through most of my life, music has been like a radio that plays and plays in my head.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-stokes-mitchell/through-most-of-my-life-music-has-been-like-a-radio-that-plays-and/) [Brian Stokes Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) [Explore all 100 Brian Stokes Mitchell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-stokes-mitchell/) ## More Audience quotes > [If the audience likes your work, if they like you, they don't think whether you are married or have children or not. I made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dimple-kapadia/if-the-audience-likes-your-work-if-they-like-you-they-don-t-think/) [Dimple Kapadia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dimple-kapadia/) > [It's those moments, those odd moments that you look for and sometimes by creating this kind of loose atmosphere you find those little moments…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-levinson/it-s-those-moments-those-odd-moments-that-you-look-for-and-sometimes/) [Barry Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-levinson/) > [I can skate beautifully. While performing on ice I always try to please the audience and to win as well. Being artistic is very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evgeni-plushenko/i-can-skate-beautifully-while-performing-on-ice-i-always-try-to/) [Evgeni Plushenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evgeni-plushenko/) > [One of the best moments of any Liars show is hearing the crowd squawk 'We're doomed! We're doomed!' on cue during 'We Fenced Other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-sheffield/one-of-the-best-moments-of-any-liars-show-is-hearing-the-crowd-squawk/) [Rob Sheffield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-sheffield/) > [It's the adrenaline rush you only get from being in front of an audience. It's addictive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-saadiq/it-s-the-adrenaline-rush-you-only-get-from-being-in-front-of-an/) [Raphael Saadiq](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-saadiq/) > [If I had to speak in front of a Korean audience, I would be hard pressed to sound other than a little girl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/an-na/if-i-had-to-speak-in-front-of-a-korean-audience-i-would-be-hard/) [An Na](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/an-na/) > [The liveness of theater, and the excitement of experiencing it alongside an audience, is something you can't get at home. That makes the theater…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-blaemire/the-liveness-of-theater-and-the-excitement-of-experiencing-it/) [Nick Blaemire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-blaemire/) > [One of the things that touches me most when I play for an audience is that although we may be unable to communicate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hough/one-of-the-things-that-touches-me-most-when-i-play-for-an-audience-is/) [Stephen Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hough/) > [I have to feel the audience. I enjoy that feeling of community.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-gahan/i-have-to-feel-the-audience-i-enjoy-that-feeling-of-community/) [Dave Gahan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-gahan/) > [When you lived it for years and years and years and seen different characters just get pummeled and squashed because 'I said so,' it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arn-anderson/when-you-lived-it-for-years-and-years-and-years-and-seen-different/) [Arn Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arn-anderson/) > [“During the first few minutes of your presentation, your job is to assure the audience members that you are not going to waste their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/during-the-first-few-minutes-of-your-presentation-your-job-is-to/) [Dale Ludwig and Greg Owen-Boger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-ludwig-and-greg-owen-boger/) > [Donald Trump is a different ball of wax. I've been trying to say for I don't know how many months now that the traditional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/donald-trump-is-a-different-ball-of-wax-i-ve-been-trying-to-say-for-i/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [I don't think about who the audience is for my books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-k-rowling-2/i-don-t-think-about-who-the-audience-is-for-my-books/) [J. K. Rowling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-k-rowling-2/) > [I feel I have been playing all primary characters. And if your character forms a connect with the audience, it doesn't matter if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angad-bedi/i-feel-i-have-been-playing-all-primary-characters-and-if-your/) [Angad Bedi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angad-bedi/) > [When I was playing piano, it was like, 'I'm going to write a song using all the white keys.' My music director, who knew…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-tesh/when-i-was-playing-piano-it-was-like-i-m-going-to-write-a-song-using/) [John Tesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-tesh/) [Browse all 9,118 Audience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/audience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Usually, I don't feel comfortable with a character until I've played him before an audience for several performances. 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