--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I got into a Broadway show before I ever…" description: "\"I got into a Broadway show before I ever sang and danced. I learned how after I got in the show.\" — Dick Van Dyke" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a9/dick-van-dyke-2430_actor_i-got-into-a-broadway-show-before-i-ever_438735.jpg" --- # I got into a Broadway show before I ever sang and danced… ![“I got into a Broadway show before I ever sang and danced. I learned how after I got in the show.” quote by Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a9/dick-van-dyke-2430_actor_i-got-into-a-broadway-show-before-i-ever_438735.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a9/dick-van-dyke-2430_actor_i-got-into-a-broadway-show-before-i-ever_438735.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4a9/dick-van-dyke-2430_actor_i-got-into-a-broadway-show-before-i-ever_438735.jpg) > “I got into a Broadway show before I ever sang and danced. I learned how after I got in the show.” [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He entered a Broadway production without prior dance or singing skills, learning on the job. **In simple terms:** Learned performance skills after joining a show. Key Takeaway Embrace learning through experience. Themes career growth learning by doing theatre Mood inspired reflective Type motivational career When to use this quote - auditioning - stage performance - career transitions Key Concepts skill acquisition on‑the‑job training Questions to Reflect On - What skill could you learn by jumping in? - How does on‑the‑job learning compare to formal training? A Different Perspective Learning on the job may lack formal foundation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Broadway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/broadway/) [Broadway show](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/broadway-show/) ## Related quotes > [When I got to Broadway, I conducted five Broadway shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-friedman/when-i-got-to-broadway-i-conducted-five-broadway-shows/) [David Friedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-friedman/) > [I was fortunate enough to live in a close proximity to Manhattan and got to see Broadway shows all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-zegler/i-was-fortunate-enough-to-live-in-a-close-proximity-to-manhattan-and/) [Rachel Zegler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-zegler/) > [In coming to New York, I got my first Broadway show six months after I got here. So that song, 'Movin' Too Fast,' means…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-henry/in-coming-to-new-york-i-got-my-first-broadway-show-six-months-after-i/) [Joshua Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-henry/) > [In '92, I got my first Broadway show as a performer - 'Crazy for You.' I was in the ensemble. In fact, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/casey-nicholaw/in-92-i-got-my-first-broadway-show-as-a-performer-crazy-for-you-i-was/) [Casey Nicholaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/casey-nicholaw/) > [“He can hum the music in his old man's quivering voice, but he prefers it in his head, where it lives on in violins…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evan-fallenberg/he-can-hum-the-music-in-his-old-man-s-quivering-voice-but-he-prefers/) Evan Fallenberg > [The first role that I got on Broadway was supposedly for a white man. But I had some producers who fought for me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/the-first-role-that-i-got-on-broadway-was-supposedly-for-a-white-man/) [Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) > [I remember the first time I saw a Broadway show and how excited I was. That really fuels me and for some, it's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-jacobs/i-remember-the-first-time-i-saw-a-broadway-show-and-how-excited-i-was/) [Adam Jacobs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-jacobs/) > [The first Broadway show that I ever saw was 'Kiss Me, Kate.' I was in New York, on a school trip.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cole-escola/the-first-broadway-show-that-i-ever-saw-was-kiss-me-kate-i-was-in-new/) [Cole Escola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cole-escola/) > [All the way on the West Coast, never having seen a Broadway show, it was like, 'They don't want me. There's nothing there for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daveed-diggs/all-the-way-on-the-west-coast-never-having-seen-a-broadway-show-it/) [Daveed Diggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daveed-diggs/) > [I was in my last year in high school when I began to think of becoming a dancer. I had never seen a Broadway…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-kelly/i-was-in-my-last-year-in-high-school-when-i-began-to-think-of/) [Paula Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-kelly/) > [I was occasionally getting calls for some things. But I would say, 22 to 29 was a lot of scuffling. Hoping to get called…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-gordon/i-was-occasionally-getting-calls-for-some-things-but-i-would-say-22/) [Jon Gordon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-gordon/) > [Some of my best friends have written Broadway shows. Allee Willis and Brenda Russell wrote The Color Purple which has been recently revived on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-koz/some-of-my-best-friends-have-written-broadway-shows-allee-willis-and/) [Dave Koz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-koz/) > [I am always in much better shape when I am doing a Broadway show because you have the eight shows a week to kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-krakowski/i-am-always-in-much-better-shape-when-i-am-doing-a-broadway-show/) [Jane Krakowski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-krakowski/) > [I've grown up watching and admiring Norm. Sherie actually starred in the first off-Broadway show I ever saw in New York, which was The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tituss-burgess/i-ve-grown-up-watching-and-admiring-norm-sherie-actually-starred-in/) [Tituss Burgess](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tituss-burgess/) > [All of a sudden, I was a young kid in my early 20s, and I had a couple of Broadway shows to my credit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-tenney/all-of-a-sudden-i-was-a-young-kid-in-my-early-20s-and-i-had-a-couple/) [Jon Tenney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-tenney/) ## More by Dick Van Dyke > [Today, with the subject matter that's around politically, and internationally and everything, I think Carl Reiner would have a ball. I think the format…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/today-with-the-subject-matter-that-s-around-politically-and/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [We used to get 27, 28 minutes to do a story in, and now they're lucky if they get 18 or 20 minutes. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/we-used-to-get-27-28-minutes-to-do-a-story-in-and-now-they-re-lucky/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [I did a 'Golden Girls' once, which shot in front of an audience, and that went well. I had a good time. But I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/i-did-a-golden-girls-once-which-shot-in-front-of-an-audience-and-that/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [A lot of the guilt didn't help my drinking at that point. I never expected a divorce to happen in my life particularly, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/a-lot-of-the-guilt-didn-t-help-my-drinking-at-that-point-i-never/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [No, no, it was the relationships. That was that group. People believed that Rob and Laura were really married in real life. You know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/no-no-it-was-the-relationships-that-was-that-group-people-believed/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [They did ask me to do 'Dancing With The Stars;' I said I can do one show, but on that show you have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/they-did-ask-me-to-do-dancing-with-the-stars-i-said-i-can-do-one-show/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [I've never been what you'd call a great singer, but I loved to sing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/i-ve-never-been-what-you-d-call-a-great-singer-but-i-loved-to-sing/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [I found doing that kind of comedy without an audience is just... for me, it's almost impossible. You need the audience to do their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/i-found-doing-that-kind-of-comedy-without-an-audience-is-just-for-me/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [I learned everything that I know about comedy and about show business and a lot about life from Carl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/i-learned-everything-that-i-know-about-comedy-and-about-show-business/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [I've had a lot of writers, in particular, who said they got into writing because of the 'Van Dyke Show.' They said it looked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/i-ve-had-a-lot-of-writers-in-particular-who-said-they-got-into/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [I cannot tell you what it means when children recognize. This is about the third generation for me. And when kids that small recognize…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/i-cannot-tell-you-what-it-means-when-children-recognize-this-is-about/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [So as my kids will tell you, they had a pretty normal life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/so-as-my-kids-will-tell-you-they-had-a-pretty-normal-life/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [I think, the 'Van Dyke Show' and 'Mary Poppins' are two of the best periods of my life. I had so much fun, I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/i-think-the-van-dyke-show-and-mary-poppins-are-two-of-the-best/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [I think it's being thrown at the wolves, we call it in our business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/i-think-it-s-being-thrown-at-the-wolves-we-call-it-in-our-business/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) > [My favorite unknown movie is 'The Comic.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-van-dyke/my-favorite-unknown-movie-is-the-comic/) [Dick Van Dyke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) [Explore all 166 Dick Van Dyke quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-van-dyke/) ## More Actor quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [When you step out and do a song in a musical, the easier thing to do is make it funny. But when those transitions…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelli-o-hara/when-you-step-out-and-do-a-song-in-a-musical-the-easier-thing-to-do/) [Kelli O'Hara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelli-o-hara/) > [I once told someone I could act. They totally bought it. I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. Goyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-s-goyer/) > [I'm an actor, so I'm never going to feel like I've done enough.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/italia-ricci/i-m-an-actor-so-i-m-never-going-to-feel-like-i-ve-done-enough/) [Italia Ricci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/italia-ricci/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [When I was 13, I auditioned for the theater school, and I was there for four years. In the meantime, I did my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/when-i-was-13-i-auditioned-for-the-theater-school-and-i-was-there-for/) [Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warwick-davis/if-you-stood-me-in-a-costume-next-to-a-computer-graphic-of-the-same/) [Warwick Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warwick-davis/) > [failure in the theater is more public, more brilliant, more unreal than in any other field.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lillian-hellman/failure-in-the-theater-is-more-public-more-brilliant-more-unreal-than/) [Lillian Hellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lillian-hellman/) > [I'm a character actor - always have been, always will be - and historically, character actors don't come into their own until later in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-potts/i-m-a-character-actor-always-have-been-always-will-be-and/) [Annie Potts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-potts/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [I never planned to do female roles. It just happened. I was typecast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/divine/i-never-planned-to-do-female-roles-it-just-happened-i-was-typecast/) [Divine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/divine/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) [Browse all 21,590 Actor quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I got into a Broadway show before I ever sang and danced. 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