--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I was terrible in my first play. After…" description: "\"I was terrible in my first play. After that experience, I had to face that I wasnt good enough to play with the big boys. I had to go away and learn, s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/394/kevin-spacey-931_after_i-was-terrible-in-my-first-play-after-th_2511595.png" --- # I was terrible in my first play. After that experience, I… ![“I was terrible in my first play. After that experience, I had to face that I wasnt good enough to play with the big boys. I had to go away and learn, so I worked in regional theater for three years. I even understudied at the Kennedy Center.” quote by Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/394/kevin-spacey-931_after_i-was-terrible-in-my-first-play-after-th_2511595.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/394/kevin-spacey-931_after_i-was-terrible-in-my-first-play-after-th_2511595.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/394/kevin-spacey-931_after_i-was-terrible-in-my-first-play-after-th_2511595.png) > “I was terrible in my first play. After that experience, I had to face that I wasnt good enough to play with the big boys. I had to go away and learn, so I worked in regional theater for three years. I even understudied at the Kennedy Center.” [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early failure can be a catalyst for growth if one seeks learning and persistence. **In simple terms:** Failure can lead to improvement through effort and experience. Key Takeaway Embrace setbacks as learning opportunities. Themes career development resilience self‑improvement learning from failure persistence Mood reflective motivational hopeful Type inspirational personal career When to use this quote - acting - theatre - career transition - personal development Key Concepts growth mindset skill acquisition mentorship industry experience Questions to Reflect On - What skills will you develop to reach higher levels? - How can you create supportive networks for growth? A Different Perspective Success may depend on external opportunities beyond personal effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Boys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/boys/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Faces](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faces/) [Going away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going-away/) [Good enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-enough/) [Play](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/play/) [Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) ## Related quotes > [I am a lucky regional theater actor who happened to get a good role.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-marsters/i-am-a-lucky-regional-theater-actor-who-happened-to-get-a-good-role/) [James Marsters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-marsters/) > [After school, I was planning to jump from regional theater to regional theater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-simons/after-school-i-was-planning-to-jump-from-regional-theater-to-regional/) [Timothy Simons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-simons/) > [I started in high school and regional theater. Anything that came into town, I wanted to be involved in, because I just wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-azlynn/i-started-in-high-school-and-regional-theater-anything-that-came-into/) [Valerie Azlynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-azlynn/) > [Immediately after school, I did a lot of regional theater. I was in Berkeley and Princeton and Minneapolis and all over the country doing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sterling-k-brown/immediately-after-school-i-did-a-lot-of-regional-theater-i-was-in/) [Sterling K. Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sterling-k-brown/) > [ I thought I was terrible \[to play a cameo\] and decided never to act again. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-auster/i-thought-i-was-terrible-to-play-a-cameo-and-decided-never-to-act/) [Paul Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-auster/) > [In the beginning I used to make one terrible play a game. 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Then, I got…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-gehrig/i-worked-real-hard-to-learn-to-play-first-in-the-beginning-i-used-to/) [Lou Gehrig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-gehrig/) > [Writing a play to get to Broadway and have a national tour is a sure way to write a terrible, terrible play.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-karam/writing-a-play-to-get-to-broadway-and-have-a-national-tour-is-a-sure/) [Stephen Karam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-karam/) > [I did theater for a few years while I was in New York, but it was tough having to perform scripts worse than what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zach-braff/i-did-theater-for-a-few-years-while-i-was-in-new-york-but-it-was/) [Zach Braff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zach-braff/) > [I started in community theater at 7 years old. I loved being on stage and performing. 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I also studied privately in NYC…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aida-turturro/i-went-to-a-college-in-new-york-called-new-paltz-i-studied-theater/) [Aida Turturro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aida-turturro/) ## More by Kevin Spacey > [Its extremely dangerous to compare anyone else to Shakespeare.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/its-extremely-dangerous-to-compare-anyone-else-to-shakespeare/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [Theres nothing like standing in a place and wanting nothing so much as to change but simply not being able to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/theres-nothing-like-standing-in-a-place-and-wanting-nothing-so-much/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [Clarence Darrow was a unique and courageous man. Several of my favourite actors have played Darrow... Henry Fonda, Orson Welles and Spencer Tracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/clarence-darrow-was-a-unique-and-courageous-man-several-of-my/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [If you look back through history in the United States, there have been very few landslide elections. Half the country always voted for someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/if-you-look-back-through-history-in-the-united-states-there-have-been/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [I'm a relatively ugly character who's done pretty damn well in film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/i-m-a-relatively-ugly-character-who-s-done-pretty-damn-well-in-film/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [The audience has spoken, they want stories. They're dying for them. 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I am different than some people would like me to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-spacey/at-the-end-of-the-day-people-have-to-respect-people-s-differences-i/) [Kevin Spacey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-spacey/) > [ \[Washington, DC\] feels like you're watching performance art. A lot of the time. 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Don't set your heart on anything that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moses/no-lusting-after-your-neighbor-s-house-or-wife-or-servant-or-maid-or/) [Moses](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moses/) > [After I finished college, I got a job on Wall Street as a derivatives trader, but after a couple years of it, I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philipp-meyer/after-i-finished-college-i-got-a-job-on-wall-street-as-a-derivatives/) [Philipp Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philipp-meyer/) > [When good media takes a bounded form, and comes once in a period of time, it begs to be consumed as a whole -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-battelle/when-good-media-takes-a-bounded-form-and-comes-once-in-a-period-of/) [John Battelle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-battelle/) > [Markets are designed to allow individuals to look after their private needs and to pursue profit. 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