---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I realized that after years of studying…"
description: "\"I realized that after years of studying Shakespeare and Chekhov and regional repertory theater, what I really wanted to do was bust in and rob a bank a..."
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/076/m-c-gainey-43623_after_i-realized-that-after-years-of-studying_2337227.png"
---

#  I realized that after years of studying Shakespeare and…

![“I realized that after years of studying Shakespeare and Chekhov and regional repertory theater, what I really wanted to do was bust in and rob a bank and jump in the screaming getaway car and tear through the city and get in a shootout.” quote by M. C. Gainey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/076/m-c-gainey-43623_after_i-realized-that-after-years-of-studying_2337227.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/076/m-c-gainey-43623_after_i-realized-that-after-years-of-studying_2337227.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/076/m-c-gainey-43623_after_i-realized-that-after-years-of-studying_2337227.png)

> “I realized that after years of studying Shakespeare and Chekhov and regional repertory theater, what I really wanted to do was bust in and rob a bank and jump in the screaming getaway car and tear through the city and get in a shootout.”

[M. C. Gainey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-gainey/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

After studying theater, the narrator craves the thrill of crime, reflecting a yearning for excitement over conventional pursuits.

**In simple terms:** The desire for excitement can outweigh artistic ambitions.

Key Takeaway

Seek healthy outlets for excitement.

Themes

adventure rebellion discontent

Mood

restless curious

Type

fictional adventurous

When to use this quote

- career change
- creative projects
- adrenaline sports

Key Concepts

Existentialism risk seeking

Questions to Reflect On

- What thrills do you seek in life?
- How can you channel that energy constructively?

A Different Perspective

Criminal fantasies can be dangerous and unrealistic.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[City](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/city/) [Repertory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repertory/) [Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shakespeare/) [Tear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tear/) [Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/)

## Related quotes

> [I'm sort of nerdy, I liked Shakespeare and Chekhov and the classics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martha-maccallum/i-m-sort-of-nerdy-i-liked-shakespeare-and-chekhov-and-the-classics/)

[Martha MacCallum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martha-maccallum/)

> [Unless you're doing Shakespeare or Chekhov... the written word is not sacrosanct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-arkin/unless-you-re-doing-shakespeare-or-chekhov-the-written-word-is-not/)

[Alan Arkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-arkin/)

> [One of the biggest fears of players in a shootout is letting your teammates down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-shearer/one-of-the-biggest-fears-of-players-in-a-shootout-is-letting-your/)

[Alan Shearer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-shearer/)

> [The shootout after overtime is a great idea, so nobody goes home with a tie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-thornton/the-shootout-after-overtime-is-a-great-idea-so-nobody-goes-home-with/)

[Joe Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-thornton/)

> [A shootout is a shootout. You go in and get the bad guys.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-pena/a-shootout-is-a-shootout-you-go-in-and-get-the-bad-guys/)

[Michael Pena](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-pena/)

> [ “Al Hickey: \[following the final shootout\] Nobody came... nobody cares. It's still not about anything. Frank Boggs: Yeah, you told me.” ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phillip-rock/al-hickey-following-the-final-shootout-nobody-came-nobody-cares-it-s/)

Phillip Rock

> [We just kind of wanted to play with these iconic moments of action. There's a really small one that always makes me laugh really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-rogen/we-just-kind-of-wanted-to-play-with-these-iconic-moments-of-action/)

[Seth Rogen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-rogen/)

> [Yes, I play a cop in Amit Kumar's 'Monsoon Shootout' where Nawazuddin Siddiqui plays the villain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neeraj-kabi/yes-i-play-a-cop-in-amit-kumar-s-monsoon-shootout-where-nawazuddin/)

[Neeraj Kabi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neeraj-kabi/)

> [Every country gets fired up to play us. They played well. I thought when it was 2-1 that we had some chances to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dany-heatley/every-country-gets-fired-up-to-play-us-they-played-well-i-thought/)

[Dany Heatley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dany-heatley/)

> [Everybody's out and you get a lot of friction, a lot of heat in the air. It makes a beautiful disaster and that's where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fabolous/everybody-s-out-and-you-get-a-lot-of-friction-a-lot-of-heat-in-the/)

Fabolous

> [Under the lights where we stand tall. Nobody touches us at all. Showdown, shootout, spread fear within, without.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pantera/under-the-lights-where-we-stand-tall-nobody-touches-us-at-all/)

[Pantera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pantera/)

> [The main factor in a penalty shootout is luck again. You need to stay calm and focussed but the biggest thing you need is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-shilton/the-main-factor-in-a-penalty-shootout-is-luck-again-you-need-to-stay/)

[Peter Shilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-shilton/)

> [“Each writer is born with a repertory company in his head. Shakespeare has perhaps 20 players. … I have 10 or so, and that’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/each-writer-is-born-with-a-repertory-company-in-his-head-shakespeare/)

[Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/)

> [Ballet in September used to be dead as a dodo. Now, with City Ballet's ingenious decision to give us four weeks of repertory in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-gottlieb/ballet-in-september-used-to-be-dead-as-a-dodo-now-with-city-ballet-s/)

[Robert Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-gottlieb/)

> [I was a repertory actor, which meant that I did a play every week. I was a different character every week; for a year,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-caine/i-was-a-repertory-actor-which-meant-that-i-did-a-play-every-week-i/)

[Michael Caine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-caine/)

## More by M. C. Gainey

> [All my life, people have asked me what I was so mad about. 'Why you so mad?' And I was never mad. I'm not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-gainey/all-my-life-people-have-asked-me-what-i-was-so-mad-about-why-you-so/)

[M. C. Gainey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-gainey/)

> [With a face like this, there aren't a lot of lawyers or priest roles coming my way. I've gotta face that was meant for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-gainey/with-a-face-like-this-there-aren-t-a-lot-of-lawyers-or-priest-roles/)

[M. C. Gainey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-gainey/)

> [I just have that sort of face and when I got to Hollywood in the late '70s they took one look at me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-gainey/i-just-have-that-sort-of-face-and-when-i-got-to-hollywood-in-the-late/)

[M. C. Gainey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-gainey/)

> [You know you've been around a long time when your stuntman says, 'Yeah, my grandfather doubled you.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-gainey/you-know-you-ve-been-around-a-long-time-when-your-stuntman-says-yeah/)

[M. C. Gainey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-gainey/)

> [If I play a cop, it's always a racist cop or a trigger-happy cop or a crooked cop - but by and large I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-gainey/if-i-play-a-cop-it-s-always-a-racist-cop-or-a-trigger-happy-cop-or-a/)

[M. C. Gainey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-gainey/)

> ['Con Air' was kind of a turning point for me, in my mind. I never shot anybody in that movie - I never did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-gainey/con-air-was-kind-of-a-turning-point-for-me-in-my-mind-i-never-shot/)

[M. C. Gainey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-gainey/)

> [You know what, it's a time honored tradition in movies in America that if you kill enough people in your 30s and 40s and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-gainey/you-know-what-it-s-a-time-honored-tradition-in-movies-in-america-that/)

[M. C. Gainey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-gainey/)

> [With a face like this, there aren't a lot of lawyers or priest roles coming my way. I've got a face that was meant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-gainey/with-a-face-like-this-there-aren-t-a-lot-of-lawyers-or-priest-roles-2/)

[M. C. Gainey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-gainey/)

[Explore all 9 M. C. Gainey quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-gainey/)

## More After quotes

> [At the drop of a hat, people will say there are no roles for women after 40. It's there with a bunch of other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lesley-nicol/at-the-drop-of-a-hat-people-will-say-there-are-no-roles-for-women/)

[Lesley Nicol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lesley-nicol/)

> [When my main character in 'Heat' climbs the tower, the highest diving platform, hoping to resume competitive diving after an injury, I am there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-cadnum/when-my-main-character-in-heat-climbs-the-tower-the-highest-diving/)

[Michael Cadnum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-cadnum/)

> [I was strictly after hits when it came down to the Jackson 5. That's all I was concerned with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deke-richards/i-was-strictly-after-hits-when-it-came-down-to-the-jackson-5-that-s/)

Deke Richards

> [It's important for American soldiers to be culturally sensitive when deployed in foreign countries. But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/)

[Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/)

> [No lusting after your neighbor's house - or wife or servant or maid or ox or donkey. 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. It's really a great invention and I wouldn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-soros/markets-are-designed-to-allow-individuals-to-look-after-their-private/)

[George Soros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-soros/)

> [I have a lot of success and make a good living, but after while, you start going 'Why? Why are you doing all this?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyra-banks/i-have-a-lot-of-success-and-make-a-good-living-but-after-while-you/)

[Tyra Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyra-banks/)

> [See to do good, and you will find that happiness will run after you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-freeman-clarke/see-to-do-good-and-you-will-find-that-happiness-will-run-after-you/)

[James Freeman Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-freeman-clarke/)

> [I went to school at night in L.A. to brush up on my engineering while I applied to the astronaut program. I really did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-jemison/i-went-to-school-at-night-in-l-a-to-brush-up-on-my-engineering-while/)

[Mae Jemison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-jemison/)

> [Sometimes after a compliment about my characterization skills, I'm asked if I model my characters on real people. Emphatically, no. And sort of, yes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-weeks/sometimes-after-a-compliment-about-my-characterization-skills-i-m/)

[Brent Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-weeks/)

> [After The Wizard Of Oz I was typecast as a lion, and there aren't all that many parts for lions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bert-lahr/after-the-wizard-of-oz-i-was-typecast-as-a-lion-and-there-aren-t-all/)

Bert Lahr

> [I'm pretty cautious and not very athletic, so I've only had really dumb injuries, like sprained ankles and allergic reactions. I did have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-wilson/i-m-pretty-cautious-and-not-very-athletic-so-i-ve-only-had-really/)

[Mara Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-wilson/)

> [I'd like an omelet named after me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rufus-sewell/i-d-like-an-omelet-named-after-me/)

[Rufus Sewell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rufus-sewell/)

Browse all 3,411 After quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "I realized that after years of studying Shakespeare and Chekhov and regional repertory theater, what I really wanted to do was bust in and rob a bank and jump in the screaming getaway car and tear through the city and get in a shootout.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "M. C. Gainey"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-gainey/i-realized-that-after-years-of-studying-shakespeare-and-chekhov-and/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "After"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-gainey/i-realized-that-after-years-of-studying-shakespeare-and-chekhov-and/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/076/m-c-gainey-43623_after_i-realized-that-after-years-of-studying_2337227.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/076/m-c-gainey-43623_after_i-realized-that-after-years-of-studying_2337227.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/076/m-c-gainey-43623_after_i-realized-that-after-years-of-studying_2337227.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“I realized that after years of studying Shakespeare and Chekhov and regional repertory theater, what I…” — M. C. Gainey",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "M. C. Gainey",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-gainey/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "I realized that after years of...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-gainey/i-realized-that-after-years-of-studying-shakespeare-and-chekhov-and/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-gainey/i-realized-that-after-years-of-studying-shakespeare-and-chekhov-and/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
