--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's wrong to make a living off the…" description: "\"It's wrong to make a living off the theater. Theater should be supported, like redwood trees. You should make your living - whether you're a writer or ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bd/orson-bean-5446_director_it-s-wrong-to-make-a-living-off-the-thea_1810703.jpg" --- # It's wrong to make a living off the theater. Theater… ![“It's wrong to make a living off the theater. Theater should be supported, like redwood trees. You should make your living - whether you're a writer or an actor or a director - in movies or commercials. But you do theater out of love.” quote by Orson Bean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bd/orson-bean-5446_director_it-s-wrong-to-make-a-living-off-the-thea_1810703.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bd/orson-bean-5446_director_it-s-wrong-to-make-a-living-off-the-thea_1810703.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0bd/orson-bean-5446_director_it-s-wrong-to-make-a-living-off-the-thea_1810703.jpg) > “It's wrong to make a living off the theater. Theater should be supported, like redwood trees. You should make your living - whether you're a writer or an actor or a director - in movies or commercials. But you do theater out of love.” [Orson Bean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-bean/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote argues that theater should be pursued for passion, not profit, and that financial support should come from other commercial work. **In simple terms:** Theater is a labor of love, not a paycheck. Key Takeaway Do theater for love, not money. Themes art passion economics integrity Mood reflective inspirational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - actors seeking roles - playwrights developing scripts - directors planning productions - theater companies fundraising - students studying drama Key Concepts creative fulfillment financial sustainability artistic integrity Questions to Reflect On - What would you create if money weren’t a concern? - How can you balance passion with livelihood? A Different Perspective Commercial work may not fully fund artistic freedom. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Director](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/director/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living/) [Living Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/living-theater-2112630/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Make Living](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/make-living/) [Movies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/movies/) [Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater/) [Theater Supported](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater-supported-2112629/) [Theater Theater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theater-theater-983164/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Trees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trees/) ## Related quotes > [Everyone town of 100,000 in the United States should have a Classical Theater supported by the town, or the state of the county, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-randall/everyone-town-of-100-000-in-the-united-states-should-have-a-classical/) [Tony Randall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-randall/) > [The L.A. theater scene is very different. The perception has been that people who love theater do theater in New York. The people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracie-thoms/the-l-a-theater-scene-is-very-different-the-perception-has-been-that/) [Tracie Thoms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracie-thoms/) > [Anyone can do theater, even actors. And, theater can be done everywhere, even in a theater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/augusto-boal/anyone-can-do-theater-even-actors-and-theater-can-be-done-everywhere/) [Augusto Boal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/augusto-boal/) > [“The theater of man is not always 'amusing', but it is always theater, and theater can be marveled at even when its content is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-robbins/the-theater-of-man-is-not-always-amusing-but-it-is-always-theater-and/) [Tom Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-robbins/) > [My whole background is theater, and theater is to some degree presentational.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/connie-britton/my-whole-background-is-theater-and-theater-is-to-some-degree/) [Connie Britton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/connie-britton/) > [I love the theater because the theater is alive. The audience is right there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chita-rivera/i-love-the-theater-because-the-theater-is-alive-the-audience-is-right/) [Chita Rivera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chita-rivera/) > [I am more alive in the theater than anywhere else, but what I take into the theater I get from the streets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-pacino/i-am-more-alive-in-the-theater-than-anywhere-else-but-what-i-take/) [Al Pacino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-pacino/) > [Theater is very much the world I'd like to get back to, particularly in New York, both as an actor and director.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-alexander/theater-is-very-much-the-world-i-d-like-to-get-back-to-particularly/) [Jason Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-alexander/) > [My dad was a theater actor, so I would follow him backstage. And my mom was a casting director. The moment I heard the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christian-slater/my-dad-was-a-theater-actor-so-i-would-follow-him-backstage-and-my-mom/) [Christian Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christian-slater/) > [Here is something no real celebrity will ever tell you: film acting is not very fun. Doing the same thing over and over again…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mara-wilson/here-is-something-no-real-celebrity-will-ever-tell-you-film-acting-is/) [Mara Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mara-wilson/) > ['Killer Joe' provides a lot of red meat for the theater. Pam MacKinnon is the perfect director to shepherd a group of actors who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tracy-letts/killer-joe-provides-a-lot-of-red-meat-for-the-theater-pam-mackinnon/) [Tracy Letts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tracy-letts/) > [I don't want to make a living. I want to make a life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/borns/i-don-t-want-to-make-a-living-i-want-to-make-a-life/) [Borns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/borns/) > [I work hard, I make my own living and I love it. I like having financial independence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salma-hayek/i-work-hard-i-make-my-own-living-and-i-love-it-i-like-having/) [Salma Hayek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salma-hayek/) > [“Compared with working just to make a living, it’s much easier to do what you love and get paid for it. You just have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-guillebeau/compared-with-working-just-to-make-a-living-it-s-much-easier-to-do/) [Chris Guillebeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-guillebeau/) > [“If I never got to make a living doing what I loved, I'd still do it--for fun and for free.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-e-isaacs/if-i-never-got-to-make-a-living-doing-what-i-loved-i-d-still-do-it/) [Susan E. Isaacs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-e-isaacs/) ## More by Orson Bean > [Possessions can possess you. Even a lawn can possess you. It makes you buy a garden hose. Which makes you water. Which cuts into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-bean/possessions-can-possess-you-even-a-lawn-can-possess-you-it-makes-you/) [Orson Bean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-bean/) > [One night in a club in Boston, I tried the name Roger Duck. No laughs. The next night, I tried Orson Bean, putting together…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-bean/one-night-in-a-club-in-boston-i-tried-the-name-roger-duck-no-laughs/) [Orson Bean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-bean/) > [In the long period of time when I did talk shows and game shows, a whole new generation of people came along who thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-bean/in-the-long-period-of-time-when-i-did-talk-shows-and-game-shows-a/) [Orson Bean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-bean/) > [I'm not a pessimist. I do believe that in some way we don't understand, God has a hand in things and it will all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-bean/i-m-not-a-pessimist-i-do-believe-that-in-some-way-we-don-t-understand/) [Orson Bean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-bean/) > [What I learned at home was despair and hopelessness. What I learned at the pictures was don't give up the ship, we have only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-bean/what-i-learned-at-home-was-despair-and-hopelessness-what-i-learned-at/) [Orson Bean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-bean/) > [Hollywood is very divisive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-bean/hollywood-is-very-divisive/) [Orson Bean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-bean/) > [My wife and I sold our house New York and moved to Australia for a year; then we came back and spent almost three…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-bean/my-wife-and-i-sold-our-house-new-york-and-moved-to-australia-for-a/) [Orson Bean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-bean/) > [What is it with me? I seem to be an incorrigible black-listee.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-bean/what-is-it-with-me-i-seem-to-be-an-incorrigible-black-listee/) [Orson Bean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-bean/) > [I think America was a miracle. I think God loves this country.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-bean/i-think-america-was-a-miracle-i-think-god-loves-this-country/) [Orson Bean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-bean/) > [Left-wingers and right-wingers come together when they become extreme enough. The Nazi Party was called National Socialism, very similar to Stalin's Communism, with the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-bean/left-wingers-and-right-wingers-come-together-when-they-become-extreme/) [Orson Bean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-bean/) > [I loved New York in the '50s.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-bean/i-loved-new-york-in-the-50s/) [Orson Bean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-bean/) > [One of the things I'm proudest of, one year on my refrigerator, I taped a Christmas card from the Republican National Committee and season's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-bean/one-of-the-things-i-m-proudest-of-one-year-on-my-refrigerator-i-taped/) [Orson Bean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-bean/) > [I never cared what anyone thought about me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-bean/i-never-cared-what-anyone-thought-about-me/) [Orson Bean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-bean/) > [You know when I was a kid, I hated every day I was in school, from the kindergarten right through to my last day…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-bean/you-know-when-i-was-a-kid-i-hated-every-day-i-was-in-school-from-the/) [Orson Bean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-bean/) > [TV has changed everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-bean/tv-has-changed-everything/) [Orson Bean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-bean/) [Explore all 100 Orson Bean quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-bean/) ## More Director quotes > [You have to have a great director to make a great movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/you-have-to-have-a-great-director-to-make-a-great-movie/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [Professionally speaking, the proudest moment was when I booked the 'Human Stain.' I knew it had Nicole Kidman, Anthony Hopkins, Ed Harris and Gary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wentworth-miller/professionally-speaking-the-proudest-moment-was-when-i-booked-the/) [Wentworth Miller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wentworth-miller/) > [A successful director is someone who has the combination of skills that you can learn, but there's also an intuitive sensibility that they bring…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-heinrichs/a-successful-director-is-someone-who-has-the-combination-of-skills/) [Rick Heinrichs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-heinrichs/) > [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/) > [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/) [Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/) > [During script narrations, if I feel the screenplay mood jumping abruptly, I tell the director, and they work on it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vijay-sethupathi/during-script-narrations-if-i-feel-the-screenplay-mood-jumping/) [Vijay Sethupathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vijay-sethupathi/) > [I'm publicist, patron of nine charities, creative director, food consultant, recipe developer - and mum.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-monroe/i-m-publicist-patron-of-nine-charities-creative-director-food/) [Jack Monroe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-monroe/) > [I've always wanted to be a director; it's just how my mind has always worked. If I hear music, I see music videos and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noel-wells/i-ve-always-wanted-to-be-a-director-it-s-just-how-my-mind-has-always/) [Noel Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noel-wells/) > [There was always a part of me that wanted to be an old-time director. But I couldn't do that. I'm not a pro.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-scorsese/there-was-always-a-part-of-me-that-wanted-to-be-an-old-time-director/) [Martin Scorsese](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-scorsese/) > [Steven Spielberg seems to have wanted to be a director from 13. He put his dog in a certain position and made him eat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-brooks/steven-spielberg-seems-to-have-wanted-to-be-a-director-from-13-he-put/) [Albert Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-brooks/) > [Because I thought there's no point trying to second guess what people are looking for, because if I'm the right director for it, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-herron/because-i-thought-there-s-no-point-trying-to-second-guess-what-people/) [Kate Herron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-herron/) > [Sometimes you can't even find the director on a movie set. Sometimes you don't want to find the director on a movie set.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanley-tucci/sometimes-you-can-t-even-find-the-director-on-a-movie-set-sometimes/) [Stanley Tucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanley-tucci/) > [First of all the criteria that I have that goes into any career decision is whether or not I have the life experience, emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicolas-cage/first-of-all-the-criteria-that-i-have-that-goes-into-any-career/) [Nicolas Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicolas-cage/) > [As a director, people are trusting you with their lives, with their stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/as-a-director-people-are-trusting-you-with-their-lives-with-their/) [Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-chai-vasarhelyi/) > [I loved working with Stephen Frears. He's a really fantastic director. He knows what he wants and how to get it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anjelica-huston/i-loved-working-with-stephen-frears-he-s-a-really-fantastic-director/) [Anjelica Huston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anjelica-huston/) [Browse all 2,786 Director quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/director/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's wrong to make a living off the theater. Theater should be supported, like redwood trees. You should make your living - whether you're a writer or an actor or a director - in movies or commercials. 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