--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In a one-woman show, there must be…" description: "\"In a one-woman show, there must be compelling material that you adore. In both of these there are conversations with you and another character. My Seco..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc3/valerie-harper-4175_accents_in-a-one-woman-show-there-must-be-compel_1080447.png" --- # In a one-woman show, there must be compelling material… ![“In a one-woman show, there must be compelling material that you adore. In both of these there are conversations with you and another character. My Second City (improvisation) background comes in very handy for accent and body posture.” quote by Valerie Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc3/valerie-harper-4175_accents_in-a-one-woman-show-there-must-be-compel_1080447.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc3/valerie-harper-4175_accents_in-a-one-woman-show-there-must-be-compel_1080447.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fc3/valerie-harper-4175_accents_in-a-one-woman-show-there-must-be-compel_1080447.png) > “In a one-woman show, there must be compelling material that you adore. In both of these there are conversations with you and another character. My Second City (improvisation) background comes in very handy for accent and body posture.” [Valerie Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-harper/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advises that a solo performance must contain engaging material and strong character interaction, leveraging improvisational skills for physical expression. **In simple terms:** A solo act needs compelling content and dynamic presence. Key Takeaway Develop strong material and use body language. Themes performance improvisation character work Mood practical instructive Type theatrical educational When to use this quote - theatre productions - stand‑up comedy - monologues - workshops Key Concepts stagecraft embodiment audience connection Questions to Reflect On - How will you craft compelling material? - What physical cues will you use? A Different Perspective Relying too much on improvisation may lack structure. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accents/) [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Character](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/character/) [Cities](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cities/) [Conversation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversation/) [Improvisation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improvisation/) [Posture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/posture/) ## Related quotes > [I love those preliminary conversations about who a character is. You try on wigs, shoes, and clothes. It's preferable when it's not about looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-mcadams/i-love-those-preliminary-conversations-about-who-a-character-is-you/) [Rachel McAdams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-mcadams/) > [What's amazing is getting to have conversations about what the character might be wearing at different points, how this journey of texture and shape…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-d-arcy/what-s-amazing-is-getting-to-have-conversations-about-what-the/) [Emma D'Arcy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-d-arcy/) > [I love those preliminary conversations about who a character is. You try on wigs, shoes and clothes. It's preferable when it's not about looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-mcadams/i-love-those-preliminary-conversations-about-who-a-character-is-you-2/) [Rachel McAdams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-mcadams/) > [“In our lives, we don’t always get what we deserve or what we want. But how we deal with those misfortunes mold our character.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-wheeler/in-our-lives-we-don-t-always-get-what-we-deserve-or-what-we-want-but-2/) [Jeff Wheeler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-wheeler/) > [On the sequel, you've lost the element of surprise. Usually, on the first one you may not go very, very deep into character; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvester-stallone/on-the-sequel-you-ve-lost-the-element-of-surprise-usually-on-the/) [Sylvester Stallone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvester-stallone/) > [The nuances and organic characteristics of a character become second nature if I'm doing my job well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-paulsen/the-nuances-and-organic-characteristics-of-a-character-become-second/) [Rob Paulsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-paulsen/) > [Character, character, character. First, second and third ... we were pretty rusty initially. When you have a break for a few weeks you get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-henry/character-character-character-first-second-and-third-we-were-pretty/) Graham Henry > [Out of 30 years of Second City I was probably the third African-American with the main stage cast. I was surprised when I first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-meadows/out-of-30-years-of-second-city-i-was-probably-the-third-african/) [Tim Meadows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-meadows/) > [In my early 20s, I started doing comedy. I started doing auditions in Chicago. It led me to writing my own sketches for Second…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deon-cole/in-my-early-20s-i-started-doing-comedy-i-started-doing-auditions-in/) [Deon Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deon-cole/) > [That was sort of the 'Second City' approach, which was try to be intelligent and assume your audience is intelligent. We were influenced by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-flaherty/that-was-sort-of-the-second-city-approach-which-was-try-to-be/) [Joe Flaherty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-flaherty/) > [I graduated from Second City Los Angeles. It helped me tremendously, not only in my roles in films but in helping shape me into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-craig/i-graduated-from-second-city-los-angeles-it-helped-me-tremendously/) [Carly Craig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-craig/) > [I came out of the old Second City in Chicago. Chicago actors are more hard-nosed. They're tough on themselves and their fellow actors. They're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-murray/i-came-out-of-the-old-second-city-in-chicago-chicago-actors-are-more/) [Bill Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-murray/) > [I'm a huge fan of John Hughes and can say that 'Planes, Trains and Automobiles' is easily a top 3 favorite. I'm also a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-mcpartlin/i-m-a-huge-fan-of-john-hughes-and-can-say-that-planes-trains-and/) [Ryan McPartlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-mcpartlin/) > [I took Second City out of desperation, and that's what ended up working out. It shows that you should be doing a lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/i-took-second-city-out-of-desperation-and-that-s-what-ended-up/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) > [Europe becomes more and more a province of Islam, a colony of Islam. And Italy is an outpost of that province, a stronghold of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oriana-fallaci/europe-becomes-more-and-more-a-province-of-islam-a-colony-of-islam/) [Oriana Fallaci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oriana-fallaci/) ## More by Valerie Harper > [Life does not owe me a shred.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-harper/life-does-not-owe-me-a-shred/) [Valerie Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-harper/) > [Cancer reminds me of a very bad but tenacious performer who, although no one wants to see, insists on doing an encore, having a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-harper/cancer-reminds-me-of-a-very-bad-but-tenacious-performer-who-although/) [Valerie Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-harper/) > [I really got the 'Rhoda' flavor from studying my stepmother, Angela, who's Italian, not Jewish. There's really so little difference between the speech patterns…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-harper/i-really-got-the-rhoda-flavor-from-studying-my-stepmother-angela-who/) [Valerie Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-harper/) > [We think it's food that matters the most, but exercise and food both matter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-harper/we-think-it-s-food-that-matters-the-most-but-exercise-and-food-both/) [Valerie Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-harper/) > [All of us are going to die. Every single one of us. So, while you're alive, be alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-harper/all-of-us-are-going-to-die-every-single-one-of-us-so-while-you-re/) [Valerie Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-harper/) > [I'm painfully middle class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-harper/i-m-painfully-middle-class/) [Valerie Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-harper/) > [I don't know a great deal about Alzheimer's - just what it does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-harper/i-don-t-know-a-great-deal-about-alzheimer-s-just-what-it-does/) [Valerie Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-harper/) > [I have had acupuncture regularly, and I engage in visualization, which is actually an actor's tool, visualizing myself kicking out the cancer, making up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-harper/i-have-had-acupuncture-regularly-and-i-engage-in-visualization-which/) [Valerie Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-harper/) > [I first met Rhoda Morgenstern in the spring of 1970.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-harper/i-first-met-rhoda-morgenstern-in-the-spring-of-1970/) [Valerie Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-harper/) > [I've had very deep moments of sadness. What I do is really sob, really cry, do whatever it is, and then kind of release…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-harper/i-ve-had-very-deep-moments-of-sadness-what-i-do-is-really-sob-really/) [Valerie Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-harper/) > [Comedy is saving me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-harper/comedy-is-saving-me/) [Valerie Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-harper/) > [Life is amazing. Live it to the fullest. Stay as long as you can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-harper/life-is-amazing-live-it-to-the-fullest-stay-as-long-as-you-can/) [Valerie Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-harper/) > [If I wake up in the night terrified, I try to find a way to not let the fear have me. Every moment you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-harper/if-i-wake-up-in-the-night-terrified-i-try-to-find-a-way-to-not-let/) [Valerie Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-harper/) > [Death is out there for all of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-harper/death-is-out-there-for-all-of-us/) [Valerie Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-harper/) > [I'm happier because I had to face what all of us try not to face: that we're going to die. It's a fact.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valerie-harper/i-m-happier-because-i-had-to-face-what-all-of-us-try-not-to-face-that/) [Valerie Harper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-harper/) [Explore all 115 Valerie Harper quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valerie-harper/) ## More Accents quotes > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [“It's not my accent, but my brevity makes me stylish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/it-s-not-my-accent-but-my-brevity-makes-me-stylish/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [London, from the architecture to the culture to the fashion to the accents, feels like it's a special place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-eazy/london-from-the-architecture-to-the-culture-to-the-fashion-to-the/) [G-Eazy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-eazy/) > [You can't live in a dialect without tremendous work. Like any muscle, accents and voices and languages are all formed out of the muscles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lake-bell/you-can-t-live-in-a-dialect-without-tremendous-work-like-any-muscle/) [Lake Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lake-bell/) > [At first I thought I would have to put on an English accent and try a sort of affected Shakespeare thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/at-first-i-thought-i-would-have-to-put-on-an-english-accent-and-try-a/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [I don't think you see a pirate with a parrot on his shoulder, for example. And even with the accents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-stevenson/i-don-t-think-you-see-a-pirate-with-a-parrot-on-his-shoulder-for/) [Ray Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-stevenson/) > [I'm a Yente and I have a terrible accent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-samuels/i-m-a-yente-and-i-have-a-terrible-accent/) [Lynn Samuels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-samuels/) > [In bed watching Family Guy. Love this show.! So hilarious! Stewie is my favorite :) love his accent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paris-hilton/in-bed-watching-family-guy-love-this-show-so-hilarious-stewie-is-my/) [Paris Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paris-hilton/) > [American accents often sound much more confident than British ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-front/american-accents-often-sound-much-more-confident-than-british-ones/) [Rebecca Front](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-front/) > [At this point two elderly security guards in parkas, the guys who normally work the front desk at the plant, asked John to step…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wong/at-this-point-two-elderly-security-guards-in-parkas-the-guys-who/) [David Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wong/) > [Much of my playing is rhythmic and choppy; I use a lot of double stops. The wah just accents all those stops and chops…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-hammett/much-of-my-playing-is-rhythmic-and-choppy-i-use-a-lot-of-double-stops/) [Kirk Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-hammett/) > [“The accent of one's birthplace persists in the mind and heart as much as in speech.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/la-rouchefoucauld/the-accent-of-one-s-birthplace-persists-in-the-mind-and-heart-as-much/) La Rouchefoucauld > [Years later, when I was working as a trolley wally in a supermarket, I tackled the boredom by talking to the customers in as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romesh-ranganathan/years-later-when-i-was-working-as-a-trolley-wally-in-a-supermarket-i/) [Romesh Ranganathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romesh-ranganathan/) > [I think Americans still can't help but respond to the natural authority of this voice. Deep down they long to be told what to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/i-think-americans-still-can-t-help-but-respond-to-the-natural/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [I live in L.A. so I worry my kids aren't that connected to Britain, I suppose I don't want them to become American kids.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mckidd/i-live-in-l-a-so-i-worry-my-kids-aren-t-that-connected-to-britain-i/) [Kevin McKidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mckidd/) [Browse all 749 Accents quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accents/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "In a one-woman show, there must be compelling material that you adore. In both of these there are conversations with you and another character. 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