--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I thought I would spent my career doing…" description: "\"I thought I would spent my career doing Chekhov and Ibsen in regional theaters, so the fact that I started doing new plays was a whole new world I didn..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d6/zeljko-ivanek-35326_career_i-thought-i-would-spent-my-career-doing_2156109.jpg" --- # I thought I would spent my career doing Chekhov and Ibsen… ![“I thought I would spent my career doing Chekhov and Ibsen in regional theaters, so the fact that I started doing new plays was a whole new world I didn't expect, and that I would like to keep doing.” quote by Zeljko Ivanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d6/zeljko-ivanek-35326_career_i-thought-i-would-spent-my-career-doing_2156109.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d6/zeljko-ivanek-35326_career_i-thought-i-would-spent-my-career-doing_2156109.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d6/zeljko-ivanek-35326_career_i-thought-i-would-spent-my-career-doing_2156109.jpg) > “I thought I would spent my career doing Chekhov and Ibsen in regional theaters, so the fact that I started doing new plays was a whole new world I didn't expect, and that I would like to keep doing.” [Zeljko Ivanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeljko-ivanek/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He discovered unexpected fulfillment in performing new works, expanding beyond classic theatre. **In simple terms:** He found joy in new plays he didn’t anticipate. Key Takeaway Embrace unexpected opportunities. Themes career growth artistic exploration adaptability Mood reflective hopeful Type personal narrative inspirational When to use this quote - regional theatre - new play productions - career transitions Key Concepts creative risk personal fulfillment Questions to Reflect On - How can you stay open to unforeseen paths? - What risks could broaden your artistic scope? A Different Perspective New work may lack audience familiarity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Career](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/career/) [New world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-world/) [Plays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/plays/) [Theaters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theaters/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [I don't think my looks are modern. I always imagined I'd end up doing Chekhov, Ibsen and Shakespeare all my life and never play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kingston/i-don-t-think-my-looks-are-modern-i-always-imagined-i-d-end-up-doing/) [Alex Kingston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kingston/) > [I played Hamlet, I played Chekhov and Ibsen and all the classics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harvey-korman/i-played-hamlet-i-played-chekhov-and-ibsen-and-all-the-classics/) [Harvey Korman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harvey-korman/) > [I thought I was going to be doing Chekhov plays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chloe-fineman/i-thought-i-was-going-to-be-doing-chekhov-plays/) [Chloe Fineman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chloe-fineman/) > [I come from the theatre where there are no boundaries to the style you're doing; you're doing Molière, then you're doing Chekhov and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ruffalo/i-come-from-the-theatre-where-there-are-no-boundaries-to-the-style/) [Mark Ruffalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ruffalo/) > [I was interning at a children's theater group in Kentucky - that was my first job out of college. I had jumped around a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/timothy-simons/i-was-interning-at-a-children-s-theater-group-in-kentucky-that-was-my/) [Timothy Simons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/timothy-simons/) > [I would not change very much about the American theater. I marvel and rejoice in the way the country's regional theaters have formed a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-ludwig/i-would-not-change-very-much-about-the-american-theater-i-marvel-and/) [Ken Ludwig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-ludwig/) > [I realized that after years of studying Shakespeare and Chekhov and regional repertory theater, what I really wanted to do was bust in and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-c-gainey/i-realized-that-after-years-of-studying-shakespeare-and-chekhov-and/) [M. C. Gainey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-c-gainey/) > [Because when you're in drama school, you're playing multiple characters at once. You know, in the morning you're doing a Chekhov play, and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-majors/because-when-you-re-in-drama-school-you-re-playing-multiple/) [Jonathan Majors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-majors/) > [If you're sitting around and doing Chekhov and the cat walks in, you must pay attention to the cat. You cannot continue the dialogue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-matthau/if-you-re-sitting-around-and-doing-chekhov-and-the-cat-walks-in-you/) [Walter Matthau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-matthau/) > [I like having the script before I start. With new plays, you're constantly developing as you're doing it. It's really frightening. You don't quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophie-okonedo/i-like-having-the-script-before-i-start-with-new-plays-you-re/) [Sophie Okonedo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophie-okonedo/) > [One of the things that I'd like to get back to that I did as a younger actor was to work on, you know,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-gibson/one-of-the-things-that-i-d-like-to-get-back-to-that-i-did-as-a/) [Thomas Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-gibson/) > [ I'm sensitive about the criticism \[for not producing new playwrights\], yes. But I'm hip to it as well. I read 500 new plays a… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-a-boyd/i-m-sensitive-about-the-criticism-for-not-producing-new-playwrights/) [Gregory A. Boyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-a-boyd/) > [I'd love to do some new plays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-hall/i-d-love-to-do-some-new-plays/) [Edward Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-hall/) > [What Lou Tyrrell creates when he has a theater is a birthing center for new plays.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israel-horovitz/what-lou-tyrrell-creates-when-he-has-a-theater-is-a-birthing-center/) [Israel Horovitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israel-horovitz/) > [The best thing about being nominated in a category like best new play is realizing there were enough new plays to make a category.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-karam/the-best-thing-about-being-nominated-in-a-category-like-best-new-play/) [Stephen Karam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-karam/) ## More by Zeljko Ivanek > [When you're guest-starring, it's very nice, but you're there very briefly, and it's right there in the name: You're a guest. It's very hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeljko-ivanek/when-you-re-guest-starring-it-s-very-nice-but-you-re-there-very/) [Zeljko Ivanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeljko-ivanek/) > [I actually love going to a lot of theater movies. I just love watching actors work and seeing how people tell stories.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeljko-ivanek/i-actually-love-going-to-a-lot-of-theater-movies-i-just-love-watching/) [Zeljko Ivanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeljko-ivanek/) > [In television, you are of necessity working in bits and pieces and scenes, and things are out of order, and you never can have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeljko-ivanek/in-television-you-are-of-necessity-working-in-bits-and-pieces-and/) [Zeljko Ivanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeljko-ivanek/) > [Both 'Oz' and 'Homicide,' they're critically admired, so it's not like they're really neglected, but I wish they'd found bigger audiences.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeljko-ivanek/both-oz-and-homicide-they-re-critically-admired-so-it-s-not-like-they/) [Zeljko Ivanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeljko-ivanek/) > [It's very juicy to twirl your mustache and figure out why people do the horrible things that they do. 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Being part of something that I, as an audience member, would like to be part…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeljko-ivanek/i-had-seen-pillowman-in-london-and-loved-it-being-part-of-something/) [Zeljko Ivanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeljko-ivanek/) > [The stuff that I find really intriguing is always how do ordinary people behave in extraordinary circumstances. And that's why we have a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeljko-ivanek/the-stuff-that-i-find-really-intriguing-is-always-how-do-ordinary/) [Zeljko Ivanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeljko-ivanek/) > [I spend a lot of time in California, but New York is still my main home. I go to see a lot of theater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeljko-ivanek/i-spend-a-lot-of-time-in-california-but-new-york-is-still-my-main/) [Zeljko Ivanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeljko-ivanek/) > [What I always loved about theater is that that's an experience that a company of actors just sinks itself into for weeks, and you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeljko-ivanek/what-i-always-loved-about-theater-is-that-that-s-an-experience-that-a/) [Zeljko Ivanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeljko-ivanek/) > [I thought I'd be doing theater, really. That's all I had experience with growing up. I mean, I saw movies and television, but I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeljko-ivanek/i-thought-i-d-be-doing-theater-really-that-s-all-i-had-experience/) [Zeljko Ivanek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeljko-ivanek/) [Explore all 13 Zeljko Ivanek quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeljko-ivanek/) ## More Career quotes > [“Don’t allow anyone to pressure you into taking a job in a field that doesn’t feel right in your gut. You are the one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alison-james/don-t-allow-anyone-to-pressure-you-into-taking-a-job-in-a-field-that/) Alison James > [In every province, the chief occupations, in order of importance, are lovemaking, malicious gossip, and talking nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/voltaire/in-every-province-the-chief-occupations-in-order-of-importance-are/) [Voltaire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/voltaire/) > [I think I've had the longest career of strength, focus, and still being able to sell records. I think I'm that guy. 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In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rostam-batmanglij/i-am-a-very-big-fan-of-brian-eno-of-his-work-as-an-artist-and-making/) [Rostam Batmanglij](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rostam-batmanglij/) > [If I can beat a proven champion like Canelo, that will take my career to a different level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gennady-golovkin/if-i-can-beat-a-proven-champion-like-canelo-that-will-take-my-career/) [Gennady Golovkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gennady-golovkin/) > [My non-career. My excuse for a career? Honestly, I never think about the word 'career.' I've had managers, the minute they say it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-verlaine/my-non-career-my-excuse-for-a-career-honestly-i-never-think-about-the/) [Tom Verlaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-verlaine/) > [“The vocation of a man lies in his vision.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/the-vocation-of-a-man-lies-in-his-vision/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [I started off as a model maker, so the first part of my career was a model maker and then a motion control camera…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-knoll/i-started-off-as-a-model-maker-so-the-first-part-of-my-career-was-a/) [John Knoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-knoll/) > [Growing up I did commercials and things like that, but nothing serious. As I got older, my family is really hardcore into academics. 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