by Kelly

Her teachers told her:

“You have a narrow talent.

Stay in comedy.”

Sigourney Weaver

didn’t listen. She proved them

wrong time and again.

Now her goal is to

be a better teacher to

tomorrow’s actors.

“Mentoring is one

of the great joys of getting

older,” she believes.

Young actors, she said,

should get a degree. “Learn how

to read a story.”

“Learn how to see the

beginning, middle and end.

How characters fit.”

“Learn how to be a

good communicator.” Then

she paused and added:

“Art is feeling the

sharpness of someone else’s

experience.” True!

For decades, Sigourney Weaver has been a Hollywood star. While she continues to act, one of her newest endeavors is a small Manhattan theater called The Flea, which gives new actors a stage to practice and perfect their art.

Ms. Weaver recently traveled through Minneapolis as part of the Smart Talk lecture series. I had the pleasure of going to hear her speak.

As an official “Smart Talk Blogger,” I attended each of this year’s events and penned haiku about what each of the visiting speakers had to say.

Even though Ms. Weaver was the last of this year’s events, you can read all of my Smart Talk haiku and start planning to attend next year!