Remembering the Old Man
John Edw. Blankenchip was a fixture at USC School of Theatre for about a million years. He was rude, crude, obnoxious, foul-mouthed, and constantly putting the school in danger of a law suit from a sensitive student over something.
Yesterday he died. I was never in the inner circle of John's students, but I designed several shows directed or produced by him. The first show I did with him, he pushed and pushed and pushed me. He insulted my work, yelled at me. He pushed me until I lost my cool at a rehearsal. (I threw a tech table -- not at him, I wasn't that out of control). That lesson thickened my skin. I have since been in many worse situations, and now I can keep it together. I found out years later that after all the yelling, insulting, etc. he fought hard for me to win an award at USC.
My work with him did not make me a better artist, or a better designer (those honors go to others). My work with him taught me how to survive in the theatre -- something no other class taught. There was high drama on any show he was connected with. I don't like drama off the stage, but thanks to John I can deal with it.
John's work and life changed thousands of students lives. Some learned to that they had no business being in theatre business. Some became better at what they do. Some leaned much needed self-confidence. Some leaned how to work with anyone. As a teacher/designer /(and occasional producer/director), I can't copy John's style -- its not me. Looking back, I'm glad I worked with John, even if I claimed on every show, I wasn't ever going to do it again.
Yesterday he died. I was never in the inner circle of John's students, but I designed several shows directed or produced by him. The first show I did with him, he pushed and pushed and pushed me. He insulted my work, yelled at me. He pushed me until I lost my cool at a rehearsal. (I threw a tech table -- not at him, I wasn't that out of control). That lesson thickened my skin. I have since been in many worse situations, and now I can keep it together. I found out years later that after all the yelling, insulting, etc. he fought hard for me to win an award at USC.
My work with him did not make me a better artist, or a better designer (those honors go to others). My work with him taught me how to survive in the theatre -- something no other class taught. There was high drama on any show he was connected with. I don't like drama off the stage, but thanks to John I can deal with it.
John's work and life changed thousands of students lives. Some learned to that they had no business being in theatre business. Some became better at what they do. Some leaned much needed self-confidence. Some leaned how to work with anyone. As a teacher/designer /(and occasional producer/director), I can't copy John's style -- its not me. Looking back, I'm glad I worked with John, even if I claimed on every show, I wasn't ever going to do it again.