Young Performers Quotes

I love working with talented young performers.

It's very advantageous to be sensitive with your work - and, yet, being sensitive, in reality, when criticized, it can annihilate you. It can destroy you. And with the internet there sometimes is a lot of harm, which I find must be very difficult for youngsters coming on - it can be very harsh; the criticism. And, sometimes, it can be a little cruel - which makes it hard for young performers coming on.

The young people look great on television. They're youthful and have a lot of zip and energy, but when you see them live, they can only do about 20 minutes because they haven't got the training to hold an audience for an hour and a half or so.

It's never hard to cast kids; it's only ever hard to direct them.

Essentially, the popular musician in America must learn that his basic job is to entertain people, to make them forget their sorrows for a moment or two; in the same sense that any popular art form must aim at the same distraction value. Any such job as that is basically a young man's business. It takes a young man's energy to go traveling around the country, night after night in a different place, prancing and cavorting around in front of mobs of people all out to try to forget their problems for an evening. And for a young man it can be a good enough way of life, if he happens to like it.

As a young performer, what you need to be doing is building your technique and musicality, not promoting your abilities - unless you're ready to take on all that will result from such an approach.

Bands today have to learn their craft by putting the hard work in that we did when we were young performers.

The young cast that's coming in now, Dylan Sprayberry and Khylin Rhambo, they're great! Dylan Sprayberry came out to surf with me a couple of weeks ago and he's such a good kid and he's a kid! I mean he's 16 years old, and you forget the energy and the dynamics and the mindset of a real 16-year-old. It's just beautiful! It's limitless energy and just a whole different kettle of fish. I think that they're a great addition to the show.

'The Voice Kids' was a tremendous success in Holland. There was a big emotional reaction from the parents of the children taking part.

I think some of the best actors ever were little kids.

I do a lot of motivational speaking for young performers and kids who really want to get into acting and performing. I always say, to be as versatile as possible, because you never know which skill is going to help you get a role.

There's no getting around it: Writing is hard, while working with young performers is nearly always a joy.

In 'Billy Elliot,' there were, like, 24 kids, so that was crazy. In 'Annie,' there's nine of us; we're all great friends, and we hang out all the time. We really are just sisters.