In the Background, I Hear the Fiddler Playing

In the background, I hear the Fiddler playing. I see my grandfather shaking hands and exchanging confidence-filled smiles with his guests. My days in the Eden Theater were a celebration of life. The sights, sounds and feelings that I picked-up on in my youth left an indelible impression on my mind that literally changed the way I was to view the world. It wasn’t just the theater though; it was the lifestyles I was exposed to that opened my eyes.

I grew up in the Bronx across the street from a schoolyard. I grew up in a lumberyard and millwork shop in Manhattan. I grew up in the Catskills in the heart of the resort community that had all but died by my time. I grew up with the woods, rivers, trees and nature of the country and the buildings, concrete and harshness of city life. I was ‘Country Mouse’ and ‘City Mouse’ at the same time. I learned to see the world as a whole, made up of smaller worlds that all related and connected. The world has always been my stage and I think when you take away all the backdrops and stage props and set designs – this is where I truly grew up.

The performance is what it’s all about. I imagine there are cameras and audiences everywhere. Every move I make is being watched and I try to always give my best performance. Even if I’m the only one watching (behind the lens of my mind’s camera) I must give it my all.

I’m a hard audience to satisfy. Yet, as both performer and faithful observer, I must always give one hundred percent to everything I do. Maybe it’s an extremist quality that runs through my blood. Maybe it’s my religious ties. Maybe it’s the fact that a Showman raised me and it’s the only way I know.

I remember dressing up to hand out Playbills at the opening of the Plays. The audience walked in smiling and left cheering. I can recall making sound effects behind the stage during the performances. Bending handsaws to make the noise of thunder and I have vivid images of making the sound of breaking glass. We actually broke glass with a wooden stick in a big metal drum. From the theater seats, it sounded like glass was really breaking! Of course, it was – but I was privy to this information and it made me feel strong. I remember being beneath the stage in the orchestra pit while the musicians created the soundtrack that patrons could also hear, but again – they could not see it the way I did. I was over the stage and above the lights. I could see all the ropes and sets and I could even pull the curtains down. I was a part of the production in my eyes. I was an integral part of the whole.

I’ve always been fascinated by the similarity between building construction and poetry. Both use smaller blocks to build the whole picture. The pallet is only as confined as the imagination. I've been thinking about the theater a lot lately. These days I am playing the part of a production manager who runs a high-output shop. I tell my good customers - who appreciate me because I've earned their confidence, (and all my customers are 'good' customers!) - I say "My Grandfather owned a theatre in NYC and I find that in everything I do - it's the production that gets me fired up. It's what I love about my job. It's a juggling act; it's a conductor directing an orchestra of over a hundred musicians to accomplish one goal. I have to bring a lot of people together, and I have to push, pull, drag, yell, sweet-talk and whatever I have to in order to make it all happen - in an expeditious manner! But I do so, and I do it well and the reason is my grandfather was a salesman, but he was also a showman. I know that anyone can put on show/production. But it's only a success if the audience applauds, and comes back for more”.

This is the essence of my business philosophy. Today I got a large order from a customer, (I got the order despite the fact that my price was almost ten percent higher for the job than my newest staunchest competitor in the market). I got it because my customer felt uncertain of their ability to deliver in a timely manner - and I showed him the utmost confidence in my ability to deliver on time if not sooner. I have made a name for myself and since I started this operation several other companies have tried to compete with me by offering lower prices and faster lead times. But they don't back words up with action like I do. I make the audience cheer and keep them coming back for more. I build relationships and business tends to build itself as a result.

I consider myself a rarity in this industry because of my straightforward way of doing business. I play my part to the hilt. My employer and co-workers see my effort and know that I’m here to grow our company. My customers know that I’m here to satisfy their needs first and foremost – because I do consistently. My suppliers know that I don’t waste time and provide me with the responses I need in the time I need it – because I’ve convinced them that what’s good for me is good for them. I have everyone in the audience cheering me along on there own level. But I truly have only one goal; to succeed in everything I put my mind to and never settle for less than the best I’m capable of. Nobody has to know this though. It is the production of my life that is my true focus. I will never stop learning, I will never stop trying to be a better person everyday and I will never stop perfecting my craft. Deep down inside, I am an actor – and the entire universe is my stage.