Broadway to Business: Leadership Learnings from the Theatre

By Tabitha Gilbert, in conversation with DR trainers and actors Miriam Silverman and Aaron Neil

We are often asked, “what does an actor know about the business world?” With this question in mind, we sat down with DR trainers Miriam Silverman and Aaron Neil to reflect on their recent work on two award-winning productions in New York.  

Curious to learn about the parallels between leadership skills and the performer's toolkit? Read on! 

Dramatic Resources: It's been a huge year for you both on Broadway! Miriam, you won Best Performance by an Actress in a Featured Role in a Play at the 2023 Tony Awards for The Sign in Sidney Brustein’s Window. Aaron, you relocated to the States with Leopoldstadt, which has picked up multiple awards in the UK and the US. We'd love to talk to you about your experiences. Can you find any similarities between your creative work and the participant training room?  

Aaron Neil: The strange thing that happens in the theatre is that we have to pretend the audience isn’t there. To communicate well under pressure is exactly the same as what a lot of our participants deal with, which is: how can I stand up in front of an audience with a difficult message, or perform to a challenging audience? And how can I deliver that message as if I was relaxed and just talking to them? It's not about not feeling the pressure. It's always there. It's about how you act under that pressure. 

Miriam Silverman: I agree. I also think there's a crossover with nerves. There are moments in the run where I feel nervous: first preview, certainly on opening night. For the most part, I manage to channel nerves into excitement. But this Spring, I was really struck by how nervous I was when I had to make speeches as Miriam rather than as my character. When I won the Tony, I got off stage, and I did not know what had come out of my mouth. I had the speech in my hand, but I basically blacked out. But somehow the muscles must have kicked in, because I felt ok when I watched the video back.  

Aaron Neil: I have to say, I didn't notice Miriam looking down at her card once. When you focus on the written text, it always comes out sounding a bit wooden. Miriam found safety in the moment and in the audience. I think it's a really wonderful example of having your focus “out” rather than “in”. 

Miriam Silverman: Thank you, Aaron. It felt so silly, how nervous I got. But it was such a good reminder, and I thought a lot about our participants and the way they feel when they are speaking as themselves.  

Dramatic Resources: Absolutely. As we often say to participants, effective communication doesn't mean perfect communication. It’s also about authenticity and spontaneity. Can you think of any other examples of effective communication from your recent creative projects? 

Miriam Silverman: I saw great communication at play when our director or producers gave speeches. They acknowledged everybody in those moments, which rallied the troops and brought us together. When an event was kicked off without those speeches, I felt that lack. 

Aaron Neil: One of the narrative points of Leopoldstadt is the treatment of Jewish people between 1899 and 1955. Whilst antisemitism was obviously strongly present at that time, it still exists today. During the play, we had a heightened police presence outside the theatre every night and an armed guard in the auditorium. Some nights, we had people distributing antisemitic leaflets outside. So, to do that play in a cauldron of hate and violence required moments exactly like Miriam said, where people would speak. Sometimes that was the director, and sometimes it was the company members. 

Dramatic Resources: Why is that an example of effective communication for you, Aaron? 

Aaron Neil: Well, what struck me was that leadership didn't come from one person. It wasn't outsourced or delegated to the person at the top of the tree. It's an ensemble play without a natural lead, and so leadership was a challenge to every individual. And of course, there was a real sense of urgency. If we had become divisive within the company, we'd have been screwed... Because there were people outside literally ready to throw rocks through the window. 

Dramatic Resources: It’s interesting to hear that opportunities for leadership came up in those ‘behind the scenes’ moments. Who helped you to dig into your characters on-stage? 

Miriam Silverman: Melle Powers, who is also a trainer for DR, did the EDI (Equity, Diversity & Inclusion) work on the show. As part of that, she helped us to talk about the play’s problematic language. I wanted to do justice to [the writer] Lorraine Hansberry’s work and represent my character in her entirety – her flaws, as well as the beautiful aspects of her humanity. Whether you’re an actor or a professional, rehearsing our communication gives us the opportunity to take risks in a safe space. But it’s having a trusted mentor or coach which takes that to another level by offering frameworks and feedback. I was very grateful to Melle for her support. 

Aaron Neil: I immediately think of Patrick [Marber, the director] and the ways he guided us. Good directors don't say: “Stand there. Look angry. Do this.” The director's role, much like a mentor or a coach's role, is to allow the individual to find solutions themselves. Directors and coaches don't have long to work their magic. They can only give you a flavour and nudge you in the right direction. But fundamentally, the actor, like the coachee or mentee, should feel like they're making their own choices. If you are imposing too tight a straitjacket on how you want it to be, it won't be great work. 

Dramatic Resources: Miriam, you mentioned the magic of the rehearsal room. We often talk about "permission to fail" with our participants. Were there any memorable "do-over" moments from rehearsals? 

Miriam Silverman: I had to put a dress on Rachel Brosnahan in our first scene, every night. The first two times I tried it, I fumbled and had trouble doing it smoothly. It was a small task but somehow, I got in my head about that – of all things! The whole point was that I was her bossy big sister, so it worked whether I got the dress on well or not. I suppose that was the lesson – not to get hung up on the little details. 

Aaron Neil: For me, I first rehearsed this play maybe four years ago [before the West End opening]. I was part of the furniture by the time we came to Broadway. One of the most valuable things for me to experience as an actor was: You can't be in love with what you did before. Because someone else comes in and that changes the nature and meaning of the scene. And I really enjoyed that flexibility. 

Miriam Silverman: I love that! I wanna pick up on that, Aaron, because I had a very similar experience. I was the only one who carried over from the Chicago cast of Sidney. It made me think about the ways that we collaborate in the theatre, and the openness that we need to have. You leave your fingernail prints on your favourite bits of the character, because you know exactly how certain things work. But the person showing up opposite you brings a different energy, and it’s your job to stay open to that. 

Dramatic Resources: Flexing your communication style and staying open is so important. Before we wrap up, can you sum up the last year in three words? 

Aaron Neil: An incomprehensible whirlwind.   

Miriam Silverman: Exhilarating. Challenging. Unexpected. 

Aaron Neil: Here’s the thing: You start Leopoldstadt in this beautiful, Christmasy family home. Two hours later, you are standing on stage listening to how the family died in Auschwitz. The play is incredible but living out Kristallnacht eight times a week for 40 weeks was emotionally exhausting. 

Miriam Silverman: I got to do this play back in 2016, and we had many false starts in getting it to New York. I think I had given up on it ever happening. So, getting to do it at BAM - that felt like a dream come true. And then there was the unexpected transfer to Broadway. And then everything that happened with the Drama Desk and the Tony... They were the most exhilarating months of my career. But it was devastating, unexpectedly losing my mom in February. Everything that happened in 2023 has been really unexpected, in both wonderful and sad ways. 

Dramatic Resources: Thank you both for your time and for your honesty. It’s been a pleasure to talk about your experiences and the things you’ve learned in this past year. Congratulations again! We hope you enjoy a well-deserved pause before your next projects. 

Find out what Aaron, Miriam, and the rest of our trainer team are up to on-stage on our Curtain Call page. Want to work with our talented trainers? Get in touch with us here.