Blog #2- The Accidental Comedian

From the earliest age I wanted to become an entertainer. I loved to sing and dance and make people laugh. My idols were Shirley Temple and as I got older, Barbra Streisand. Sometimes I gathered neighborhood kids and put on variety shows for our parents, hanging sheets from the ceiling as stage curtains. Like Babs, I wanted to do it all—I wrote, produced, directed and performed in my shows. I even designed the costumes.

I begged my parents to enroll me in acting school at Ft. Lauderdale Children’s Theatre. There, I learned about many aspects of theater production and performed in plays and musicals. These extracurricular activities required a lot of dedication but they were thoroughly enjoyable and provided an enriching creative outlet, as well as the perfect escape from my dysfunctional home life. Without this opportunity, I could have easily gone down a negative path. The icing on the cake was getting my self-absorbed family to stop fighting and focus their attention on me. I truly felt special for an hour or two—my father would even bring me flowers when he came to see the shows.

During high school, racial tensions ran high but as a member of chamber singers and chorus, it was like “Ebony and Ivory,” the song by Paul McCartney/Stevie Wonder—we all got along in perfect harmony while the rest of the school was rioting. Performing boosted my self-esteem and gave me something to look forward, to as well as a sense of satisfaction, even if our concerts were for elderly nursing home residents half asleep in their wheelchairs.

Our chorus director, Mr. James Long, whom I am still in contact with today, (thanks to Facebook), was strict and unwavering in his expectations—similar to the perfectionist drama director I had in children’s theatre. I scribbled a few choice words about Mr. Long in my childhood diary—mostly for requiring us to rehearse on Saturday mornings before concerts or state competitions. Anyone who makes a teenager get up early on a Saturday morning is the enemy, but as an adult, I thanked him for being one of the only teachers who had high expectations and the balls to demand our best efforts. He was one of the few adult role models I had growing up. Those childhood diaries, by the way, have provided the inspiration for my upcoming memoir, “Cracking Up! Life With My Fractured Family,” which has unintentionally made people laugh. I guess you could call me the accidental humorist.

Thanks to Jim, the chorus director and other arts program instructors, I not only learned how to sing, dance and act, but more importantly, I acquired life skills: discipline, teamwork and accountability. Jim’s motto, (which was very annoying), was, “Early is on time—On time is late!” I can’t tell you how many times I’ve used his quote on my own three children (and annoyed the hell out of them too!). If you’ve ever had a teacher who has influenced your life, you’ll understand why he was my “Mr. Holland’s Opus.”

In college, I studied radio, TV and film making. For my senior project I produced, shot and edited a short documentary film, “Scenes from South Beach—One Woman’s Thoughts,” and despite the discouragement and ridicule I encountered from one of my male professors, my film went on to win an Emmy Award. On the bright side, college provided me with an opportunity to intern at a radio station where I was then hired as an on-air announcer. Soon after, I segued into television, working in a frantic, smoke-filled newsroom under three daily deadlines for the live newscasts. The TV station is also where I met my husband, Layne Batt, an Emmy winning producer, videographer and editor. Together, we started a production company called Time Capsule Films and created a variety of work for TV and several short documentaries for festivals.

Years ago, I also worked in theater and had the opportunity to perform in the romantic comedy, “Crossing Delancey,” (stage and screenplay by Susan Sandler), in which I played the granddaughter, Izzy, (the Amy Irving role in the movie). I played opposite the late Yiddish stage actress, Reizl Bozyk, as the scheming, yet, lovable Bubbie, who hires a matchmaker to find a husband for Isabelle.

Being in the play was a relief from all the serious work of the documentaries and daily newsroom grind. I admired Reizl, both for her performance and for being a strong female role model. I still remember her persistence and the valuable input she brought to every detail of the touring production. Reizl is a testament to the fact that it’s never too late—she became a movie star in her mid-seventies and had as much, if not more energy than anyone in the company. She proved how fulfilling life can be when you follow your desires and enjoy what you do. The years have passed and she continues to inspire me during this turning point, as I rekindle the creative passions I experienced earlier in my life and career.

(More to come…)

Faith Antman Batt is an Emmy Award winning, writer, producer and actress. She is currently developing a stand-up act and plans to publish her memoir, “Cracking Up! Life With My Fractured Family."