Back in 1978, when I just landed in Hollywood to study with voice pioneer, Daws Butler (voice of Yogi Bear, Huckleberry Hound, Elroy Jetson, etc.) actors viewed voice overs as a way to supplement their income. Voicing funny characters or doing commercials was viewed along the same lines as waiting on tables, running errands and assisting other artists who had “real” jobs. Today, voice acting is the envy of any actor, whether they focus on their craft in front of the camera or behind the mic. And if you are very clever, you can actually manage to do both.

Having recently returned from a four-week stint at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, I have an enlightened perspective of what it means to commit to a project and how that commitment influences others. The festival itself is the largest theatrical festival in the world. Some 500,000 tourists join millions of Scots to revel in the work of thousands of artists. There are more than 1,700 productions performing on the streets, in pubs, in phone booths, elevators, balconies and dozens of genuine theater spaces.

Our show (for it never really is a one-person show!) was in one of the largest spaces available, the Music Hall of the Assembly Rooms. With the exception of the month of August, this space is normally used for seminars, conferences, exhibitions, receptions, dinners, parties, weddings, etc. It is elegant, with spectacular chandeliers, intricate plasterwork and mirrors, making it a very upscale venue.

A brief nod to the unsung heroes: In just this one theater, there were seven different productions daily. An extraordinary crew of about 15 men and women from all around the world, including Ireland, England, Wales, Scotland, New Zealand, Australia, Norway and countries far and wide would strike, set up and run each show. They were hopping from 9:00 am till 2:00 am every day. Their commitment to making the performances run smoothly was so admirable. They were a show of their own!

To give you an idea of what it took to get me to Scotland, I worked on the script for more than a year, writing, re-writing and honing, cutting, pinching and editing with script collaborators, Rose Goss and Peter Kjenaas. We each brought our own “sensibilities” to the script. By the time spring rolled around, we were ready to “workshop” it. Since this show was an expression of the fact that I love The Simpsons and the joy it brings me and so many people throughout the world I wanted to honor the series by being really prepared for the 14,000 potential theatergoers in Edinburgh.

To put my best “acting chops” forward I prepared by doing three performances on Memorial Day weekend at Cal State Northridge. Hundreds showed up, giving us the opportunity to survey what worked and what didn’t. This was most invaluable to Rose, the director, and the writing team.

The main difference in performing live in front of an audience and performing behind a mic in a studio is the vulnerability, the sheer “nakedness” of being alone on stage. A dear friend told me that stage fright is simply the feeling you get when you don’t perform enough in front of an audience. The only antidote for this is to do more! As the clock was ticking and the date to depart for the U.K. was upon us we only had enough time after the last rewrite to do the show once more for about a dozen people. That was pretty intense going from 12 to a preview night in Edinburgh for 630! Yeoooowie! But once I “hit the boards” I was fine.