As a high school student, college, career and adult life often seem far away, even hard to grasp. Everything seems to be practice for this big, important life ahead. But when will it get here? Will I ever use this (insert class subject or lesson) again?

Actor Richard Tyson, son of former senator John Tyson, of Mobile, visited Daphne High School drama students on May 20 to share a bit of insight straight from the horse's, or character's mouth.

First, he encouraged students by pointing out that technology affords them many benefits that he, as a young actor, did without.

“I suggest you guys just start making little films and show it to everyone you know,” he offered. “Get your friends involved. The more you do it, you get better and better.”

Technology also allows remote access, he said.

“The good news is, you don't have to go to Hollywood; the movies are everywhere now,” he began.

He then amused teens with tales of sneaking into Fox Studios, jumping fences, waiting in the parking lot to be noticed and, finally, reciting monologues to a casting director who said monologues were for theater, not films.

That same casting director admitted that Tyson had “the look, the spark and the determination,” so now he needed to train, then come back and audition.

Which brought him to his next piece of advice.

He returned to the University of Alabama for 2 years to finish his B.A., then got his graduate degree from Cornell University.

“Then, I was able to teach, and I learned so much,” he shared. “In theater, you can be anything, you can do anything. Everything you learn in theater, all that's necessary, if for no other reason, to give you confidence. It's all about relaxation and breathing.”

He said students should also learn to find the “anchor” within a script.

He gave an example of his role as Stanley in “Street Car Named Desire.”

He explained the anchor as, “something in the script that speaks to you.”

As Stanley, it was the line, “'Be comfortable.' That's our motto up where I come from.”

When rehearsing the role in New Orleans, he realized a few short days before opening, that the line changed everything and made his character come alive. He said that “up” meant it had to be somewhere north of New Orleans, so he chose Baton Rouge, La. as Stanley's home.

“I got something from it that made me clue in,” he said. “You have to adjust your value system.”

“You find a bit of yourself in it, but you never bend the character towards you,” he divulged. “You've got to make it personal. As an actor, you've got two tools: your body and your voice.”

A teacher asked that Tyson speak about what helps him to memorize lines, so that it might aid her students' memorization.

“Memorization is important,” he admitted. “Shakespeare has more lines in one act than there is in most movies.”

“I learn my lines physically,” he said as he paced about the stage, gesturing to demonstrate. “I walk around wherever I'm at. You curse yourself and you do things with your hands to help you remember. I know I'll never forget that line because I'm invested in it.”

Students should also remember to keep fun in the mix, he said.

“It's playing,” Tyson said with a smile. “In theater, there are two rules: No one gets hurt, and everybody has a good time. That sounds pretty good to me.”

He also suggested that actors keep scripts with them to read and practice in any spare moment.

“Read out loud,” he said. “Read at breakfast before you go (to audition). I always carry a script around in my back pocket. It's something you can work on 24/7. Reading and enunciating are very important.”

Tyson encouraged students to take the knowledge learned in theater classes and productions and find many aspects of theater and film that might interest them.

“You can be the lighting guy, director, writer ... it's a great hobby, too,” he offered.

“I'm more dependent on myself to write and produce,” he explained. “If you've got a good story, you should be writing your story. It should be told.”

He said that he writes himself into the script so that he'll have an acting gig when he's finished.

“Before you know it, you're running things,” he exclaimed. “You're controlling your own destiny.”

He said that students should consider all avenues and possibilities.

“If you want a paycheck every Friday, acting is not for you,” he warned. “It's a lot of fun – the highs are great and the lows are pretty bad, too. I'd like to scare you out of it, but I'd also like to encourage you.”

Tyson offered one final phrase on how to know if acting is the right path.

“It's got to bite you,” he said with an inspired expression.