Depending on where you live the theatre scene usually dies down a little during the summer months, expect for the occasional Shakespeare in nature performance. So what do you do during the summer if your life is theatre?
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One thing that I have seen a lot more often around my theatre community is that people are bad mouthing their first theatre community. Sometimes we don’t realize that other people in our theatre circle are listening to what we have to say about different topics. Including this one which has so much to do with how we are viewed by others, especially potential directors you might work with in the future.
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May is #MentalHealthAwarenessMonth, and Broadway is no stranger to mental health issues. Anxiety and depression have been tackled head on in recent hits like Dear Evan Hansen, and Be More Chill. These shows have brought the issues out of the shadows and into the spotlight by weaving relatable stories of characters who suffer into heartbreaking raw and honest songs.
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Devised Theatre is defined as a method of theatre-making, also referred to as collective creation, in which the performance originates from collaborative, often improvisatory work by a performing ensemble. It has grown more popular over the years, and it has contributed to a large part of theatre-making.
There are so many ways you can go about devised theatre. You can start with a central theme that you want to base your piece on, which leads to research and acquiring knowledge regarding the subject so that you can then decide on the message you would like to pass on to your audience. Another way of starting out is by workshopping methods and/or exercises to create pieces that might then make it to the piece later
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Dear theatre goers…
I am writing this because I am extremely disappointed with the behaviour I have seen, so I’m here to enlighten you on basic theatre manners. There is no secret hack to being at the theatre; there is one simple necessity, however.
It’s called respect.
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Young people today are bombarded by images of what they ‘should’ look like, due to social media exposure. The ‘perfect’ body is just a societal construct and this unhealthy ideal needs to be eradicated. Young people should be encouraged to accept themselves no matter their shape and size, and to be confident in themselves as people. No one likes horrible people, even if they are a size petite. The popular movie musical Grease is still hugely popular today, and while the songs are undeniably catchy, I don’t think the message portrayed by Sandy’s drastic change at the end of the movie is entirely the right one to be sending out to today’s impressionable teens and young adults.
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One of the most amazing things about theatre is that it is something that can be enjoyed by a wide variety of people. There is a play or musical out there for everyone. Even more amazing than that is the impact that theatre has on people’s lives. My experience in working for a theatre company for adults with learning disabilities has shown me just how important theatre is in improving the quality of their lives.
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I want you to imagine something. Imagine huge crowds of people filing into a special venue to witness a display by professionals working at the highest tiers of their field. The tickets were expensive, the seats aren’t quite comfortable, the drink prices are outrageous. Specialized, high-powered lights illuminate the playing area and loud music fills the air. The professionals emerge, dressed in specialized clothing and equipment, and begin their hours-long display. The action is intense, sometimes exciting, sometimes heartbreaking, and about halfway through, there is a break for everyone to recover and chat. When it’s all over, the crowd will cheer for a job well done and grumble if their expectations weren’t met, but they’ll probably go to a similar event in the future. Those same fans will gather around their televisions once a year in a celebration of the best of the best, usually with friends, food and drinks at the ready.
Now, here’s my question: did you picture a Broadway show, or a sporting event?
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It was already an emotional time.
Our theater, the auditorium that had housed all of the theater our district had to offer for 55 years, was slated for demolition. Yes, it was just a building, but to those of us who found our home on the stage, it was a little bit more.
So we planned an event to pay homage to the facility. We dressed in formal attire and walked a pseudo-red carpet. We invited alumni and former teachers. We shared pictures, and songs, and memories.
Then, it happened. My students starting leaving in the middle of the show. First a few, then more, then most.
What in the world was happening? On one hand I was thinking “This better be an emergency!’ and on the other praying it was not.
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Having been performing for over 40 years, I have learned that the most important thing about doing a show is the appreciation shown by the audiences. Did they like the show? What was their take on the production? I also appreciate the constructive critiques they may offer. Then we have…the reviewer. The person who many people use as their go-to person for advice on should they or shouldn’t they see a show. The person who potentially has the power to make or break a show.
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Recently, Chris Peterson, the Editor-In-Chief of OnStage Blog, wrote about meeting actors whom we respect and admire and the effect that it had on them. In digesting the article, I wanted to weigh in on this subject and maybe give it some more food for thought.
Personally, I have had the opportunity to meet some celebrities after a show either at the stage door or, on a few special occasions, in their dressing rooms. My expectations were based on my admiration for their work in theatre, TV and/or film. And I was ready to be humbled at the opportunity to meet them.
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A while back, I saw an upsetting case of deconstructive criticism brought to the surface in the case of “Karlan Judd and the Cyberbully”. Basically, a show’s creator publicly shamed an actor for posting a negative review. Both the comment and the review have since been taken down.
Others have talked at length about how unprofessional it was for the creator to take a public stance on a negative review but I want to talk about something else that sparked my interest: the purpose of negative reviews and the role of the contemporary audience member.
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