Why Support Live Theatre?
Because Theatre Gives Back
Why consider attending live theatre? What sets live theatre apart from watching tv in the comfort of your home? Who benefits from supporting live theatre? Before continuing, it is important to note that the spelling “theatre” is used when referring to the art form, whereas “theater” is used when referring to the place.
Beginning in the late 15th century, theatre moved indoors and lighting, often in the form of fire, distinguished the atmosphere from the street outside. The Paris Opéra first decided to lower the curtain before and between scenes of a ballet or opera. This element of surprise was unheard of before 1829. Over the next centuries, the theatre experience has morphed many times over. Today, audiences seek not only the element of surprise but crave immersion as well. From the moment you enter the theater doors you become a part of a world crafted by the creative team, performers, and technicians. Some productions go as far as to design the lobby for a more impactful environmental change from the busy and noisy world outside the theater. Immersive theatre has become a movement that includes performers breaking the bounds of simply staying on stage and incorporating audience participation. Either you have not attended live theatre in a while or never before, consider this an appeal to explore the live preforming arts.
No Audience. No show.
There is no substitute for joining people, of many demographics and walks of life, share in the experience of storytelling. There is even a chance that the performance you attend will become a historical one. The community experience of live theatre forms a unique fellowship the moment the show begins. This unique community, called the audience, is an integral part of the show. The audience is a player in the performance as much as the performers are. One of the beauties of live theatre is that none of the shows will ever be exactly the same. The infinite possibilities of a performance are driven by the audience’s reaction, making it impossible to reproduce identically. The performers are trained to accommodate any mishaps that may happen on stage. They may act around a costume malfunction. They may improvise their lines when missing a cue. They may also respond to unexpected responses from the audience, such as an audience member laughing at a tragic death scene. In comedy, the performers are especially tied to the audience's reactions and feed off the laughter or adapt to its absence. Even the misguided audience member who decides to open up a lozenge with a noisy wrapper in the middle of the Prelude from Afternoon of the Faun adds yet another variable to a particular performance experience. The beauty of live theatre is no two shows will be the same because of the audience in attendance.
Leaves You Thinking
Unlike watching a movie from home and then calling it a night by going to bed, live theatre thrives on anticipation and contemplation. The anticipation generated from purchasing tickets and marking the date on the calendar engages your mind differently than haphazardly selecting from online streaming media. Live theatre encourages dialogue and reflection. The program gives insight to the production and direction changes from earlier productions of the same work. Even intermission is strategically planned with consideration for your attention span and optimal engagement. Live theatre interprets and communicates human emotions and experiences. So, contemplation happens naturally because your emotions are uninterrupted unlike watching TV where you have the ability to press the pause button and resume later. Live performance often offers engagement opportunities which are impossible to achieve from a screen. Certain performances may hold a talk back with creatives and performers to discuss everything including methods of preparation for the performance, technical and design choices, and provide deeper insight into the piece of art. What’s remembered lives, and live theatre accomplishes just that.
Art as Old as Time
Storytelling is a primitive expression of humans alone. Our modes of storytelling are ever changing and expanding from oral to drawings, paintings to photos, acting to music, writing to video, but all forms feed the desire to absorb or be absorbed by an expression. Live performance interlaces various modes of expression in infinite combinations. Presently, there is high demand for actors who not only deliver lines on stage, but also sing, dance, and play an instrument. In another show, you may also find a classic book enacted by one man performing and creating different voices for each character while using nothing more than a trench coat, a hat rack, and a stool for props. Also consider that the symphony and the dance of the concert hall have stories to tell. Regardless of the form, concrete or abstract, live performance aims to communicate a message. Embrace the ancient art of live storytelling. It will enrich your experience of living and your understanding of life.
Ecosystem of Artists
Many art forms play a role in the creation and execution of a show. These include wardrobe, scenic, lighting and sound design, just to name a few. Productions also require stage managers, technicians, stagehands and custodians. Whether that is loading the scenic elements on and off stage or driving delivery trucks. Even the coffee shop across the street is a part of the equation by supplying everyone’s sanity. Each of these contributes in their own specialized way. Live theatre is good for the economy because of its ecosystem of artists. Live theatre travels far and wide; just think of a circus whose goal is to bring their talents to remote areas. They guarantee astonishment by things rarely seen. When theatre tours it not only provides work for the performers but also for the employees of that town’s local theaters and it provides more foot traffic for surrounding businesses. It is evident live theatre is a cog in the economic wheel. With this in mind consider supporting your local theater and be a proud participant in experiencing history. Theatre gives back.