okee - this started out as a response to a post in the theatre group about how to get people to see theatre.
I'm maybe a bit tipsy (see previous post about softball, and add in some drinking), but I started to write and decided that it needed to be here rather than a long ass comment. In part because I don't trust that I came to a strong enough conclusion. I'll look at it again in the light of day to edit and maybe post in the community. Until then enjoy, and let me know if anything doesn't make sense:
There are a lot of theatres these days, espeically LORT regional theatres that spend a lot of money attempting to educate younger audiences about theatre, in the hopes that they will be able to reach an audience and keep it as they grow. I think that this is a noble effort, and that in some respects people need to learn how to sit in an audience of a live show.
At the same time I think that this is also detrimental to theatre. It becomes something that people are forced into doing. 'My girlfriend made me go to the ballet', 'my parents forced to me to go to the opera', etc. I think that this is why shows like "Jerry Springer, The Opera" did so well. It wasn't a question of forcing an audience, or educating an audience, it was a question of entertainment value.
In order for theatre to thrive it has to capitalize on it's unique-ness, on it's ability to invoke emotions in a room full of people. There's a reason why parties will be held for the end of a long running TV series, why people gather to watch the last episode of 'Mash' or 'Friends'. It's because a well written show (and we can argue the writing of Friends till the end of time, it still made an enormous impact) makes people feel, and if it's lucky it makes people think. And it's safer to feel when you're not alone. It's safer to allow yourself to be affected by what you see when there are other people seeing the same thing.
I think that if you want theatre to reach out to an audience, and I sure as hell do, it has to be something as engaging as possible, it has to make you think. Maybe it's something as trivial as which friend sleeps with another, maybe it's something as intricate as the reality of hell. But if it can get people to talk, it needs to be produced, and it needs to be talked about. Because talk is what will make it.
I'm maybe a bit tipsy (see previous post about softball, and add in some drinking), but I started to write and decided that it needed to be here rather than a long ass comment. In part because I don't trust that I came to a strong enough conclusion. I'll look at it again in the light of day to edit and maybe post in the community. Until then enjoy, and let me know if anything doesn't make sense:
There are a lot of theatres these days, espeically LORT regional theatres that spend a lot of money attempting to educate younger audiences about theatre, in the hopes that they will be able to reach an audience and keep it as they grow. I think that this is a noble effort, and that in some respects people need to learn how to sit in an audience of a live show.
At the same time I think that this is also detrimental to theatre. It becomes something that people are forced into doing. 'My girlfriend made me go to the ballet', 'my parents forced to me to go to the opera', etc. I think that this is why shows like "Jerry Springer, The Opera" did so well. It wasn't a question of forcing an audience, or educating an audience, it was a question of entertainment value.
In order for theatre to thrive it has to capitalize on it's unique-ness, on it's ability to invoke emotions in a room full of people. There's a reason why parties will be held for the end of a long running TV series, why people gather to watch the last episode of 'Mash' or 'Friends'. It's because a well written show (and we can argue the writing of Friends till the end of time, it still made an enormous impact) makes people feel, and if it's lucky it makes people think. And it's safer to feel when you're not alone. It's safer to allow yourself to be affected by what you see when there are other people seeing the same thing.
I think that if you want theatre to reach out to an audience, and I sure as hell do, it has to be something as engaging as possible, it has to make you think. Maybe it's something as trivial as which friend sleeps with another, maybe it's something as intricate as the reality of hell. But if it can get people to talk, it needs to be produced, and it needs to be talked about. Because talk is what will make it.
i___zombie:
well said, .... in Utard, we used to have the school districts bring in students to see the Ballet, and Opera, so they would be exposed to the theatre.