Theatre and The Perception of Comfort

As stated in my last blog, clubs are a really great way to get to know people with similar interests, creating connections that can hopefully grow as time goes on. However I wanted to save this discussion for this week since it affects how I made connections during my education years. For this post, I want to discuss the experiences I had with theater groups and what advice I got. For many, theater is really annoying, I understand, not everything is marketed for everyone, however theater is more than just acting out on a stage.

              When I started getting into acting for real, I was around 10 in the 5^th grade, I liked performing and acting out characters that were different than me. However, over time, I noticed that theater is more to it than what I was reaching for. Like many forms of media, such as tv shows or movies, theater is a big production. Costume and set designers, prop masters, band orchestras, lighting managers, audio mixer, and so on. But none are more important than stage managers and hands, a position that I have had experiences numerous times. I have grown to learn that not every show will be something I will perform in. If I did not get a role in a show, it was because I was not fit for that role or the show was something I would not succeed in with my acting skills. However, the directors for these shows do not neglect anyone who does not get a part following auditions, they are more than welcome to help out for stage production. While this group of people only show up towards the end of rehearsals, usual named tech week, they familiarize themselves with what type of show they will be working on as well as getting to know the actors and what props or costumes they need for a specific scene. This gives people such as myself a perfect opportunity to grow a relationship with both the actors and even the directors as well, showing I am committed to a role for a production regardless of if I am on stage or not. Even potentially increasing my chances to be in a future production due to my bond with them.

              On the topic of have semi-insecurities, acting is a highly strong way to weave out of that struggle, this is because of having people play someone or something entirely different. I have known plenty of people who were mocked, bullied, or even lost hope due to outside circumstances, but when they were on stage they felt proud and confident, washing away all worries they had in the past. Additionally, they get to know the other actors on stage and open up to them as well. Of course, this can go the other way as well, at first I tried to grow some sort of relations with a group of kids my age when I was 13 in a community theatre, however, because we went to different schools I was the loner. In fact, I was really close to leaving the theater only two weeks before the show was set to air. But I did stick it out in the end and knew I was not going to make any connections, even minor, through this group, leaving after the cast party.

              Despite this minor mishap, I still find theatre an enjoyable and fun method to meeting people and gaining confidence. Unfortunately, after the pandemic and commuting back and forth to class, I have lost both the accessibility and even motivation to continue theatre for fun. But for my curtain call, I had fun while it lasted.