Reader Jon Henke asks: I get the impression that theatre is either dying or becoming more of a vanity (read: non-profitable) project.
But then I don't know.
What is your impression? What should they do to help it?
To which I have a very easy reply since this was the subject of one of my very early posts... You can read my diatribe here...
However, the short version is yes, we have a major problem in live theatre, in that the "artists" in control (read that as artistic directors, and directors) are trying to compete with movies/TV... We can't do that, because well, we can't really blow up a building on stage for example... That's one of the issues... Another is that the "artists" (have you noted my lack of respect for these people yet?...) are very often trying to do something so "artistic" that even those of us working on the show don't "get it"... Finally, I put part of the blame on the public... There is a phrase tossed around in lots of educational theatre settings, and it is, "willing suspension of disbelief"... Well what that boils down to is that the audience has to come in, sit down, and accept that this is a play/musical/opera, and then let themselves be drawn in to that reality... So now you're saying, "duhhhh... of course"... The problem is, that people have become so accustomed to sitting in a movie theatre, and watching something that they can't determine isn't real, that people have lost a lot of the "willingness"... Back when I was teaching, I had a kid that was complaining that the show was rediculous, since "nobody goes around breaking into song like that"... (naturally we were doing a musical) Well of course nobody breaks into song like that... (I would be way too weirded out if that happened) I really wanted to throttle the kid, but I sat down, and talked about all kinds of other situations where you have to let go of reality to enjoy the show, be it a play, movie, tv show etc... Eventually the glazed look left his eyes, and he took off... A week or so later he came back and said he finally got it...
But I digress...
Theatre is seldomly profitable... You need a real cash cow like Phantom, or The Producers to make any kind of real money... Even then, you aren't talking money like say, Titanic, or the Harry Potter movies...
I think live theatre still has something to give to society, the problem is, the public isn't all that willing, and the "artists" have forgotten what theatre is about...
OK, that is a bit different take on it than my earlier post, but they are both valid, and add to the final answer... Hope that made some sence!
Jon, I notice your email references audio... I may be coming after you for a guest blog if I get an odd sound question as that's not my speciality either...
Have a question for me?.. Theatre, concerts, TV, Film... Tools, Woodworking, Whatever... (I know very little about the acting world, perhaps I could find a guest blogger for that if it comes up)
Just leave me a question in a comment someplace, and I'll make a point to get to it as soon as life allows...
Posted by Backstage at October 27, 2003 07:00 PM