Theatre of the Absurd

As someone who was a Theatre Major in college, and is still actively involved with supporting the arts, as both a patron and participant, I keep myself up-to-date (or, I at least, try) on various goings on in my general area of Southeastern Virginia, as well as the Washington, DC area and New York City. As of late, I have come across a few articles and blogs and whatnot from the greater Richmond area...articles and reviews and such in online publications, etc. And, more and more, I am seeing a very disturbing trend...one that perhaps I have always known was growing, but seems to be becoming more so...the lack of interest in theatre, both community and professional. I realize that given my education in theatre, my experience and continued support, that I am perhaps biased, but with that said, I was also raised by parents, who while not terribly artistically-inclined, themselves, were always taking me off to theatres, art galleries, museums, et al. I used to reside in Northeastern Connecticut, and while various arts organizations certainly had their struggles, it did not seem to be as hard to find (and please) patrons, as it does in Virginia. (With that said, I also haven't lived in CT for about 8 years or so...the theatre scene there may be suffering there, now too, just as it seems to be in Virginia.)

Certainly, with cable, and all the accessibility that goes along with it, and movies, and the internet, going to theatre isn't the only form of entertainment available to people. But, for anyone who has been a theatre patron, you know that for what it may lack in shoot 'em up action, like that of a Nicolas Cage film, it more than makes up in intimacy. While you don't the close-up camera shots of an actors face, as you do with film or television, there is a connection that is formed, when sharing the space, with the actors on the stage. (And, as an actor myself, I can also say that it is the same for the actors...the intimacy that you share with audience is quite...well, magical.) I find it very distressing that we seem to be becoming a society that doesn't appreciate the arts, in any form (theatre, dance, music, visual arts), the way we used to. The talent and skill and passion that is exhibited, every day, in places all over the country, all over the world, is to be respected, admired, and appreciated.

Insofar as the lack of interest in/support of community theatre is concerned...it seems that a lot of the rather negative comments that I have come across have been from people who have moved to this area from Washington, DC., New York City, etc., places in which professional theatre is far more accessible, and probably even the community theatre is of high quality, given the larger talent pool, from which to choose. But, as I have learned, from my own experiences, treading the boards, one should never underestimate the community theatre. The men and women who participate in these productions, in every capacity, usually do so on a volunteer basis...if they get paid anything at all, it's usually only a small stipend. They are volunteering their time, their talent, their passion, and their energy, so that live theatre may be more accessible to the masses. They volunteer time their time, even though no one has enough of it. (And, now you can probably see my nonprofit life coming out to play.) They have regular "day jobs" and volunteer to go to rehearsals 3, 4, 5 nights, a week, after they get off work, for 2 or 3 hours a night, to put together a production that can be accessible to and enjoyed by those who may not otherwise have the resources to see a professional theatre production. After all, not everyone can make it to DC, or NYC...and, certainly, in this economy, not everyone can even afford tickets to The Fergeson Center, Virginia Stage Company, or Chrysler Hall, to see a professional touring production.

Obviously, community theatres have to do some leg work, on their end, too...more/better marketing and public relations...listening to their patrons as to what shows they would like to see (something of an ongoing debate, on that point, though, as there are those within the arts world who feel that people don't really know what they want until it's given to them...and, I do believe that there is some truth to that...especially as a transplanted New Englander, and a theater major at a liberal arts college in Massachussettes, where things are much more liberal and people seem to have greater ease at "pushing the envelope")...doing more to make their existence known, both to patrons and participants. But, most community theatres are, by their very nature, nonprofit organizations, and sometimes the idea of "you have to spend money to make money" (as it pertains to marketing and such) isn't always as feasible as it is with other types of organizations. As previously mentioned, I moved to Virginia from the icy tundra of New England, and from the standpoint of an actor, was somewhat spoiled, given the relative ease in which we could do shows written by David Mamet, Tennessee Williams, Sam Shepherd, and be able to do so without fear of offending our audiences. (Of course, there were, from time to time, those people who were offended, but it was a fairly rare occurrence.) Which again, I suppose, brings up the idea of whether or not audiences really even know what it is that they want, until it's given to them. There are arguments to be made on both sides of that coin.

It's just a sad idea...the lack of appreciation for the arts. Of course, the funding cuts within our countries public schools certainly doesn't help, in that regard. Unless younger kids have parents who will expose them to the arts, giving them an appreciation for it, they're not going to get it at school, either, it seems. The lack of appreciation for the arts within public schools, also being a real source of contention for me. It's not like any of us learned anything, had fun, or made friends in any of our arts-related classes, regardless of whether or not it was something that we continued to pursue. It's not like it didn't expand our horizons. There is a direct corralation between the progress of a society and progress within the arts. (Hello...the era of Elizabeth I was also the era of Shakespeare.)

So, if you have never been to theatrical production...go to one. Turn off the television, turn off the iPod, turn off your BlackBerry, step away from computer and do something, regardless of whether it's a professional production or a community theatre production, that will open your mind, broaden your horizons, and make you, at least look, a little more sophisticated. And, for those two hours, you may find yourself transcended, you may laugh, you may cry, you may think, you may have something with which you can have a thought-provoking conversation. (Impress your friends! Fun at parties!) You may very well become a patron of the arts.