Community

Something I have been thinking a lot about, that unfortunately gets forced to the wayside by our ludicrous expectations of success, is theatre as a community. We’re trained and reassured that if we audition – diligently – we will be rewarded with success and all the other crap that so many actors, designers, writers, and who ever else wants to be in that category expect after college. What is left out is the only aspect, I have realized, you can control. The people. People you work, learn, associate, and create with are the ones (too me!) that are important. I’m not sure when it happened or how (before my time I assume) but being a career actor became about solitude and a self-righteous streak of who knows who. I always thought that theatre was taught and understood as an ensemble work – one with many facilities and aspects that one person can not and isn’t expected to accomplish. The giant disconnect for me is then how come getting jobs is so opposite. Instead of people investing time with artist that can foster them artistically and in a positive career direction actors look at the people they work with and the stories they are telling as stepping stones to who ever playbill.com and entertainment tonight say is the top of their profession. Why don’t – now this is going to sound crazy – why don’t we just work with people? Why do we spend so much energy in draining what we see as peoples “use” in relation to who they know and how they can give you work, and instead try to actually become interested in them – as people. I think it could happen again. Peter Brooks talks about the dangers of “deadly theatre,” and too me – the inability to see people as fellow artist and not just pawns for your own sad – I emphasize – SAD attempts at shoving yourself to fame and fortune is just prolonging the slow and steady of decline of intelligent, change based theatre. Which trust me – we don’t need.

-Matt