A lot of people I talk to squawk at the fact that I enjoy theatre. It’s not an uncommon thing to encounter someone who views theatre as a meaningless, and perhaps boring endeavor. Most people of my ilk—those who act or assist in production—take great offense to harsh views like these. Indeed, it is very understandable that an actor—a person who takes the craft very seriously—would be put off by statements bashing their art. However, many simply fight with the unappreciative ignoramus, rather than try to reason with them. I suppose that I am somewhat of a recovering “theatre ignoramus” ; that is, I understand what drives people to regard theatre as a waistless activity. Also, I still struggle to regard myself as a competent actor, which is why I view myself as an outsider looking in, rather than a skilled participant.
Having acted in 3 high school theatre productions, I learned to appreciate the arts, and gained valuable understanding as to how a production operates. What seems to be the most overlooked aspect of theatre is the incredible camaraderie. During the course of a production, an actor will inevitably become very good friends with fellow actors. In fact, these friendships made during productions will many a times develop into romantic relationships. Yet, all of this is not considered by those who ignorantly say that theatre is meaningless and stupid. I must take a moment of acknowledge an oversight of my own, which deals with a similar sort of ignorance in regards to sports. For nearly my entire life, I have viewed sports as the byproduct of unhealthy levels of testosterone. This belief, I agree, is very silly. It was not until very recently, however, that I realized that sports were also an amazing place for comradeship. Just as in theatre, sports also allow for a sort of “family” feeling with fellow teammates. Without such strong relationships, teams sports would surely crumble. Unity is something shared by both theatre and sports. Finally realizing this key similarity is what allowed me to realize that sports people and theatre people are not so different. So, the next time someone comes up to you and says “Theatre is gay!” or “Theatre is pointless”, do not retort with a equally as hurtful comment, but instead take a moment to educate the person. Tell them about the simalarity between sports and theatre. That is all.
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