Why Community Theater?
/
The Arts & Science Center’s 2010 production of Aladdin, featuring Jonathan Hoover (center) as the Genie.
Support Your Community By Attending or Volunteering with Your Local Nonprofit Theater
By Lindsey Collins
It’s now 2022. The cable/satellite guide includes channels in the thousands. There is a device, which I can carry around, on which I am able to talk to and see my friends and family across the globe, in real time. I can watch movies and television shows any time I want, virtually commercial free. Basically, there are more entertainment options than ever in the history of humanity, and there are more on the way. There is nothing wrong with technology, nor taking advantage of its ability to thrill and entertain.
But I want to say that even in this world, live theater — and, more specifically, “community” theater — can be a great option for a different kind of entertainment experience. Let me explain:
Sarah Mitchell (from left), McCallie Hall, and Madison Betz rehearse a scene from Legally Blonde the Musical in 2019.
Live theater has a visceral feel to it that comes from being in the same room with the performers. Most of our information about others as human beings comes not from their words, but from subtleties of facial expression and body language. There are nuances that can be conveyed in a live performance that simply don’t translate when an image is projected on a screen.
Further, as social animals, human beings crave communal experiences. When you go to a live show, you are part of what is almost a living, breathing organism: an audience. Rather than sitting by yourself or with one other person, your encounter with the show is altered by the people around you. Laughter or sadness is infectious; we are wired to pick up on such signals, and it heightens the experience.
And, unlike a movie audience, a live theater audience can give and take not only from each other but the performers as well. An audience at a live show can alter not only each other’s perceptions of the action, but they can also alter the performance itself. This give-and-take between people is something that can be experienced during live theatre that is generally not present in the electronic forms of media.
The Arts & Science Center’s 2013 production of The Hobbit.
“All right,” you might say, “but why should I go see a bunch of amateurs put together a show on a shoestring budget, when I can see professional actors in a beautiful venue like the ones on Broadway?”
Well, professional theater is great. I encourage everyone to check it out. And yes, budgets being what they are, you aren’t going to see hugely expensive special effects or settings at a community theater. What you will see, however, is much more creative use of those effects and settings. Because community theaters have little money to spend on each show, more has to be done with less. This means directors and production designers have to find interesting new ways to get their message across, be it representational staging and costuming, or use of lighting and sound to create different settings, rather than a whole scene change.
What you will also see, rather than famous people who lead their lives thousands of miles away, are your neighbors and people who live and work in your own community. Your dentist, or accountant, or your kid’s English teacher might be playing Sherlock Holmes or that naughty maid!
Which brings me to another point: you don’t have to stay in the audience. The real genius of community theater is that it is open to everyone. Have you always wanted to act? Go to an audition. I promise, we love to see new people come out and play with us. Not sure about being on stage? No problem, everyone has skills that can be used. Are you good at painting, sewing, or building things? There's plenty that has to be done for every show. Are you one of those ultra-organized people that always make sure everything is where it’s supposed to be? You might be a great stage manager. Are you a technological whiz? Volunteer to run the lighting or sound effects. There really is a part everyone can play.
Sister Act the Musical was ASC’s big production in 2018.
The bonds that are formed among a group of people working toward a common goal are irreplaceable. Working on a show for two months before performing or seeing it performed is much like being involved in a team sport. Most of my best friendships have been made through the theater. Regardless of your situation, you will meet some of the most interesting people you are likely to find in your life, and working with them is a most rewarding experience.
Finally, by attending or being involved with community theater programs, you really are supporting your community.
The Arts & Science Center is a nonprofit organization that exists to serve the community in which it operates. Any donations you make to ASC’s theater program are, indeed, tax-deductible.
Do yourself a favor, and look into your local community theater. If the above reasons aren’t enough, remember that it is one of the few places you can go and have a good excuse to turn off your cell phone for two hours. In fact, it’s highly encouraged.
Lindsey Collins is the Theater Programs Manager at ASC. She can be reached at lcollins@asc701.org.
