Like many of you probably did, I spent this past Sunday evening watching this year’s Academy Awards presentation. My wife and mother commented on the gorgeous (or not) gowns, jewelry, and hair. My sons wrestled around and would sometimes see their favorites: The Avengers, Transformers, and all the nominees for best animated feature. Meanwhile, amidst all this, I couldn’t help but recognize the wide diversity of films, topics, and winners. Not only did the nominated films cover a wide array of time periods, concepts, and thematic elements, but there was no one show that ran off with all the awards. No “Titanic” or similar oscar juggernaut this year. It occurred to me that perhaps, at least for the present, this diversity might be what audiences are wanting from theatrical entertainment.
Yes, I’m going to discuss artistic diversity again. I wouldn’t be doing so again if I didn’t think it was really important.
When I returned home to Sheridan with my family in 2008, I submerged myself deeply in Sheridan’s theatrical scene. I’ve participated in just about every level of theatre that this this town can offer, from high school play to sketch comedy to intimate dramas to budding musicals to self-directed improv shows. There’s a lot out there to see, and a lot that a theatre artist can do. Coming directly from Seattle, where I could see a show virtually any night of the week at any time of the year, it was both refreshing and exhilarating to come home to see similar priority given to the dramatic arts. The Sheridan theatre scene might not be as active as that in a major city like Seattle, but trust me - it’s no slouch.
Another aspect that has pleased me over the years since my return has been the fairly rapid increase in the number of theatrical opportunities, not only for theatrical artists, but for the audiences as well. All programs are growing, and there is plenty of room for newcomers, both onstage and in the seats.
You might see where I’m headed with this, so I hope you can forgive me for being somewhat transparent.
Despite these opportunities, one obvious difference between Seattle and Sheridan would be the amount of available people to make these shows happen. On Sunday, when Ang Lee won his Oscar for directing “Life of Pi,” I was staggered when he said he wanted to thank the 3,000 people that worked on his film. It reminded me that each of those names in the credits at the end of a film is an actual person that had a hand in the creation of the film. While the average Sheridan stage production doesn’t require quite as many people, you might be surprised how many people are involved in the average production. Take for example, your favorite locally-produced musicals. While casting some thirty or more members, these shows can often have as many people - if not more - who aren’t onstage who have an equal stake in the show’s success. Point blank, these shows take a small armada, and the well-deserved applause when the curtain closes deserves to go to those unseen as well.
But, a show can’t exist without its audience. After all, the audience is really why we do what we do. This current theatrical atmosphere of production frequency is not going away anytime soon. There are plenty of theatrical artists in town that have great ideas for shows that they’d like to present to you. Generally, when a theatre artist gets an idea, they don’t like to sit on it - they want to present it to you as soon as possible. Fortunately for all of us, plenty of ideas are bouncing off of the brainstorming walls right now.
So, if I’m saying anything with this installment, it’s that I’d like to see more of you out there not only when the curtain opens, but beforehand, as well. I’m well aware that the fear of speaking in front of people is statistically higher than the fear of death, so I understand that asking everyone to audition for a play … well, it’s a lot. I will say that I’ve known a lot of people that have underestimated their abilities, only to find a lot of identity in portraying a character onstage. In addition, I know a lot of you already attend theatre, and you do so quite regularly. However, I also know that some of you who attend theatre will only go see a certain type of show, generally a musical or a comedy, while other genres are seeing smaller audiences. Therefore, in an effort to wrap up quasi-succinctly, I would urge you to give a chance to some of the shows you might not have seen before, while still enjoying the shows you have traditionally enjoyed. You may find yourself pleasantly surprised. If you do appreciate what you see, I’ll let you in on a little secret: theatre artists love to hear what you think of their work. So, tell them! And, if you do so, ask what you can do to become involved in creating what you just saw; I guarantee we’ve got a spot for you. We’re always looking for “A Few Good Men,” and I don’t just mean the play.
See you at intermission!
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