This past weekend, I was honored to serve as an adjudicator and workshop presenter for the Wyoming High School State Thespian Festival. This is the annual event in which theatre students from high schools all over the state gather for the purpose of putting on the best theatre they can. And, while the hardware that they can come home with seems like something of Gollum's ring every now and then, the true reward that should be sought after is the environment of inclusiveness that this art form can engender.
During one of the feedback sessions with one of the schools after they had performed a one-act play, the other judges and I asked some questions about what the students look forward to when putting on a play. We expected to hear about the opportunity to express themselves artistically or the ability enter another world and search for truths. However, an answer we got from one student through happy tears was that this student had found a tribe, as it were; a people who accepted any and all simply for who they were, and what they brought to the table. The student smiled and cried, knowing that it was senior year, and these opportunities might not come up as often in the future. We encouraged her to find it, as it's definitely and always out there. If it isn't, make it!
I then returned home to Sheridan, where I realized again just how fortunate we are in Sheridan to have these opportunities with what seems to be more frequency than a lot of communities in this state.
For example, this week, I conducted auditions for the upcoming WYO/CTG co-production of a stage adaptation of Stephen King's "Misery," and got to see some incredibly dedicated theatre artists of all skill levels putting their hearts on the line.
Meanwhile, I keep getting emails directed to me in my capacity as the President of the Civic Theatre Guild board, about the production of "A Christmas Carol: A Live Radio Play," and the many levels of logistics that happen behind the scenes to make sure a production like that has everything it needs, including an audience! And we had to grumble just a bit that our audiences weren't as big as they could have been for our opening weekend. But that grumbling was with a grain of salt, because one of the biggest draws away from our show was the San Diego Ballet's production of "The Nutcracker," which involved many many young dancers and actors from the community, all of whom have now had experience working alongside a professional traveling production company. We couldn't have been happier to have that as our competition.
The common thread that I see in all of these companies - and the many other local companies I didn't mention that are preparing works for the upcoming season - is the camaraderie inherent in each production. I love seeing that. Each of these groups forms a little family that exists for just that time period, and into the future when members of these families continue to see each other, or just run into each other once in a while. They knew that at one time, they got together to create something special and magical and inclusive and thrilling and beautiful.
To say that the arts are a luxury in Sheridan seems almost a little demeaning. I would suggest that part of the personality of Sheridan lies deep in its need for performing arts experiences. It's not a luxury, it's an essential element to living in this community.
It's never been said to me, but I have heard it lodged as something of a complaint in the past: "There's just too much theatre." Frankly, Sheridan, I beg to differ.
I'll see you at intermission!
