I don't care what they say, everybody knows the absolute best stories always begin..."Okay, so this one time backstage."
I have been involved in theatre for over half a century and
have watched both the bad and the good.
My favorite mantra is walking into a show and saying, "Impress
me." However, I want to be
entertained, not have my social conscience raised.
Oscar Wilde, said in his 1889 essay The Decay of Lying,
"Life imitates Art far more than Art imitates Life". Oscar pushed his
current events, man's struggles, and the life he knew. Today, we have more choices, more theatre,
and a chance to see life like we know it or life as someone else takes it
in. I am a fan of unpredictability in
the performances. The formula for a
situation comedy that recurs in so many shows is ridiculous and makes me mad
that I paid for the ticket. A great show has a great plot, high energy, and
actors that push themselves to be better than they have been before. Directors, actors and crew must really
involve themselves and love what they are doing to create an artistic piece
that the audience enjoys. You really
have to love theatre to be involved because it is an unmerciful life. To enjoy a show it had better be as good as
the price of the show, the dinner before, and the costs of the babysitter as
well.
Cue Curtain...
