Today I went to see Godspell at my alma matter. I know the director and was excited to see how the show looked set in a high school. Plus, I knew at least one of my friends was in the show, and I want to support theatre because it's not the strongest program there.
This was the third time I have seen this play performed, and they were all in different settings. The first time I saw it was at a neighboring high school. The second time was community theatre, and this time it was at a Christian university. This is a show that lends itself to lots of interpretation for setting and costume. Unlike most shows, it's not a linear story. It's a series of sketches of Jesus' parables that are acted out by Jesus and the group who is with him (basically disciples, specifically John the Baptist and Judas). The second act contains the Last Supper and the crucifixion. It's funny, it's serious, it's a neat musical.
It has been moving every time I've seen it, especially the crucifixion, but there was something so special about this production. I knew beforehand from talking with the director that the cast went through an exercise of writing out their character bios (the background and personality of their character), and then, in character, they shared those bios with the Jesus character. The director is the only other person who got to see this. As I watched the show, I saw how it made a difference that Jesus really knew the heart of every person onstage. There was a kindness, a love that was so moving to watch. There was a moment with "the loner" that was so touching I started to cry.
The whole point of doing that exercise was to really show that connection that Jesus has. The high school kids didn't know each other's stories. They were just who they were on the outside: the jock, the cheerleader, the misfit, the brain, the loner, the prom queen, etc. But Jesus (who was the janitor, by the way), really knew the truth. The director talked about how he wanted that to mirror Jesus' relationship with his followers in real life.
I'm a very tactile person. I have a very hard time grasping theories and big pictures; I'm more about the specifics and what I can identify with my senses. So even when I read in the Bible, I have such a hard time picturing that Jesus loves me personally. He isn't here to give me a hug or talk with me, and sometimes it's hard to believe he hears me when I pour out my pain and frustration. This is what I love about theatre, how it gives substance to things we can't experience ourselves. I want so badly to use theatre to communicate these truths in a way that hearing a sermon or reading words on a page just can't. Theatre is living and breathing, and the potential for this tool is so much more than we even know.
Showing posts with label theatre. Show all posts
Showing posts with label theatre. Show all posts
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Saturday, September 4, 2010
The Magic of Imagination
When I was a kid, I used to play with my Barbies for hours. I made up stories for them, created lives for them. I used to do the same thing when I was playing in our sandbox (which, by the way, was orange). Using my imagination was second nature. I read books like crazy, and I often stayed up way too late because I was so immersed in the story that I forgot to stop.
These days, it's a lot harder to be imaginative. One of the most challenging classes I've ever taken was Scriptwriting. Creating a story of my own with dialogue? It felt impossible, and though I pulled a decent grade, the play I wrote was pretty disastrous.
The reason I mention all this is because I watched the end of Finding Neverland tonight. It's one of my favorite movies, and one of the few I took a chance on buying before I'd seen it. It's also the one movie I am guaranteed to cry while watching. It's about J. M. (James) Barrie and the family that inspired him to write the play Peter Pan. James meets some young boys playing in the park, and he ends up befriending them. They have all kinds of imaginary adventues, from old west cowboys to pirates. The end of the movie is my favorite. It's opening night of Peter Pan, and amidst this group of serious grownups dressed to the nines are a group of 25 orphans scattered throughout the audience. When the curtain rises and the nanny/dog comes onstage, the begin to children laugh. As the play progresses, the children's ability to use their imagination rubs off on the adults and everyone is entranced with the story of Peter Pan. I get choked up at this part every time.
That's why I love theatre. It touches people in a way that movies and TV don't. You're practically a part of the action. There's no wall between you and the actors. You can't distance yourself the same way. When you're watching a movie at home, you can be on your computer, or you can pause the movie to go get a snack or do a load of laundry. At the theatre, it's like real life. Real people are onstage. The mood is practically tangible. Even in a play that doesn't have fancy sets or costumes, the actors can really pull you in.
I've seen amazing plays at some of the local theatres. I love the sets and costumes. As an actor, those are some of my favorite parts of getting to be onstage. I've also done theatre in some pretty bare bones situations. In college I was in a play where the stage was just the back and front curtains, a table, bench, and some chairs. That was it. And it was a really powerful play. I was also in a play recently where our walls were made of PVC pipe and black fabric. It was still one of the most emotional plays I've ever done.
I love drawing people into an experience. I love it when people are a part of a play that touches them, that changes them. But I also love being a part of a play that's just fun. Sometimes people need a break from their life, time away from their stresses and worries. I love to help them laugh and enjoy themselves for a few hours. I love showing people a different world, a different time or culture. It's so magical. The energy right as the lights start to dim. The excitement right before I walk onto stage. The sounds of a crowd laughing, or seeing people with tears in their eyes at the end of the show. There also something so connecting about sharing that experience. We're not all a bunch of people who are different; we're a group who has shared something. That's so special.
I hope I can act for the rest of my life. When I'm a little old lady I want to be in Arsenic and Old Lace. I want my kids to be able to experience theatre. I know it's not everyone's favorite thing, but I will never stop believing in the magic we can create with our imaginations.
These days, it's a lot harder to be imaginative. One of the most challenging classes I've ever taken was Scriptwriting. Creating a story of my own with dialogue? It felt impossible, and though I pulled a decent grade, the play I wrote was pretty disastrous.
The reason I mention all this is because I watched the end of Finding Neverland tonight. It's one of my favorite movies, and one of the few I took a chance on buying before I'd seen it. It's also the one movie I am guaranteed to cry while watching. It's about J. M. (James) Barrie and the family that inspired him to write the play Peter Pan. James meets some young boys playing in the park, and he ends up befriending them. They have all kinds of imaginary adventues, from old west cowboys to pirates. The end of the movie is my favorite. It's opening night of Peter Pan, and amidst this group of serious grownups dressed to the nines are a group of 25 orphans scattered throughout the audience. When the curtain rises and the nanny/dog comes onstage, the begin to children laugh. As the play progresses, the children's ability to use their imagination rubs off on the adults and everyone is entranced with the story of Peter Pan. I get choked up at this part every time.
That's why I love theatre. It touches people in a way that movies and TV don't. You're practically a part of the action. There's no wall between you and the actors. You can't distance yourself the same way. When you're watching a movie at home, you can be on your computer, or you can pause the movie to go get a snack or do a load of laundry. At the theatre, it's like real life. Real people are onstage. The mood is practically tangible. Even in a play that doesn't have fancy sets or costumes, the actors can really pull you in.
I've seen amazing plays at some of the local theatres. I love the sets and costumes. As an actor, those are some of my favorite parts of getting to be onstage. I've also done theatre in some pretty bare bones situations. In college I was in a play where the stage was just the back and front curtains, a table, bench, and some chairs. That was it. And it was a really powerful play. I was also in a play recently where our walls were made of PVC pipe and black fabric. It was still one of the most emotional plays I've ever done.
I love drawing people into an experience. I love it when people are a part of a play that touches them, that changes them. But I also love being a part of a play that's just fun. Sometimes people need a break from their life, time away from their stresses and worries. I love to help them laugh and enjoy themselves for a few hours. I love showing people a different world, a different time or culture. It's so magical. The energy right as the lights start to dim. The excitement right before I walk onto stage. The sounds of a crowd laughing, or seeing people with tears in their eyes at the end of the show. There also something so connecting about sharing that experience. We're not all a bunch of people who are different; we're a group who has shared something. That's so special.
I hope I can act for the rest of my life. When I'm a little old lady I want to be in Arsenic and Old Lace. I want my kids to be able to experience theatre. I know it's not everyone's favorite thing, but I will never stop believing in the magic we can create with our imaginations.
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