Get Me Out Of This Family: Theatre Analysis

Above all, I wouldn’t be where I am today without theatre. Without the chance to perform throughout my life, I would be disconnected from the wide array of communities and histories that’s been imbedded in my daily routine. Unfortunately, it’s speculated that the theatre is a dying art form, because of the expanding popularities of movies (“Is”), but I think that it’ll remain a well renowned part of expressing imagination and interpreting history as years pass; it only takes cooperation with school faculty and young students that go above and beyond to change their

Ever since I can remember I have loved theatre. It’s been a constant presence, and an important touchstone, in my life. However, for as long as I’ve loved theatre, I have also been ridiculed for my enjoyment of it. As a child, my interest was tolerated as something precious, something I was bound to grow out of. My parents and teachers would sit in the audience, clapping and cheering me on, all the while thinking to themselves “I bet she’ll make a great lawyer one day.” They thought, like most of society, theatre was an unnecessary luxury; a pastime for the rich and powerful, for those who didn’t have to worry about putting food on the table, or clothes on their children’s backs. Certainly not

This past week, I had the opportunity to experience a magnificent play called Born Yesterday by Garson Kanin. This performance was the third of three plays I saw at the Arizona Repertory Theatre. The other two plays were Epic Proportions by Larry Coen and David Crane and Hands on a Hardbody by Doug Wright. These were the first plays I have been to, not only while attending the University of Arizona, but in my generation as a teenager. All together, these performances were amazing and have brought a newly improved insight to my perception of theatre. The hard work and dedication by the actors, directors, producers, cast members, and sound developers were absolutely incredible and I have tremendous respect for their efforts during the overall sequence of producing the plays. The most recent performance I saw, Born Yesterday, can be described and reflected on through various topics such as lighting, sound, directing and producing.

At the theatre at which I do most of my work, previews are a little different than the classic type. The audiences at our previews are comprised of people who may otherwise not be able to see the show- the School for the Blind, foster families, teen moms, kids on the autism spectrum, and many other people lacking the privilege to attend live theatre at all. The audiences at those shows are always the most boisterous, sometimes the hardest to perform for, but always the most grateful. My mindset about theatre for a long time was that the reason I love it so much is because it gives me more joy than anything else I’ve ever experienced. It got me through my dad’s death in 2012, it helps me stay positive through depression, and is overall a therapeutic experience for me. The first preview I ever did made me realize that theatre isn’t for the actors at all, not once performances start- it’s for the audiences. Art is a medium that allows ideas to be brought to light that no one wants to talk about, or don’t know how to. Theatre is my most beloved method of art because of the way I’ve seen it so tangibly transform the lives of those around me. The fact that we, as theatre artists, have the opportunity to bring light to the lives of people who don’t see it much otherwise, is extraordinary. Deaf West’s Spring Awakening revival is a brilliant example of this- it makes such

After exploring extracurricular activities my freshman and sophomore year, the abstract beauty of the performing arts enraptured my heart. Keeping theatre in high esteem, I anticipated and prepared for our success in exhilaration. My schedule revolved around our performances, and consequently, I eliminated any conflicts with rehearsals. To ensure the maximum potential of every one of our shows, I allocated all my spare time into productions. I once stayed at school well past 10 at night painting the stage with my director to guarantee we polished our set to perfection. The work ethic I instigated

From the dawn of man, stories have been able to captivate us. Storytelling is one of the only constants throughout our society. Therefore, no matter how many aspects of our world change, we know stories will be something our ears crave to hear time and time again. Because theatre is an artform told through storytelling, theatre has and will always go along with our wants. Through our wants and society change, theatre has to keep moving forward with the times. Though theatre can have troubles with moving forward, this is shown by how often theatre tickets are very expensive, so normally only older adults fill the seats and often the ideas on stage are ones that have already been done. Though younger people love theatre, they find themselves

I can play so many aspects of myself on stage, whereas I never get to experience that in the real world. I can be evil, or sad, or quiet on stage when in reality I am shy, introverted, and loyal to a fault. It is one of the most magical experiences of my life that I know I will never find again, especially not with the group that over the course of four years has produced some of my best friends, who I will rarely see again. More than that, though, they have become my family, and I will cherish them forever. This is the true reason theatre has become my lifeline, not the love of the stage alone, but for the family I have gained on the

“The world of the theatre is a world of sharper, clearer, swifter impressions than the world we live in.” (Jones 115) It is hard to describe the feeling of helping to create a new world and seeing it come to life in front of an audience. It’s like watching a book come to life, or a film happen right before your eyes, but more real, more tangible and exciting and extraordinary. Robert Edmond Jones’s book The Dramatic Imagination focuses not only on the technical aspects of theatre and how it should be portrayed, but also on the individual, whether an actor, director, designer, or technician and their purpose in the theatre. While reading this book, I learned a lot about my own purpose in the theatre as a budding set designer, technician and

A few weeks ago if I was asked “What is theater?” I would have responded, “Theater consists of plays/productions that are overly dramatic, boring, and not relevant to my life.” However, today my response would be extremely different. Theater to me currently, is a play that includes a combination of themes, and motifs that enables one to feel as if they are in a different world. Most themes from the plays over the last 6 weeks were relatable to my personal life, thus making them interesting. Due to the exposure of plays/performances and history of theater this course has presented to me, my interest in theater has increased tremendously. Going forward I will continue to keep theater as a part of my life by taking more theater courses, and attending

Theatre has always been such a significant part of my life as it occupies almost all of my time. There is just something so irresistible about getting up on stage or in front of a camera and sharing a meaningful story with the audience. I started my theatre journey at Stage Right, a local production company in town. It was there that I discovered my love for musical theatre and instantly knew that nothing else would satisfy my hunger to perform. The first time I stood up to audition for a solo I nearly blacked out due to uncontrollable neves. Standing here today it feels amazing to see how far I have come and what I have accomplished.

I always knew that the theatre was a place I belonged. From the days of being a novice of theatre to now there has always been a part of me that felt secure on stage. However, it wasn’t until my junior year musical that I realized that the theatre was my home. It was somewhere I could always discover a safe spot to be and that the people there would forever be my chosen family. On a soggy evening in late April for the first time in my life I fell apart completely, and the only thing that brought me back was the hot lights shining on me, with music and dance steps circling through my brain: the essence of a theatre.

But I can not let it stop me from doing what I love, what I need. Theatre is art that everyone present makes. The actors, the crew, and the audience are all experiencing it together and creating a moment each of them will hold dear. You can find yourself in any production you see, and I want what I am apart of to leave a lasting effect on those who see it. I want my work to give people strength, to brighten their mood, to remind them of their own passions. I can see myself using my platform as an actor to bring social issues to light and help fight them, to do whatever I can to help others and introduce them to this art that has saved me time after

The theatre community has played a very significant role in my life and in the development of who I’ve become. There is no other community that has people competing directly against each other for roles, yet can still foster positive environments and interactions between people. People in this community are generally kind and accepting of others. Rather than being evaluated by the color of your skin or by your sexual orientation, people look inside of you and truly can see who you are as a human being. Many “theatre kids” are often ostracized by others in their schools because they are labelled as “quirky” or “extra”, but the theatre community allows unique people to grow as a person and develop their own sense of self, rather than being

“I wanted to be an actress. I wanted to be known. Yes, it's difficult sometimes. I believe that if you're going to be in a profession like this, which is so open to criticism, to speculation, you need to have people around you who will believe in you and stand by you,” Katrina Kaif, renown actress. Throughout centuries, the career of making plays and movies has influenced many aspects in today’s society. The art of the acting industry has progressed dramatically over time, especially with the involvement of women. However, a process was made to get to the point of where actresses are today. If women did not break through oppression and inequality barriers, the acting industry would not be where it is today.

They say we all find something in our lives that means something to us, that exposes who we truly are, and once we find it, it lights a spark in us that cannot be contained; this thing, this idea it lights a fire in us that refuses to sizzle down and die away with all the oxygen in the room. It creates a passion we are obligated by ourselves to pursue and to me that passion is theatre. I cannot recall a time in my life when theatre was not the most prominent thing in existence. I cannot recall a time when I told myself, ‘theatre is not for me’ or that ‘this is all-for-none.’ It is my life, my calling, and my dream all in one. People love to entertain me with thoughts of why I should not be pursuing this avenue of work, but I somehow find ways float above it all. I know, as an actress, my limitations are great and I have accepted those; however, I do not, at this point in my life, believe that theatric acting is my only passion and career option. When I sit in a dark space with actors in front of me, conveying messages of honesty and life, I find myself entranced by what is in front of me; it is almost refreshing. I find it astonishing the amount of love, kindness, truth, and above all passion that pours out from a production onto a stage when presented in front of an audience.