Giving Thanks for Theatre

I hope everyone had a Happy Thanksgiving! I certainly did. It was an especially exciting day for those of us who live in the Antelope Valley because we had a full day of snow, somewhere around six inches that will likely still be on the ground when we wake up tomorrow. Snow in the Mojave Desert is not unheard of, but it is rare. The snow made our holiday feast feel somewhat magical or Disneyesque as we ate in front of large windows while the snowflakes continued to fall from the sky. Aside from the unusual weather, I am so thankful for family, my kids, my friends, our good health, our homes, our jobs. Life is good.

There are truly so many other things for which I am thankful, but since this is a theatre blog, let me give you some of the theatre-related things for which I am thankful.

1. I am thankful for theatre people. These are my people. These are the people I feel most comfortable to be around. Yes, we share a common interest, but more than that, theatre people are different, some might say weird, but I would say unique. There may be a good deal of competition amongst us, but theatre people are ultimately always there for each other. We know how to comfort each other; we know how to encourage each other; and we know how to make each other laugh. I am thankful to have a daughter who has found a home in theatre as well.

2. I am thankful for playwrights, composers and lyricists. These are truly gifted humans who know how to turn life experience into relatable, thoughtful and entertaining stories. Their words and music speak to us and motivate us. From ancient Greeks to Shakespeare to Chekhov to all of the modern dramatists, all actors and creatives should be thankful that there have been people throughout history who had the ability to document life in a theatrical fashion so that others would have a means to bring the experience to life. I wrote a one-act play this year and I am thankful I had the unbelievable good fortune to have it produced at Antelope Valley College. Writing is no easy task and I admire all who have the ability.

3. I am thankful for the creative process. Some people sculpt, some paint, some dance, some sew, some design. There are many ways to be creative and express oneself. My way is through acting. I'm generally an introverted type of person, but put a script in my hand and I can be as extroverted as anyone else. Delving into a character and analyzing themes of a play in order to tell a story through the art of acting is what I do to express myself. I am so much more comfortable showing the world who I am by acting like someone else than by letting others get to know me personally. I am thankful to have the opportunity to do this.

4. I am thankful for the survival of theatre. In an era of video clips, memes and information at our fingertips, the ancient art form of theatre seems almost irrelevant. It requires time and planning and unplugging from our electronic devices, not to mention the almost prohibitive cost of attending a show. Sitting in a dark theatre for a couple hours and giving all our attention to the action on a stage doesn't seem to quite fit in with our modern need for instant entertainment. But, theatre survives because of the human need to engage personally with others that cannot be satisfied on our phones and tablets. We should encourage young people to attend theatre whenever possible to ensure its continued survival.

Theatre is many things to many people. Reading back through this post, I really didn't think my reasons to be thankful for theatre would take on a serious tone, but it did. I would love to hear from you about why you are thankful for theatre. If you subscribe to this blog by scrolling down to the bottom of the main page and adding your information, you will have the ability to leave your comments on the blog page. Otherwise, you can reply to the Facebook post. Hope to hear from you. Happy Thanksgiving!

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Gary S. is your average community theatre geek, residing in the Antelope Valley in Southern California where he participates in community theatre productions a few times per year. He works a 9-5 job in the medical field. He has the two most brilliant and talented kids. This blog is written simply for his need to write and for his love of theatre.