Why You Should Become a Thespian
For much of my life, theatre has been a big part of who I am. It has been a somewhat constant presence; whether it’s relistening to the Falsettos soundtrack 278 times, watching “slime tutorials” on YouTube (if you know, you know), preparing a 32-bar cut for an audition, Instagram-following former cast members from a show I did five years ago who for some reason just now popped up onto my Recommended page, reading plays and monologues, or reminiscing about the show I had to wear a blonde wig and hilariously fake eyelashes for, it permanently occupies a part of my soul. At the time this article was published, I just finished the first weekend of shows for a musical I’m part of (future me, how’d it go?). Perhaps this experience was the biggest inspiration for taking a break from my excessive water drinking and writing this.
Theatre is, simply, magical. There’s nothing like the feeling of working for weeks––sometimes months––to memorize lines, practice choreography, learn about your cast and crew members’ interesting lives outside of the make-believe world, and the moment the lights go up for the first time. It’s thrilling. It’s electrifying. It’s scary. For lack of a better word, it’s an experience every time. And the best part is each show is different. I don’t even mean “show” like different musicals or plays––I mean performances within a show’s run-time. There’s a different energy, different audience members, different ways a line is said. The world of theatre is unpredictable, which is why it’s so fun.
You don’t even need to be an actor to be involved in a production. There are so many roles one can fill; some of them include costume/lighting/sound designers, stage managers, choreographers, marketers, producers, and directors, along with a host of other roles that depend on the scale of the show. In the best instances, all of these people collaborate to create something special, something concrete and real instead of something stuck as pencil scribbles on a piece of paper.
As an actor especially, you have an opportunity to create lifelong connections with your fellow cast members. In nearly every show I’ve been a part of, people come early to rehearsals just to sit and catch up with each other. There are Facebook groups, text threads, and a genuine interest in communicating with each other outside of the theatre context and after the show has ended. It’s a typical experience for me to feel especially melancholy the days, even weeks, afterward. I can count on one hand the times I’ve actually been happy for a show to be over (spoiler: zero times so far, let’s hope that streak lasts). I know I’ve been fortunate in that respect––I’ve certainly heard stories about productions that just don’t work. People clash, time management flies out the window, and directors are demanding, demeaning, and even downright cruel. It’s rare, but it happens. You can usually get a good feel of what you’re getting yourself into by doing research on the theatre company, the people in charge of it, the director, and in the best cases hearing first-hand experience from someone who’s worked with that company and/or director.
It can be a great place to build up your self-confidence. I mean, if you can memorize dozens of songs, lines, and blocking in the span of a few short weeks, is there anything you can’t do? Also, for those of us with social anxiety or overall hesitancy toward audiences watching you, listening to you, a show can be the gentle push you need to step out of your comfort zone. And, of course, a supportive cast makes everything a million times better––they pep each other up and have each other’s backs when something inevitably goes astray. After all, acting in theatre is nothing like acting in film; the show must go on.
Depending on the show, being involved with theatre can help you make a difference in your community. It may sound far-fetched, but it’s true. Theatre has the ability to make people think about things in a different way. It introduces themes audiences may not be used to or comfortable with, and by doing so helps to promote social discourse, dialogue, and potential social change.
You may be thinking, “Okay, so I’m interested, but there aren’t any opportunities to be part of a show.” More likely than not, that’s false. There are many local theatrical productions going on around the country at any given time, in every city and state. You just have to do some research.
Why should you become a thespian? Because you can make new friends. Because you can learn new things. Because you can improve your confidence. Because of the experience. Most importantly, because you can.
