Better bloggers than I have praised the triumph and bemoaned the heartbreak of being a theatre major. While getting my BFA has certainly had its perks, many of my most valuable skills came from the six years I spent in junior high and high school as part of a youth acting troupe. Whether in a … More Six Wicked Cool Skills I Got From Being a Theatre Kid
Ever since I joined Theatre, I’ve been fascinated with the backstage areas of theatres – to me, it’s where the real magic happens. It’s where ordinary people become that which is other than themselves. It’s where humans become beasties, and shop assistants become princesses. It’s where through the application of make-up, a person transforms. I’ve … More Backstage
I had an epiphany the other night. Many classic musicals have a not-so-hidden subtext about gender roles and power. Consider the three most popular shows by Rodgers & Hammerstein: “The King and I”: Lower-status woman falls for a higher-status wealthy older man. “The Sound of Music”: Lower-status woman falls for a higher-status wealthy older man. … More Where the devil are my slippers?
Me when people are sharing theatre ghost stories. Me when I’m in the theatre by myself at night. Though I think my theatre ghost likes me…
You’re like
An interesting question has occurred to me and it’s this: do we have to/should we always be making the theatre we like watching? The answer seems obvious – why would you make something you wouldn’t want to go and see? I agree with this, on the whole definitely make work that would make you want … More Make the Theatre you like
“I met a Russian actress once who said, ‘The job of the actor is to direct the role.’ I found this simple trope profound and revolutionary. In our present theatre environment, too many actors expect the directors to direct their roles and too many directors assume that their job is to direct an actor’s role. … More actor v. director
Posted by Matthew in for us Photo by Sophia. I’ve been having an insightful shuffle through Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi’s book Creativity: The Work and Lives of 91 Eminent People. Mihaly is a seminal professor of Psychology and Management, and is the Founding Co-Director of the Quality of Life Research Center at Claremont. He writes: “I have devoted … More Why Creative People Sometimes Make No Sense
Act Out 