Imagine a world where age, gender, race, religion, financial status and all
other possible prejudices are minimised or simply don’t exist. Imagine the
same world where you can mix with people of all ages and backgrounds on an
equal footing. This is just a glimpse into the amazing world of theatre.
Unless you have been involved in a theatre production yourself, you can’t
begin to appreciate just how magical it can truly be. Theatre is a mixture of
hard work, pleasure, stress, laughter, tears, joy and a roller coaster of other
emotions.
Every audition is an intense process in itself. If you get cast in the show, it’s
the start of a fantastic new journey every single time. No two shows are the
same. Although you may know some of the people involved, every production
creates its own new, special and exciting family.
You rehearse for a period of time and go through the stresses of learning lines
and moves and, if it’s a musical, songs and dances too. Sometimes you
wonder why you submit yourself to such ‘torture’ until you remind yourself
there’s no better feeling than putting a show together.
Finally Opening Night arrives. This is the single greatest, most amazing,
magical night of any season. It’s the culmination of all the blood, sweat and
tears that that you have endured during rehearsals.
That incredible moment when you walk on stage for your first entrance and
say that first line is simply electric. Regardless of whether it’s a musical or a
play, the buzz is the same. You hear the audience laugh or gasp at the right
times and the applause is like a shot of adrenaline every time it happens.
As the season progresses, you settle into the role and your character grows
as the cast and crew work together to slowly reveal the show’s story for the
appreciative audience.
Finally the curtain closes at the end of opening night and the atmosphere is
electric as the audience wait to congratulate family and friends. You wash off
your makeup, get dressed in your ‘street clothes’ and go to greet them. Of
course they loved it and you‘re thrilled because that’s what it’s all about.
Every performance brings subtle new elements to the show and by the time
the season is over, the show is so polished that it’s usually sad to see it end.
After bump-out, the cast party is always fun because you’re enjoying time with
the close-knit family you have bonded with during the production period.
It’s also a little depressing because you’ll never get that entire family back
together again in one place. But whether you’re a seasoned veteran or a
newbie to the theatre world, the feeling is usually the same; a warm sense of
fulfilment that’s impossible to match.
Some audience members have no clue about the amount of work that goes
into a show and would be amazed if they got the chance to be a fly on the wall
during the production period.
Theatre people don’t care about the amount of ‘work’ involved in a show
because they’re passionate about it. Whether it’s a hobby or a profession, it’s
enjoyable so it doesn’t feel like work.
Many people devote more hours to theatre than to their regular paid job and
it’s hardly surprising, given the intense pleasure enjoyed by performers and
crew people alike.
If you have never experienced the unequalled feelings for yourself, get out
there and do something about it. Get involved with a show, whether it’s
onstage or backstage. You won’t regret it and you’ll probably find yourself
enjoying this “world within a world” that you previously never knew existed.