A Letter to Theatre
Built and designed in 1576 by James Burbage, the London Play House was the first theater to ever be established. Four hundred years later, there are theaters of all different shapes and sizes in towns, parks and high schools.
Along with the stage, curtains, lights, there are the hearts of the individuals who turn that theater into an ocean floor, a hidden room from the political outside, the hallway a high school filled with insecure teens. Those individuals turn that theater into what it is.
“It’s community and voice. It allows you to express yourself and be apart of something.” — Alisha Morris
Theatre is more than a production, or a stage filled of talented actors and singers; it’s about the experiences and friends made during the process. The laughs that are produced while the amount of time spent with each other lessens every minute.
Rehearsals are lead to the second the curtain draws open to the world reimagined by director and put out by actors. The overture plays, setting the tone and setting the tone of the beginning the story of a new adventure.
While the audience attention is grasped by the brightly lite stage, there are yelling whispers backstage. The voice on all-call tell dancers in the dressing rooms to be in there places in five minutes Costumers stand backstage awaiting the arrival of the actor to quickly change before the next scene.
The stage manager curses under her breath and quickly apologizes. Everyone knows how much pressure she’s under, being in control of everything backstage.
It wouldn’t show on his face, but his mind is overflowing rehearsed lines, blocking choreography and notes that has to be remembered in order to make the show cohesive. His hands are trembling knowing that his whole family came to see what he has been up to for the past two months.
Theatre allows anyone to discover themselves, whether it’s on stage as a voice of completely different person, or behind the scenes making everything come together. Every Aspect of theatre flows in perfect in harmony to create a world to be watched and enjoyed.
Okay, enough with the serious sappy stuff.
Hi Everyone, my name is Abi! I am the artistic director for this publication. By reading the first part of this article, and this what this whole publication is about, you might of already assumed that I am OBSESSED with theatre.
From a very young age, I lived and breathed Nickelodeon and Disney Channel. When I was around the age of 8, I made it a goal of mine to appear on iCarly when 14 years old. Unfortunately, the show got cancelled before I was able to make my big debut but luckily I had already forgotten about that dream.
I tried out for my first play when I was in seventh grade. The monologue required a hillbilly accent, and I probably practiced that it for at least two months. After auditions I made callbacks, and they had me read for almost all the lead parts. I got the role of a pirate, which was kinda hard for my middle school brain to transition from a hillbilly to a pirate but in the end that is what sparked it all.
To me, theatre pushes me to try new things while doing something that I grown to love.
After that, I never got considered for a lead role in the middle school which was hard at the time because I would either be in the play and have a really small part, or not be in it at all. Sometimes I questioned if I had what it took to be an actor.
The second week of freshman year was audition week. My school was newly built, so not a lot of people attended it. During orientation, (since it was new all grade levels that lived close by the school got to tour the school) the school was 75% built, but the activities, academies and sports had already been figured out. At the time they hadn’t figured out what productions they would be doing that year, so they only had people who were actually interested in theatre put down their emails so that when the audition form came out, they would be the first to know. Of course, I put down my email.
It wasn’t until enrollment they they had announced what they would be doing. Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella. While I was very pumped about the news, I was also very timid because it was a musical. I had never sang or done musicals in my entire life so I highly doubted that I would make it.
The day before the actual audition, they had a workshop which is where we went through audition material music, and important details. I practiced literally all night on my monologue and music. When it was finally my turn to go into the audition, my stomach flooded with butterflies, gosh I was so excited. I was confident because I had practiced to the best of my ability.
The next day, they announced callbacks, and I was so surprised when I saw my name on the list! I remember cold reading for both of the step sisters, trying my very hardest. I was with my best friend at the time and it was right after we has got done cheering in a parade, (I forgot to mention that I was a cheerleader) and I had gotten a text from another close friend saying “CONGRATS”. Both me and my friend looked online for the cast list and had found out I had gotten a lead as one of the step sisters!
I was so shocked, surprised and relieved. There was no greater feeling than that.
After that production, theatre had been my safe place, and no matter what role I get, I am just so thankful to be apart of such an amazing company.
Theatre means so many things to me, but is most importantly a learning experience. I have met so many of my best friends. Everyone in theatre are all so different, but we share the same passion.
“Theatre is my happy place. Theatre is where I can the best me. Thank you Theatre.”
Sources Used:
Britannica, The Editors of Encyclopaedia. “The Theatre.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 25 Oct. 2013, www.britannica.com/topic/The-Theatre.
