I do like the theatre but I do feel live acting often seems too fake. Even at very high standards of performing, I just find it hard to look past the fact that they're just actors.
Theatre?
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I love theatre, let me just start by saying that.
I'm actually a theatre major at the college I'm attending, with a concentration in writing. I have performed several times on our mainstage, and in several smaller productions. I've written several one act plays and I'm actually in the rehearsal stage of a play I've written and I'm directing here at school.
There is definitely a market for theatre, granted outside of New York, Los Angeles, and Europe it's a dying market, but it's still there. I'm not sure where you are, or where you're planning on putting on a show, but my advice would be to do it. Go for it with everything you've got, because you'll be surprised how many people will show up to a show that's properly advertised and can catch their attention.
Sure as a whole Americans love movies and television way more than the theatre, but people will go to a play if for nothing more than a change of pace.
And as for having original ideas and "everything being done before" I don't believe that. i don't believe everything has been done before, and while I do admit there are basic story elements that are repeated, the beauty of theatre is creating a unique experience that only the audience in attendance that night can have. Every show in theatre is different, regardless of if it's the same show or the same actors, or even the same show done twice on the same day; each time is different.
I've seen some pretty amazing things in theatres, and while I'll readily admit it's dying in popularity, it's still a fascinating form of entertainment.
The basic point of all this rambling is to just go for it. Do what your heart is telling you to do, and if it's not well received then so be it. The only reason you should have any shame is if you didn't give it everything you could give it.
I'm actually a theatre major at the college I'm attending, with a concentration in writing. I have performed several times on our mainstage, and in several smaller productions. I've written several one act plays and I'm actually in the rehearsal stage of a play I've written and I'm directing here at school.
There is definitely a market for theatre, granted outside of New York, Los Angeles, and Europe it's a dying market, but it's still there. I'm not sure where you are, or where you're planning on putting on a show, but my advice would be to do it. Go for it with everything you've got, because you'll be surprised how many people will show up to a show that's properly advertised and can catch their attention.
Sure as a whole Americans love movies and television way more than the theatre, but people will go to a play if for nothing more than a change of pace.
And as for having original ideas and "everything being done before" I don't believe that. i don't believe everything has been done before, and while I do admit there are basic story elements that are repeated, the beauty of theatre is creating a unique experience that only the audience in attendance that night can have. Every show in theatre is different, regardless of if it's the same show or the same actors, or even the same show done twice on the same day; each time is different.
I've seen some pretty amazing things in theatres, and while I'll readily admit it's dying in popularity, it's still a fascinating form of entertainment.
The basic point of all this rambling is to just go for it. Do what your heart is telling you to do, and if it's not well received then so be it. The only reason you should have any shame is if you didn't give it everything you could give it.
To the OP, go for it. It's fun. I'm not exactly a thesbian, but I was in a few plays in middle school and high school. It was a long time ago, but it was a lot of fun. Moreso than what the audience sees. Practice the shit out of it. And be sure to have a cast party upon successful conclusion. I wouldn't go for a one man show, but those are amazing when pulled off properly.
To everyone who thinks theatre is archaic or pointless in today's world? Wow, you are missing out. Go to a show. Escanaba In Da Moonlight? Better, by far, as a play. I go to at least one show a year, and it is a great time. Give it a shot. There was a Monty Python show I saw a year or two ago that was great. If you ever see it out there, look for Tony and Tina's Wedding.
And, take your girl. Or your guy, if you're a girl. It's a great time for two. Hell, that was one of the first dates my girlfriend and I went on. It's an excuse to get dressed up nice, too. Might as well make an evening out of it and go for dinner, too.
Not to mention, there's always a chance to see some of your favorite actors onstage. I've seen Patrick Stewart twice, and my parents have seen him three times now (lucky fuckers). He is even better in person. As for one man shows, I saw him do A Christmas Carol. Alone. Holy fucking amazing, Batman.
Don't let the naysayers dissuade you, because you may find it to be to your liking in the end.
To everyone who thinks theatre is archaic or pointless in today's world? Wow, you are missing out. Go to a show. Escanaba In Da Moonlight? Better, by far, as a play. I go to at least one show a year, and it is a great time. Give it a shot. There was a Monty Python show I saw a year or two ago that was great. If you ever see it out there, look for Tony and Tina's Wedding.
And, take your girl. Or your guy, if you're a girl. It's a great time for two. Hell, that was one of the first dates my girlfriend and I went on. It's an excuse to get dressed up nice, too. Might as well make an evening out of it and go for dinner, too.
Not to mention, there's always a chance to see some of your favorite actors onstage. I've seen Patrick Stewart twice, and my parents have seen him three times now (lucky fuckers). He is even better in person. As for one man shows, I saw him do A Christmas Carol. Alone. Holy fucking amazing, Batman.
Don't let the naysayers dissuade you, because you may find it to be to your liking in the end.
I have to disagree with that, at least to some extent. I live in Detroit, and there's still a fair number of shows here. New York's great and all, but the best shows I've seen weren't on Broadway (with the exception of Patrick Stewart, but I'm a nerdy fanboy on that score), but off. I don't know about numbers, but every show I've seen has been sold out the last couple of years, and there have been a fair number of shows in the city, too. If it's dying, it's doing it slowly.AdamBomb said:
INTERIOR CROCODILE ALLIGATOR
I DRIVE A CHEVROLET MOVIE THEATER
Now that that's off my chest I'm an avid actor myself. All the advice I can give you in your situation is in The Old Testament book Ecclesiastes which contains the famous quote "Meaningless! Meaningless! Everything is Meaningless." I'm no bible pusher but this is really all you need.
I DRIVE A CHEVROLET MOVIE THEATER
Now that that's off my chest I'm an avid actor myself. All the advice I can give you in your situation is in The Old Testament book Ecclesiastes which contains the famous quote "Meaningless! Meaningless! Everything is Meaningless." I'm no bible pusher but this is really all you need.
I read awhile ago about a play that was performed in a bathroom. They had the bathrooms blocked off during the actual performances (and portajohns set up outside) but during practice they were constantly being interrupted by people coming in to use them.
You should do something crazy like that.
You should do something crazy like that.
There will always be someone who will appreciate a theatrical performance, keep with it. Also, nothing is ever original (nowadays), its all been done before.
The very nature of theatre is that it's never the same thing twice, so no matter what you do, it's never been done before. You have different actors bringing something new to the stage, you have different directors and designers masterminding the production, and you have a different audience with different reactions and different energy every night.
I'm an actor, and theatre will always be extremely valuable to me.
So what are you planning? Are you writing your own show? Are you choosing one that's already been done? Is it theatre or musical theatre? What genre? What sort of audience are you expecting?
I'm an actor, and theatre will always be extremely valuable to me.
So what are you planning? Are you writing your own show? Are you choosing one that's already been done? Is it theatre or musical theatre? What genre? What sort of audience are you expecting?
I LOVE theatre. (Comedies, mostly.) Mostly, I went to these as per a number of my college classes, but I liked going to 'em just the same. There's a big difference between the silver screen where you can have takes and the stage, where you'd better get it right or be doomed forever-more. My hometown has a rather strong theatre district, so you can understand my level of exposure here. Basically, if you've got something and you think people are gonna like it, go for it. The worst you can do is fail. That's not as bad as other things, trust me.
I absolutely adore Theatre, went to see Twelfth Night in Stratford last year and it was amazing. Wish I could say the same for Antony and Cleopatra at the Globe in London the year before, they were both RSC but Antony and Cleopatra was crap... They basically ruined a really good play. Anyway, I'm involved in Theatre Group at my university so I've auditioned for a few things, currently have a non-speaking role in a play after Easter called The Ferryman, a new piece of writing taking the Greek myth of Orpheus and resetting it in a seedy 20's Chicago bar. Looks really good, wish I had a bigger role but there was only a limited number of parts...
I've been in quite a few shows and I do enjoy live theatre...mainly because I've been in quite a few shows. I played Richard Nixon recently and earned massive accolades.
It's been a while since I've actually watched a show though.
It's been a while since I've actually watched a show though.
Thank you very much for all the replies, there's alot more than I expected and they're all brilliant 
In regards to what sort of show I'm thinking of I do have an idea in mind... I'll get back to you with more details in about a week. All your comments so far have been a huge help.
In regards to what sort of show I'm thinking of I do have an idea in mind... I'll get back to you with more details in about a week. All your comments so far have been a huge help.
I would really like to see a play concerning zombie apocalypse. Imagine a gory zombie hacking and slashing performed on theater. How classy would that be.LilGherkin said:
To OP; Go for it, if you have the talent for playwriting. Theater as an art form and storytelling medium is far from dying. Just find your own style, and make the audience smile/cry/dumbfounded.
As for me, I only recently discovered the possibilities theater have as a way of telling stories. Not much of an actor, more like a playwright (at least striving to be a good playwright.) Archaic it may be, but I consider theater to be so much more vivid than movies. There are still plenty of things to try out.
I guess it is about preference, I wouldn't go and see an opera because I can't be arsed but give me the caucasian chalk circle and i'm there. That being said I could go to the movies every night (movies worth watching not withstanding) or a concert or an epic gaming session.
I've grown to love lots of forms of perfomance and part of that is along with my 'academic' subjects I studied performance and theatre. I think there is something really special about suspending your disbelief because of the skill of the actor rather than the spectacular and mind confusing special effects.
I went to see Patrick Stewart a couple of years back do 'A christmas carol' as a one man show, and it sounds clicheic but honestly I laughed, I cried and I was with him every step of the way, I was completely unaware at one point that there was only one man on the stage with just a chair and a table - he was phenominal and I wouldnt have missed that experience for anything.
I've grown to love lots of forms of perfomance and part of that is along with my 'academic' subjects I studied performance and theatre. I think there is something really special about suspending your disbelief because of the skill of the actor rather than the spectacular and mind confusing special effects.
I went to see Patrick Stewart a couple of years back do 'A christmas carol' as a one man show, and it sounds clicheic but honestly I laughed, I cried and I was with him every step of the way, I was completely unaware at one point that there was only one man on the stage with just a chair and a table - he was phenominal and I wouldnt have missed that experience for anything.
That is so true. All ideas for stories are based around ideas that people have previously found enjoyable and wish to put their own spin on. It's interesting how the creative process works really.Reqium said:
I would probably only go to a theatre if I was visiting a specific place that is known for its theatre (i.e. Stratford/London/New York), or for a special occasion. I also don't know the story of a lot of plays, and I have already seen performances of what few plays I do know, so I would be unlikely to see any plays in the forseeable future.
Theatreboy said:
It's been just under 3 weeks since I posted this here and I'd like to conclude the topic.
I DID put a show together and it was thanks to all your comments. I used the comments themselves for the show. You inadvertedly created the actual show =)
I actually asked the same question on 11 other internet forums. I gathered all of them together and then read them out as a piece of performance work at a showcase-like thing called 'Showroom' close to my University.
I had enough material for over an hour, but I only had 20 mins max so I had to go through the difficult process of cutting posts out; I'm sorry to those whos posts I didn't use. Many I cut out were brilliant replies, I've saved them all. (my biggest mistake in the show was forgetting to mention this, for which I apologise).
Like I said, this was a showcase, demonstrating new work. The performance was entirely non-profit. I am currently working on putting a show together that will tour small theatres in Cornwall this summer. If the other company members back the idea and we do it, then these comments will defiantly feature in the show if that is ok with the authors. If you want you can join our Facebook group. Just search for "Dave's House Theatre Company"
So here are the Youtube links for both parts of the recording I made. You guys come up at 5.00 in part 1
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_JbZgkFC-GU&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTHjpKV__po
Performance and video games are two large areas in my life. I knew I had to use this forum. Combineing these two very different areas is something I want to experment with in the future.
Enjoy, and thank you again