Community Theatre: A Personal Statement Of Purpose

"Gin and guns—either one is bad enough, but together they get you in a dickens of a mess, don 't they."—Accused murderer Belva Gaertner, 1924 (National Geographic, N.D)

As a volunteer at the People’s Bank Theatre, not only have I been welcomed into a new part of the community here in Marietta but a new family as well. Under the direction of the volunteer coordinator Sarah Eels, the volunteers operate in a very harmonious manner where each volunteer is able to thrive individually to wholly contribute to the group. Within this essay, I will discuss both how the theatre’s adaptability and relationship to the community correspond to Morgan’s idea of organizations working as organisms.

The play Our Country’s Good, written by Timberlake Wertenbaker, illustrates the characters’ exploration of identity, whether through their belonging to a society, through theater and thus language, or through the social experiment the setting up of the play represents.

When I was three years old, I could be found standing on fountains at the local mall and putting on concerts for passers by. Now, at 18 years old, the same joy I felt singing in the middle of a mall is what I feel crafting stories on stage and pursuing a character’s truth. Throughout the years, theatre has been an immensely important creative outlet for me, and the confidence I have found on stage has translated in my real life, making me a stronger person. As I pursue higher education in this field, I am excited at the prospect of continuing my studies at the University of Michigan, and being able to take advantage of all the opportunities I am so passionate about.

Musical Theatre is a theatrical performance when the story is told through dialogue, song, and dance. Back then, people didn’t Snap Chat, Face Time or watch TV for entertainment; they would go to the Theatre for a night out, first date, etc. To give a more definitive description of how musicals evolved, affected, and influenced throughout history, a time line of major musicals that defined certain stages of Musical Theatre will probably help people understand what makes it so unique.

A goal of mine would be to work for my own theatre. The name of the theatre would be UCT (Uniting the Community Theatre), and the location would be in my hometown of Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Fort Lauderdale, is a diverse city filled with various people from different countries. Although Fort Lauderdale is diverse in terms of culture, the city lacks artistic spirit. Most residents don’t get excited when a Broadway production comes to town, and there are only a few residents that go to Broadway productions. The main reasons for lack of interest could be the price of tickets, or the residents cannot relate to the plays.

I always knew that the theatre was a place I belonged. From the days of being a novice of theatre to now there has always been a part of me that felt secure on stage. However, it wasn’t until my junior year musical that I realized that the theatre was my home. It was somewhere I could always discover a safe spot to be and that the people there would forever be my chosen family. On a soggy evening in late April for the first time in my life I fell apart completely, and the only thing that brought me back was the hot lights shining on me, with music and dance steps circling through my brain: the essence of a theatre.

My interest in theatre started when I was living in Spain. My parents started a theatre company with other military and US teachers. From the ages of 4-9, I got to play small roles or work backstage on plays ranging from Shakespeare to Neil Simon.

The most mysterious aspect of theater is found in the sliver of space hidden between the dimensions of the world created onstage and the one awaiting its members after the final curtain call. Despite seldom being seen by the audience, this hideaway witnesses the most magical feats. Set pieces being maneuvered as if playing lifesize versions of tetris, actors taking their final moments before entering into a different human body, and casts molding their energy with one another to become whole. Every minute action taking place backstage is in preparation for the masterpiece about to begin. My life thus far has taken place backstage. Every play that I have been a part of, organization I have volunteered for and opportunity I have taken has prepared and shaped the stage which will soon begin to unfold.

The theatre is the place where stage actors belong. One can’t help but admire the structure of the grand stage bordered by big curtains and several seats all facing you. Theatre is my passion and acting is pretty fun as well. Acting is a way to express oneself and hone a skill to portray a character. After settling in after a long day of classes, if there isn’t a tv show, play, or a movie , in the background, the ambience is a buzzkill. It just doesn’t feel right. Theatre is one of the few things in life that brings people from all different backgrounds together. Some of the most dedicated, bravest, and talented people just simply do what has been done for centuries. Deteminately, they tell a story. Even if some tell it better than others,

I’ve wanted to pursue a career in theater for most of my life. I grew up going to a lot of shows and being in all the ones I could and I can not imagine doing anything else. As for academics, taking theater classes are what I look forward to each school year. Last year though, my school administrators sent out a list of teachers that would be laid off. The list included two out of the four art teachers, my theater teacher, and numerous others who hadn’t worked at our school very long. Basically, those the administrators deemed “unessential”.

You like to watch movies, right? Or go to a play, maybe even watch a performance on Broadway. Well there is one thing that is necessarie for those things to have, actors, actresses, play writers, directors, the list just keeps going on and on. But there is one thing all those people have in common, a passion for theatre. A passion needs to start young, as young as elementary school. Less and less schools are offering a theatre curriculum as time goes on, that means less and less of a chance for there to be a next Oscar-award winning actor or actress. This may not seem like a huge problem now. You may be thinking “Umm… I think we are set on actors right now thank you,” And your right, acting is one of the careers that you can have for the longest amount of time. But, we may not be… We need to start putting theatre programs back into schools.

Ever since the world was created, humans have tried to express themselves trough art. Painting, sculpting, music, and, above everything, theatre. Even before they could speak properly , primitives use dance and small rituals as a way of enterteinment. However, now, in the higly technology developed world we live, every day there are more various and modern options to do in our free time but, at the same time all changes and becomes dull too fast.This puts theatre in a really fragile position and makes us wonder if it will become out-of-style or if, on the contrary, as this essay will proof, it will still be relevant and up to date for the next generations.

Children’s theatre is an activity I have positive, first-hand experience in. I have participated in shows and productions in my community and school for as long as I can remember, and I loved every second of it. Since I have a history with the topic, I believed it would be a smart idea to volunteer my time with some sort of children’s theatre organization. I have always known how beneficial children’s theatre has been to me in my own life, however, I will show how everyone’s involvement in community children’s theatre bears a multitude of positive effects.

The Public Sphere within theatre was a concept that was first delineated by philosopher Jurgen Habermas in his book titled The structural transformation of the public sphere, in which he refers to the right that all citizens hold, the right to participate and engage into discussions on public matters of interest and public issues. Habermas writes: “the audience does not constitute a space for spectators and listeners but a space for speakers and addresses who engage in debate.” (Habermas in Balme 2012). The Public sphere has now become a space, a stage, for performers, speakers and protesters to have a voice rather than for the preliminary use of entertainment for the audience, spectators and listeners.