Theatre Therapy

"Wake-up, make your lunch, grab a quick coffee and a granola bar, get stuck in traffic and construction on the way to work, try to find parking in the morning rush, get to work, deal with the day's challenges including deadlines, staff and management THEN get back into your car, get stuck in traffic and construction on the way home, get home, find out what groceries you actually have to make dinner, decide on a dish to make that will please the whole family, make a mess of the kitchen while cooking, scarf down dinner, clean the kitchen, maybe watch some TV, brush your teeth, have the kids brush their teeth, struggle with them to get into bed and go to sleep so mom and dad can maybe have a few minutes of alone time before going to bed themselves...and repeat."
Sound familiar?
THEN, once or twice a week, the schedule changes. Instead of going home, you go to a rehearsal.  You are greeted with hugs and caring words from your co-actors and crew.  You are welcomed with the thoughts, words and support of a whole team.  As a group, you work together to achieve the same goal.  You can talk about your daily stresses and worries, you can brag (or complain) about your spouse or kids and the group will understand.  Theatre IS Therapy - and it doesn't cost $100 per hour!
 Just last night, I attended the first production meeting of the "Twiddle Plays" which I will be directing and producing with my theatre company Maybles' Productions.  The purpose of this meeting was for the team to meet each other, learn about the company's values and goals and discuss marketing ideas.  The stage manager, sound designer, production assistant and leading lady were all present.  Over coffee we laughed, joked around and had the opportunity to start building the foundation of this production.
I was overwhelmed by their enthusiasm and support of this production.
When I left, I couldn't help but get a little teary-eyed for I felt like a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders. Having been stressed-out and high-strung over issues at work, I left that meeting feeling lighter, more confident and happy.
During this time when people are having less face-to-face time and more "Facebook" time, it is so important for people to have the kind of contact and connection that only Theatre can provide.
When the going gets tough - the tough do THEATRE!

ACTING - it's not just about 'PLAYING'

Many people think acting is either really easy because all actors do is prance around a stage in silly costumes speaking with silly voices, OR, people think acting is really hard because you have to do and say things in front of other people.  There is so much more to Actors and the world of Acting.
Actors don't just 'play'.   "[Actors] remind people that things can change, wounds can heal, people can be forgiven, and closed hearts can be open again." - Larry Moss

Acting is about making people feel, think and question themselves, others and the world.
Acting is a means of expression.
Acting is an outlet for individuals to show others deep emotions and thoughts that are experienced.
Acting is a way to pretend to be someone else, live in someone else's shoes, have someone else's family, have someone else's dreams and go through someone else's experiences.
Acting is a vehicle to be used as a way of expressing ideas, concepts and physicality that would otherwise be "socially unacceptable".
Actors take nothing from an audience except for applause, tears and laughter.


It is hard work.  Rehearsing twice a week, every week for 3 months to put on only 5 or 8 shows.  It's a lot of lines to memorize.  It means a lot of research into people, places, societies and times in history in order to develop a character.  

There are people who do not understand why actors do what they do. Especially actors in community & alternative theatre as they do not get paid for their time or hard work.  To people who ask "why do you do it?" or "wouldn't you rather do something that pays?" I simply reply by asking them whether or not they have ever volunteered.  

Acting is volunteering and it is rewarding.  Though we do not usually get paid, though we sometimes must endure critics, notes from directors, ridicule from adjudicators and snickers from an audience, we as actors dedicate ourselves to the art of becoming someone else.  We live someone else's life, go through their trials and tribulations.  We survive the torment of thoughts in their mind, sometimes die as them or worse, experience a loss far greater than any death.  We do this so that YOU as an audience member can experience these, through us, from the safety of your seat.

This is the gift actors give to us all for the mere price of an applause.