In a week chock full of plays, I finally managed to stay all the way through “Trailer Park Musical” on Friday and traveled with most of the Tlines to the rollicking “Altar Boyz” out at the Mill on Saturday. I’ll try to get some more distinct words down on virtual paper about each of them but the first quick thing to say is how cool it is that each performance I saw had a smattering of other theater folks in the audience.
There was a little clique of “Annie” cast members taking advantage of the night off to see “Well” when I went on Thursday. Then I chatted with two lovely Thibodeau family members, Sophia Foley’s lovely mother and lovely director-around-town Deb Clinton at “Trailer Park” before taking my seat next to the lovely and enthusiastic Jackie Jones. It certainly made for a lovely evening. And I’m not sure but I think I spied Elise Boyd – a semi-regular down at Sycamore Rouge – at “Altar Boyz.”
I just think there’s no better support of theater than to actually go see the shows, whether you’re in the business or not. Excitement in the theater translates into excitement about theater, right?
4 comments:
To Dave T. and others,
I am a regular reader of this blog, and a member of the arts community. I must say that I love the positivity and shift in attitude on here of late. It's really wonderful, and makes dropping by here a pleasure.
The praise and appreciation for all of the great things going on in our community, and for even the chance meetings with its members of all persuasions, is exactly what we need to keep going. We're often taught that "good things have to happen" and THEN we respond with positivity, when many of us have learned that it's actually the other way around.
The very celebratory, uplifting thoughts and words (regarding both the work being done, and the people involved) featured here in the last few months have a very contagious, positive effect. Joy, gratitude, and appreciation go a long way in times such as these, as evidenced here.
Keep smiling, and best wishes to all.
Not to step completely on Anonymous' toes, but perhaps somewhat:
"I just think there’s no better support of theater than to actually go see the shows..."
A seemingly simple epiphany not yet nearly realized by the bulk of Richmond theatre "artists".
It continues to astound how very little of theatre many see. Granted, time is an issue for all, but hardly accounts for the general lack of attendance from theatre folks.
It is slightly refreshing that you have encountered a smathering of these people as of late. I do hope that this trend may continue, as not only is attending other theatre the best support, but it is also the best way to learn. And Lord knows, all artists have a surfeit to learn.
What the heck do you mean by those apostrophes around the word artists, Anonymous #2? Would you have used them if you had been signing your name?
And have you gone to every showing of every prouction to note who is and isn't in the audience?
Have you considered that theatre artists can also learn a lot from attending music performances of all kinds? And dance, puppetry, sports?
How about just being alive, observing people in their natural environments, like at a nephew's birthday party or in a West End bar, or during church service project?
Far more than getting "these people" into theatres, we should all be concerned with getting non-theater-artists to try Richmond theater.
I think the amount and general quality of theater productions in Richmond is amazing. The time is right for the Richmond Convention and Visitors Bureau to really push theater as a tourist attraction for Virginians. (Maybe this is already happening... have to do some research...)
I did go see Altar Boyz for the second time on Saturday. Thanks for noticing!
Also-- I can't remember the last time I was in a theatre in Richmond and DIDN'T see someone I knew from the performing community-- well at least someone I leaned over to my husband and said, "You remember when we saw ________? That's her!"
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