Dear People Who Think Theatre is Just a “Hobby,”
You say it’s not a business. You say it’s not a real job. What’s to stop me from making it a business? Making it a real job? You watch television every day, spend hundreds of dollars on tickets to see a live show, but I, of people, cannot ever work there. Why? I am a hardworking individual with a drive to do this more than anything in the world. I need to help create, to be a part of the process that is theatre.
Have you ever watched the end credits of a movie? Have you ever seen how many people it takes just to make one single movie? I never said I wanted to act, but I just want to be a part of it all. Why can’t my “hobby” be my whole life? And why do you want me to stop believing in my dreams? At a young age you told me I could be whoever I wanted to be, and I believed you. I believe still. I know the only thing standing in the way of success is me—how hard I work, defines how I will be.
I am already my own worst enemy, so why do you also have to fight and bash my dreams? Why do you have to be the vampire that sucks the life out what I want in life? All I want and need is your support, but if I don’t ever get that, that’s just fine. I don’t have to prove anything to you. My life will not be centered on proving anything to you—or anyone. Even myself.I do theatre not just because I love it or because I don’t want to do anything else, but because I can’t do anything else. My livelihood, my purpose, my sole reason for being, is that stage.
To educate, to inspire, to disturb, to comfort, to create, to love, to live—that’s what theatre is. That’s the point of everything I do. I can’t change the world through science, I can’t change it through politics. But I sure can change it through art. I can help change the minds and souls of individuals by helping create a simple story on a bare stage. Someone great once said “Art is to comfort the disturb, and to disturb the comfortable.”
Why can’t my hobby be a full time job? Why can’t my hobby change the world? Another questions for you, why are you so set out to tell me I will fail if I continue this? If I fail, let me fail on my own. Let me fail, so I can get back up stronger and more determined to succeed than ever before .I know it’s a hard path .I know it’s a tough profession. I am ready for it, eager for the creative challenges theatre brings me.
To people who think Theatre is just a hobby:
You aren’t going to stop me from pursuing this. This is my dream, and I will fight as hard as I can just to work in theatre. No matter what. There was times when you made me cry because I had no support. But now, I am tougher. So thank you. I am better at what I do knowing I only have myself to depend on. I don’t care now why you bash me because I know I am going to succeed at my job. I am going to change the world through my art.
I found the theatre and I have found my home.
With Love,
The Theatre Major
