Many people attend theatre productions, but very few actually participate in the process. Whether it is in a school setting or at a community theatre near you, there are many reasons to participate in theatre.

Social

Many people have trouble meeting and keeping friends or like to have new fun people to talk to. Theatre participation helps to facilitate friendships or, at least, the basic socialization of friendship. For instance, in Elmira College’s theatre department, everyone participating in a show is together for the duration of the production. Sometimes, there is a social split between cast and crew, but more often the two commingle.

This is helpful. It makes us a “theatre family.” We may not always get along or even like each other, but we are together so often that we cannot help but interact. I make that sound a bit doom and gloom, but it isn’t. For the most part, we all actually care about and like/love each other. We have fun together and listen to songs from musicals and laugh ourselves silly over toothpicks.

Granted, we complain about each other to one another all the time. But isn’t that part of being a family? Perhaps it is a bit dysfunctional, but at the end of the day we are all pretty much equal and we learn not to let personal feelings get in the way of accepting everyone as a part of the department. That will aid us in the future, when we have paying jobs with higher stakes.

We also don’t always see each other outside of theatre. We have different friends and groups that we spend time with outside of the production. That’s okay and healthy, because we always know that we can come back to the theatre to work on another show and be with people with whom we are comfortable and who get our theatre-oriented obsessions. That is important.

Physical

Theatre almost always involves some sort of movement that can be construed as exercise. Dancing, stage combat, running props, hanging lights, everything during strike*, and many other things will build your strength and make your heart race. The best part is that this exercise requires thought and focus, so it is usually more stimulating than running on a treadmill or lifting weights.

For example, I recently was part of running crew for Elmira College’s production of Closer than Ever. The set included mildly unwieldly boxes, shelves, and a rolling door that had to be moved in-between songs. Generally speaking, this had to be done quickly. It was by no means a difficult show to do, but it still gave me a decent arm and cardio workout. It was also mentally stimulating enough to keep me mentally engaged, whereas if I was in a gym I would have been bored within minutes.

Mental

If you’re anything like me, you are easily bored. You need things to do, people to see, a way to express yourself, and to feel needed. Theatre can assist with this. Granted, if you only ever audition for things and are not a person who is often cast, this can exacerbate existing mental health issues, like depression. However, there is much to theatre that is helpful.

If you are cast in a role, you have been given a wonderful opportunity to express yourself and to “be seen” while you do so. In fact, as long as the emotion is appropriate to your character and to the situation your character is in, the catharsis of expression will bring truth to your portrayal.

Even if you are not cast, there are still many ways to express yourself in theatre. You can build and paint the set, direct (which is one of my favorite means of expression), work on costumes, props, makeup, or any number of other things. As long as you can connect to what you’re doing and enjoy it, you can satisfy your soul.

Theatre can also help you to feel needed. I personally am at my happiest when someone or something needs me. My favorite example of this is when I worked costumes, wigs, and makeup for Elmira College’s production of Sylvia. Before every show I had to help key cast members put on their wigs, make Sylvia dirty, cover tattoos, give Greg grey hair, and iron the costumes. During the show, I had to help Tom/Phyllis/Leslie with his makeup and various wigs and make sure that everything was in order for him. After the show, I had to reset everything for the next day and make sure that nothing needed repair.

I was in my glory. Never in my life had I felt so necessary to a production. Even though I never went onstage, my work was visible. Granted, it was a lot of work and I didn’t sleep much that week, but it fulfilled me in a way that I never would have expected. I would not have turned down the opportunity to play Kate or Sylvia, but I would not trade my experience as a costumes, wigs, and makeup person. I have always been committed to theatre, but it was this production that allowed me to see how theatre can help me as a person.

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In conclusion, if you are bored, lonely, or just want something fun to do in the arts, get involved in theatre. Audition or ask to assist with tech for your school or nearest community theatre’s next production. You may find that theatre is what you have been missing.

And, even if you don’t like it, you can at least honestly tell future employers that you are a person who tries new things.

*Title adapted from Stella Adler’s quote: “Life beats down and crushes the soul and art reminds you that you have one.”

*Strike is the process of taking down the set, putting the props and costumes back, taking the lights down, taking care of other business, and basically 'resetting' the theater for future use.