When was the last time you were inside a theater? Was it for a musical? A Broadway revue? A concert? The theater stage can be a magical place where you can see your dreams unfold, but it can also be a place where uncomfortable truths about our society are addressed.

I am a Theater Performance major. This means that I am gambling my $25,000 a year tuition on the hope that I learn what it takes to be an actor. I have been in the theater community for most of my life now, and I have had many of my friends choose to pursue theater as a hobby or a pastime. There is nothing wrong with that choice, but I am choosing to pursue acting as my career because that is the field to which I belong.

Acting is not for everyone, but the theater can be. Such a versatile venue can hold performances that will blow children's imaginations, concerts that can bring joy and tears at the same time, and presentations that can change the course of a generation. A theater is so much more than a location for amateur actors, like me, to showcase their talents.

The heart of the theater is to confront social issues and to inspire change. This can be through direct conversation, such as a lecture, or through subtle referencing, such as a play or musical. A recent musical favorite of mine, "Dear Evan Hansen", deals with the difficulty of having social anxiety in this day and age as well as coping with the suicide of a loved one; each of these conversations can be difficult to have with children at a dinner table, but when the conversation is stirred due to the arts, the topic is more easily approached. An added bonus to viewing this masterpiece? The music and staging are phenomenal.

Another recent example of a performance inspiring social change is "Hamilton: An American Musical". The musical follows the story of Alexander Hamilton and the foundation of the United States. (If you want to learn more about "Hamilton", check out my fellow GCU Odyssey creator's article on her experience at the musical!) On November 18th, 2016, Vice President Mike Pence attended a "Hamilton" performance on Broadway, and he was met at the end of the musical with a message from the cast members. Brandon Victor Dixon, the actor playing Aaron Burr, spoke directly to Pence, saying: “We, sir — we — are the diverse America who are alarmed and anxious that your new administration will not protect us, our planet, our children, our parents, or defend us and uphold our inalienable rights. We truly hope that this show has inspired you to uphold our American values and to work on behalf of all of us.”

"Hamilton" gave a voice to these actors, and the theater became an outlet for the call to change the current state of our nation. Hundreds of other musicals, plays, concerts, and presentations have risen in theaters across America and the world in an attempt to bring about social change. The magic of musicals and plays doing so is that they can be done with an extravagant flair given by the people who make up our communities.

I am a follower of Christ, which gives me an interesting perspective in the world of Fine Arts. Many Christians think that the stage does nothing more but bring attention to one’s self, and this goes against the call to be selfless. I, however, look at the stage as a place to create, just as my God created this world. Because I was made in His image, I have an intense desire to create. I want to use my talents for this purpose: to be a light in the dark, to be hope for the broken, to bring joy to the downcast, and, of course, to entertain in a world where the arts have such a major influence in society. The stage gives a voice to those who have been silenced and oppressed elsewhere. The stage inspires change.