There aren't many pieces of theater out there that are grounded in reality, and I think that needs to change. Yes, it is amazing to go to the theater to go see a play that is going to entertain you and take you to magical places that only theater can take you to. However, plays that are grounded in today, plays that take you to the reality of now, those plays are important too. They take you places, maybe not magical places, but places that need to be thought about and need to be explored.
Theater is an art that appeals to a select few already, and I think that plays that are set in today, that have important messages weaved throughout in a "realistic" manner is a great place for new theater goers to start. It will give you that dose of entertainment you crave, but it won't be "campy" like people often say theater is.
Theater set in reality also tends to teach lessons that a lot of people have been trying to teach for a long time, but because it is shown in a creative way, some people will get it in ways that they didn't before. Theater can actually be a great way to learn, and it is a great way to teach people lessons in a "nontraditional" setting.
All theater is important because they are one of those rare experiences where you get to go and see actual humans perform right in front of you, and their voices are real, their acting is real and live, and knowing that they are performing for a different group of people every night and still putting on the same performance is a genuinely amazing thing. Actors are some of the hardest working people I know. They go to daily rehearsals for four or more hours a day, months at a time, to perfect a script and story that they want to share with the world.
Acting is a tireless job, but one that rewards you just as much as the first day every single time. Every time you perform you get a renewed rush of adrenaline, and a new found love for your career every time you take that first step on stage. They may not perform surgery or build buildings taller than the Empire State Building, but they have the ability to tell stories about people who have, in a realistic way, which is a truly unique talent.
