Since I went on a spring break trip to New York City last year to learn and watch Broadway shows, it seems like my expectations have grown or I’ve realized what a good production looks like. Probably both! When I pay for a ticket that could pay for my groceries for two weeks, I expect a show to be at the highest level possible. Recently, the shows I’ve seen from touring companies have been a huge disappointment. I’m curious why people don’t feel that every performance needs to be given a 100% back to the audience and to their art.
There are several issues that need to be addressed:
Why aren’t actors giving the performance of their life, every performance?
and
The stigma that touring companies aren’t equal to Broadway needs to change.
Broadway and touring companies should be equal.
I’m not an expert on what goes on behind the scenes of a touring show because every company is different, but with the recent touring shows I’ve seen, they feel cheap to me. The set, lighting, costumes, and preparedness doesn’t feel as up to scale as Broadway. I’ve heard from actor’s experiences with touring companies that the pay isn’t as great, as the money is going straight into the companies and producers pockets. As bad as I feel for those underpaid actors, they agreed to the contract and they should be giving it their all because they love the art with everything they have in them. People pay just as much money to see a touring show compared to a Broadway show price. So that is what they should be seeing!
Putting in the work.
I’m guilty of it too. Sometimes we can get lazy and taking the easier route, does make it easier at that moment. But hard work does pay off. People can definitely see the time, effort, and commitment you put into something when you do it well. I believe people can be born with talent, but that does not necessarily make a great performer. Someone who uses that talent with their dedication and hard work is what forms a good performer into a great performer.
Recently, I went to see the touring production of Once at OCCC, and it frustrated me as a student who is studying my butt off to be the best musical theatre performer a person could possibly be; a working paid unmotivated actor. I didn’t see the drive or the technique that they’ve used from their performance training. There were times where actors appeared lazy because lines were forgotten and acting beats were not analyzed in a script because memorization seemed to be enough for them. I feel like we forget that we’re not supposed to look at someone who is acting and judge them on how well they act. The audience should see a show and forget about that these actors are on a stage, and for two hours just watch people “be living in a moment of life.”
As a student I can get so caught up about deadlines and expectations that sometimes I can forget that I’m doing these things because I love what I do and I want to be constantly improving. For a few months, those actors in Once can say they successfully accomplished a life’s goal and dream. But that is never a reason to stop growing as a performer, or else what is the point of going on with the run of the show?
This article may have turned into a little rant, but it needed to be addressed. I believe actors and art should be respected as I love where it is going in society today and I want to continue to watch it grow so strong.
