Back to “Normal”?
The question for this week’s blog is, should we go back to theater like “normal” when we can, or should we use what we learned during the pandemic as an opportunity to make necessary improvements in the way theater is done?
The defining characteristic of theater in the past has always been in-person participation. The performers and the spectators were in the same space. For the three stages of development (table readings, staged readings, and performances) we were always all together in the same room.
But since the pandemic, online experiences replaced all of these. We had to do all development over platforms like Zoom.
Now that things are opening up and we will be able do these steps in person, should we?
Cost and Convenience
The answer to the question above, in my opinion, is NO. We shouldn’t automatically going back to doing all development in person.
The reason is money and convenience.
Putting a group of people together in a room requires that you spend money on the room and try to schedule around times that everyone can meet – including the time it takes everyone to travel to the room.
Table readings are a way to let the playwright hear what they wrote out loud. These can be done more cheaply and more conveniently online. It’s just the actors, playwright, director, and producer. No one even has to be in the same city, and no physical space is required. Online table reads can replace those in person.
Staged readings are used by the producer to attract money to the production. It gives potential investors a feel for how the production will look and to watch how an audience reacts. For instance, It probably won’t be a successful comedy if no one laughs. I believe that some in person staged readings could be replaced with ones online.
It’s a New Day
Once I thought that all performances could only be done in person. I still think that. Mostly.
But please, let me know what YOU think…..