Who here would consider themselves a “Theatre Person”? (This should probably go under General Questions, but it’s too mundane for that). By “Theatre Person”, I don’t mean you go to the theatre and watch Cats or Les Mis or something… I mean actually participating in it. Being on stage, or being one of the techies… something… ANYTHING!
I ask 'cuz I’m a theatre person, all my friends are theatre people, I always get along with theatre people, non-theatre people always seem kinda anal… any thoughts out there?
I haven’t done it since moving to Australia, but yeah, I’m a Repertory Theatre guy. I’ve acted on stage, and I’ve done some writing. Set building too. The singing and dancing part, however, is not exactly my strong point…
The last show I was involved in I had to set up and operate the lights. I made a right bollocks up of that. The operation was kind of cool, as I put in a few little creative twists I was proud of. But here’s a word of advice - never operate a spot and a lighting board at the same time - it takes five hands. Which, surprisingly, I don’t have.
Thanks to SisterRiddles, and the grand theatrical tradition known as nepotism, I am now in an improv comedy soap opera opening on (yikes!) June 1st. We had our photo shoot for the publicity shots on Saturday morning, and it went really well. I’ve also done professional Murder Mystery weekends, which were a total blast. We improvised the whole thing, just memorizing our reveals.
Yea, Inky, I think that’s true. Maybe because you have to be pretty extroverted to do theater, or maybe it’s because you’re just used to changing clothes in front of the entire cast backstage, but as long as my underwear stays in place, I have no issues with it, either.
I do a hell of a lot at the local theater (Little Theatre of Winston-Salem, danke.com). I’ve hung (hanged?) and ran lights, built and painted sets, running crew, all of the above. I was Technical Director for 3 shows at my high school, and regularly work on productions for about 3 other theater companies around the Triad. So I’d say I’m a ‘theater people’.
But I find the anal thing to be the other way around. I really can’t stand most theater people. I mean, I have a lot of friends who are involved in productions, but a lot of them are just assholes. I can’t stand the regular techies here. But it really depends on the show.
It’s not just you. I suspect it’s because of two factors: (1) latent exhibitionism, particularly in the untrained set, who like to be on stage so people will look at them; and (2) lack of conventional modesty in the trained set, because we’ve had to explore social mores and behavior so deeply, not to mention our own habits and prejudices, that some of the more prudish rules just don’t seem to apply any more. Of course, as a result, our neuroses are just that much more weird and slippery…
i am one of those people who can change anywhere. i’ve lost any sense of modesty that i had by parading around in my underwear onstage and changing my clothes in front of fifteen other cast members.
My first show was “Buddy: The Buddy Holly Story”. I quickly got into it, AND quickly learned that an actor will do what is necessary to get ready for the next scene. If you don’t have time to put on pants, then goddammit, you’re not gonna put on pants. Missing a cue is grounds for a heart attack.
And, yes, it does depend on the theatre people, with regards to anality. Some just get such an ego trip from being the star (having yet to take center stage, I wouldn’t know what it’s like).
And Cessandra… acting is a lot more than improv. In fact, in most acting, improv never comes up. However, improv IS fun as hell, especially when there’s a camera around.
I’m crap at improv. The closest I ever come to it is when I add a line just for fun. One line. That I’d preplanned in the wings.
Oh, though I was Master of Ceremonies for a Vaudeville show once. That was cooooool, I got to make up some really bad stuff that nevertheless got a laugh (and a great review).
Two of my closest friends are theatre people. I’ve always been more of the set decorator/property master type person. Although, I did belong to the Drama club in high school and I do enjoy improv. For the most part, I don’t really get along with theatre people as a group (if there can be such a classification!) Flamboyant people usually irritate me. Luckily for me, my friends do more Greek tragedy and general melodrama than anything else!
Get it right, the geeks are in band. Drama folk are better termed freaks, and hell yes I am one of them. I was President of the Drama Club in H.S., did theater in college and haved performed in all manner of plays from classic to improv to experimental. I love the stage and I miss it very much - I hope to find some time to do community theater soon. For now I just have to be satisfied with the small bit of “performing” that comes with my job. Some of the longest and best friendships I have ever made came out of drama.
I consider myself a theatre person (it was my major in college) but I’ve not done anything theatre-oriented since then Well, except my dancing career… hey, it was on stage! It counts! kinda.
Started in band in 4th grade (trumpet, later moved to mellophone and french horn), started singing in junior high, started acting in senior high. In order:
Perchick in “Fiddler on the Roof”
various in “Memories of Broadway” (sang “Maria” and “Man of La Mancha”)
Jester in “Once Upon A Mattress” (college)
Jesus in “Godspell” (community theatre)
Director of “The Wiz”
Techie for “Stop The World, I Want To Get Off!”
Arnold in “Torch Song Trilogy”
Armand in “Eloise is Under the Almond Tree”
Cast in “Tomfoolery”
Tech Director for “Baby”
Linus in “Snoopy” (see my web page)
Various orchestras (“A Chorus Line,” “Follies,” among others)
I think that’s it. Probably forgot a few. But you get the idea.
If not, well, I’m just surrounded by theatre people. My roommate Mike runs an improv comedy group (The Screaming Puppets, should you ever be in the Laurel, MD), and played “Marcellus” in a recent community-theatre performance of “The Music Man”; my girlfriend Rebecca was “Marion” in the same production, and spent much of her high-school years doing tech work on the school plays. My roommate Arthur just finished a bit part in a production of MacBeth and is doing a bit part in Much Ado (and he’s done a good five or six other shows that don’t come to mind right away). My younger sister is attending The Actor’s Studio in New York after getting a BA in Drama from UMaryland; once she goes off to Hollywood and makes a name for herself, I plan to move out to CA and mooch off of her and the name recognition (Straight-to-video, here I come!).
As for me- tried out for two school plays. Was not accepted into the first one, and got kicked out of the second one for bad grades. That sort of squelched the acting bug in me.
Another former theater person, from high school till I was in my early 20s. Did some off-Broadway and summer stock, and I still miss the feeling of being in front of a live audience! But I gave it up when I realized I was spending 90% of my time auditioning, and even when I got roles, most of them were crap. I was born too late . . . I’d have been a great light drawing-room comedienne, like Ina Claire or Lynn Fontanne; but they just weren’t doing that sort of stuff in the late '70s and early '80s . . .
Well, except my dancing career… hey, it was on stage! It counts! kinda.