BWW Blog: Allison Rambler - Come Look at the Freaks: A Side Show Community Production

This summer, I have become part of a production of Side Show at The Belmont Theater (previously known as York Little Theater) in York, Pennsylvania. Although we have only been in rehearsal for almost a month, I have already gotten the impression that this show will be a great opportunity for a series of blog posts that document the process of being in a community theatre production. Therefore, for this first entry, I would like to highlight some of the great aspects of being involved in community theatre, especially at a place like The Belmont.

Community theatre is an asset that any and all actors should use to their full advantage. I have discovered that while high school theatre is a great way for teenagers to get a taste of what this profession involves, community theatre takes the learning process to the next level. Productions in community theatre establishments tend to be much more polished and professional, as well as more organized. The expectations in these places tend to be higher than in high school, as everyone is responsible for themselves. The music is more involved, the dances are more complicated, and it is the duty of the performer to learn and practice their parts outside of just rehearsal.

Even though it is occasionally a bit harder to gather the whole cast together for even one rehearsal, as everyone has their own lives outside of the show, everyone still does their job and progress can always continue to be made even with cast members missing. I believe that this is a crucial part of the acting business, because no one is going to hold your hand the closer you get to Broadway, and working around conflict is always a challenge. However, even with the additional sense of responsibility, I have found that being involved in community theatre has helped me to figure out how to balance my life and my passion. Not only that, but The Belmont Theatre in particular has given me something to look forward to this summer.

Side Show marks the first production I have been a part of at The Belmont, and quite frankly, I have spent most of the time wondering why I hadn't auditioned there much sooner. The atmosphere of the theatre is so welcoming, and everyone I have met has treated me as part of the family despite being a newcomer. While I only just turned 18 and am playing one of the World's Tiniest Cossacks in the show, I am not excluded from conversation or turned away from group events despite the fact that the majority of the cast has a good 5 or more years on me. I am not seen as a child, or a "newbie" to the theatre; I am seen as a friend and fellow castmate. That in itself is one of the reasons why I have fallen deeply in love with community theatre.

In high school theatre, it is easy to fall into the trap of "ensemble versus main cast" divides, or even "senior versus freshmen" cliques. This happened much too often during my high school theatre career. However, once I left the confines of the school auditorium, I saw that being involved in higher level productions such as Side Show, a musical I don't believe my school could have ever performed, meant that I was dealing with levels of majority that it can be sometimes difficult to find in high school. Community theatre allows for young people to experience shows and meet people that can help provide them with new perspectives on not only acting, but on professionalism in general. Young actors must know how to handle themselves in new situations, ones that may be unfamiliar but can prove to be very beneficial in the long run.

These are lessons I have learned from my short time at The Belmont, and I can't wait to see what new experiences Side Show will provide me with.