Student Blog: Being a Theatre Major at a Sports School

I think most people would agree that theatre and sports are typically depicted as diametrically opposed. I mean, that's basically the entire plot of the first High School Musical film, isn't it? Troy has to choose between basketball and the school musical. Growing up, I definitely found myself on one side of this dichotomy; I was one of those stereotypical theatre kids who excelled at the arts but failed at all things athletic (unless you count dance and cheer). PE Class? I hated it. I was picked last for every team. High School football games? I was only there because I was a cheerleader. Televised sports? I didn't understand the rules enough to enjoy watching them, and didn't care enough to try learning. I was absolutely one of those annoying people at the class Superbowl parties who would jokingly call football "sportsball," only pay attention during commercials and the halftime show, and quote the specific tumblr post pictured below incessantly with my fellow theatre friends. All this to say, I was NOT a sports person. That is, until I came to college.

Some of us might be going to school for theatre at liberal arts colleges, private universities, and conservatory style programs where the arts are the main focus. On the other hand, many of us might go to large public universities, especially ones where the school identity and culture largely revolve around athletics. As a student at the University of Florida, a NCAA Division 1 school known for its handful of Olympic medalist alumni along with its football, basketball, baseball, and gymnastics teams (among others), I find myself in the latter circumstance one hundred percent. When people think of my school, they think of our team, the Florida Gators- certainly not our arts programs, let alone theatre. However, interestingly enough, being a theatre major at a sports school has actually made me appreciate both live sports and theatre more.

I'll never forget the first (and so far, only) football game I went to in my freshman year. Standing there in a sea of screaming and clapping fans, listening to the the marching band and the announcer's voice echoing through the stadium speakers, watching people dressed in all black scurry across the sidelines with cables, cameras, and mics in hand, the realization suddenly hit me- this is all just a big show. My eyes were opened to how many elements live theatre shares with live sports. Someone somewhere is live-mixing the audio. Someone somewhere is controlling the lights. Someone somewhere is calling cues for the jumbotron like a stage manager would. There are performers of all types, from the athletes on the field to the marching band musicians, color guard members, majorettes, and even the mascot characters in the stands. One might say there is even a story at play, with the home team as the hero and the visiting team as the villain, the field as the stage for the action to unfold upon. Meanwhile, the audience of fans is immersed in it all, cheering and chanting and reciprocating the energy of the game. This gigantic, shared ritual experience upheld by countless moving parts and people is absolutely comparable to live theatre if one simply adjusts their perspective. Getting a job at my school's basketball arena this year has brought similar revelations. The amount of tech people I've seen running around the service level during games in order to make sure the fan experiences and live broadcasts go just as planned demonstrates an intense level of behind-the-scenes collaboration rarely seen outside the theatre world. Meanwhile up in the arena, a spectacular show of agility and rivalry enraptures the audience, complete with industrial sized spotlights and all.

Making friends with people involved in marching band definitely helped bridge the gap between theatre and athletics for me as well. One of my best friends and freshman year roommates, Naomi, is a member of the color guard here at UF, Florida Visual Ensemble. While you might not categorize her as an actor or dancer in the theatrical sense, she is absolutely a talented, devoted performer. Every week during football season I would watch her put her all into learning and perfecting complex flag-spinning and movement routines for the next half-time show, spinning a broom in our kitchen and counting along to the music. Meanwhile, I would be reviewing for the musical I was in. Though the context of our respective shows were quite different, watching her practice and hearing her talk about band rehearsals made me realize how our deep love of performing was the same. Performance is performance, whether on a stage or on a field. Maybe that's why Naomi and I are both so jokingly enamored with Albert, the UF mascot character. He has to put on a show wherever he goes, but still exudes energy and excitement at all times!

Once I was able to make all these connections between theatrical productions and athletic events, two things I once thought of as antithetical, I acquired a newfound respect for live sports and sports fans. Though we may have different preferences when it comes to the live content we consume, we are all deeply connected by the human desire to gather, engage with, and be a part of something greater, whether that takes place in a theatre or a stadium, in the wings offstage or the service level beneath the court.

Now, the ultimate thing would be if all the sports fans would go see a Broadway show and make these same connections... but something tells me that's much less likely to happen. In the mean time though, I encourage all you theatre majors at sports schools out there to go to at least one athletic game and give it a chance. Coming in with an open mind, you might get up from the bleachers surprised by how much your understanding of the power of theatre has deepened and your respect for sports fans has grown.