Student Blog: Take Yourself on a Date to the Theatre

My favorite date night experience has always been going to watch a show. There’s something about the shared experience of watching something other-wordly come to life on stage with someone you love that is truly magical. After going through a breakup last year, I was distraught at the idea of going alone to watch a show. Eventually, I worked up the courage to see a musical all by myself. Little did I know that going to a show alone is a completely different and beautiful experience in itself.

The first time I took myself out on a date to the theatre was one of the more chaotic days of my life. In fact, it sort of happened by accident. In early October of last year, my roommates and I took a weekend trip to New York City. Although we were staying in central Manhattan, I was still overwhelmingly confused about how to ride the subway, which stop to get off at, and what smells were wafting through the air. Nevertheless, I persisted. On one of our final nights in the city, I decided to go see The Outsiders on Broadway. I had fallen in love with the cast album and had been deeply attached to the story for several years, making it the perfect show for me. When my roommates told me they weren’t going to be joining me for this performance, I was terrified. “What do you mean, I have to go to the theatre alone?” I thought to myself. Not only this, but I had to run from Pier 84 to the Bernard B. Jacobs Theater in jorts and a cropped button-down shirt due to very poor timing on my part (with the added bonus of it being 85 degrees and humid). Was it worth it, seeing Lady Liberty and Jason Schmidt within 45 minutes of each other? Absolutely.

Anyways, I saw The Outsiders all alone while sitting front and center. I sobbed my eyes out to the point where I was practically dry heaving.  After the show, I made the game time decision of going to the stage door (while looking like a complete disaster.) At this point, social anxiety feared me. I had a wonderful interaction with Emma Pittman and got to see Brent Comer, Sky Lakota-Lynch, and Trevor Wayne who was in for Brody Grant. Doing all of this alone was one of the most prideful moments of my life; I realized that I was able to do potentially frightening things on my own, and ever since then my outlook on life has completely changed. 

Just recently, I continued this tradition by taking myself to go see a matinee performance of Shucked at the CIBC Theater here in Chicago. I laughed, I cried, and I had the most wonderful time. I’m not sure what it is about seeing a show by yourself, but there is truly a sense of magic that occurs. There is something about watching another world come to life on stage without having to worry about whether other people you’re with are enjoying it as much as you are that allows for you to fully invest yourself in the performance. You can be your true, vulnerable self in a moment that requires that of you in order to get the most out of the experience.

Self care is often thought of as a spa night, treating oneself to dinner, or perhaps a night in with a movie and ice cream. Next time you want to have a self care day, I encourage you to consider going to see a live performance alone. I promise, it will be an experience you will never forget in one way or another.