BWW Blog: The Epilogue - What Comes Next?

This year, I have learned a lot and met a lot of new people. I've connected with friends and family more. In a good number of ways, this year has been nice. For theatre artists in particular though, this year has been hard. Things have shifted and changed in ways no one could have ever predicted. It seems as though most people have been able to somewhat get back to a sense of normalcy again. However, for us it has been a bit challenging to revert back to those warm spaces once again after having the cold seep through, freezing all our previous knowledge.

A few months ago, I had very different views on what the next year would bring. I was quite honestly the most pessimistic person out there. That is probably a bit dramatic, but I really did not see how anything could get any better. I saw the grey clouds hovering and ran to sleep underneath them.

After emerging into what feels like a new brain, I feel a lot better about what the future holds.

One of the beautiful things that has come out of this moment in time, and what I hope will continue to blossom as time goes on, is the adaptability and creativity. I think a lot of this year in regards to theatre has been to try to emulate live theatre, and make the uncomfortable seem comfortable, to make things normal even when they aren't. I think that was one of the first mistakes. While I understand the sentiment, we shouldn't be trying to force this feeling. Instead, we need to now work towards how to adapt once more to something new. How do we create new art in this world we are in now instead of living in the past?

That is what I am excited about the most. Yes, not having live theatre isn't ideal right now for so many reasons. We cannot keep trying to replicate. We need to create. And create. And create.

In history, some of the greatest works have come out of despair. Now is the time to focus on our stories, and how we tell them. This is our moment for great work to arise. Now is the time to adapt and be moldable.

This is what comes next. New thinking, new appreciation, new theatre.

Our world doesn't seem to be going back to normal anytime soon. Slowly, but surely things are fitting into place again. The puzzle pieces are finding their connecting mate. But, we cannot wait for it to be 100%. We have to start now.

2021 is the epilogue, it is our choice on how we go forward. I have hope things will be better, in fact I know they will be. Even in the midst of darkness, there is light. Go and find it. Theatre is light, and together we will illuminate the world once more.

Here's to the epilogue! This is what we do next. Onwards to 2021 -- let's do it.

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