Guest Blog: The Importance of Community Theatre to an Aspiring Performer

The Importance Of Community Theatre To An Aspiring Performer; How the importance of a local theatre community is perceived by its youngest, and most hopeful members.

Community theatre is one of the greatest things to have ever come into the theatre industry. It is not just a place where people working 9-5 jobs can fulfill their joy of a live performance after not having succeeded as a professional actor. It is not just a place to cure the boredom of someone who saw "The Sound Of Music" once and thought they might "give it a try". What it really is is in its name alone; A community.

I myself started performing in community theatre at a very young age and my entire world was turned upside down. It was an accessible theatre outlet for a child who wants to get into the business, but wasn't already in the business since birth.I was not the quiet kid growing up, and had loved theatre since I listened to my mom's collection of cast recordings, but the minute I actually started to do it for myself I knew that this place, this small little branch on the tree that is the world of theatre could possibly help get me where i want to go. Right away I felt a sense of togetherness and family I would not feel in any other setting. I saw that people in all careers and stages of their lives can come together 3 nights a week to produce something special. I saw how this is a way that people can keep the thing that they love, and always will love in their lives in a small and important way.

Now I know that community theatre can sometimes have a stigma to it. That It's cliquey, and competitive with nepotism left and right, but more often than not it is not the case. It's a group of people who become your support system for the next 3 months. They're all there to do what you want to do, and you truly become a family together. Come show week, you probably see them more than your actual family. From the moment that overture finishes and the curtain is raised, to the minute the finale is sung by the entire cast for, quite possibly, the last time ever, you all become a part of an experience that will be shared and remembered by all of you for years to come. Yes, all families have their problems, but the reward you will feel from being part of a show, a community show, will equate to a level of happiness that is indescribable.

Now i've given a bit of what community theatre means in a very general manner, but let me explain what it means to someone who wants to pursue theatre as a career path. Now just like any theatre company, professional, or non- professional, you don't automatically get a lead right out of the gate. Often it's a lot of auditioning, and trying again and again, and maybe you might get a role. But what happens the times when you don't get that starring role? You either don't get cast, or you're in the ensemble. The classic line that "there are no small parts, only small actors." as cheesy as it sounds is true. You are still an important member of the cast even though you may not have a lot of stage time If you miss a rehearsal, or god forbid, a show, you are letting down your entire cast because a space will not be filled, a line will not be said, and a dynamic is off. You earn your place in the ensemble. You realize how important it is to be a team player, and a part of something bigger than yourself. You work your way up to bigger roles because if you can prove yourself as a valuable, performer, and most importantly, a performer that is adaptable and delightful to work with, you will be cast in more shows and have more to do because people know that you are capable of it. This business is flooded with talent, but it's those with a good attitude and a constant willingness to learn who will make it the furthest in the end. I'm honestly glad that I wasn't plucked to have a starring role as "newborn baby" on Grey's Anatomy or "quirky sibling" on some random pilot. I learned the importance of cohesiveness and teamwork in the ensemble of shows that is one of the most important values a performer can posses.

In the end, I know that community theatre has a huge, and loveable network of people, some of which have become my best friends. There are so many people who use it as the source for their creativity and just to have that joy of performance in their lives. There are people in it who pursue acting professionally, want to pursue acting professionally, or just want to have a good time on stage. A lot of people do understand the importance of community theatre and through this article, i just wanted to share what it means to someone like me. I'm becoming the person that I want to be all because this theatre community is what I owe it to. To the people who do 6+ shows a year, to those who are completely content with doing 1, thank you so much for creating a place that can be enjoyed by many theatre lovers to come.

See community theatre. Support community theatre. Get involved with community theatre. And most important, love community theatre and the community within it. And trust me, your life will be changed for the better.

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