“My name is Saba Bekele. I'm an
English and Media Studies major, and this course is my first introduction into
theatre.” I've uttered those words multiple times throughout this program, from
the first day of class when we had to introduce ourselves till the last day when meeting new people. Prior to this summer
my theatre resume included attending a few musicals, an Introduction to Theatre
course (which I took about three years ago), and an elementary school
production of The Wizard of Oz (where
I played Toto). I am not an artist, I'm rarely an audience member, and I've
never truly appreciated this art form...until now.
I
didn't have a sudden epiphany in the middle of a performance, there was no
singular moment that transformed me, and I don't want to major in theatre.
However, my newfound knowledge of what it takes to put on a production has more
then earned my respect for those who chose to do so. I guess it all began with The
Tower, a play that explores the friendship and bitter falling out between
James Joyce and Oliver St John Gogarty. It was the first play we viewed
in Dublin and there was a major wrinkle in the production. The actor who was
suppose to play the role of Joyce was a no show, and the man who replaced him
had never read through the entire script before he was called upon to perform
it (an hour prior to the show I might add). He stepped out onto the stage,
script in hand, and I sat there filled with dread and doubt. How was I suppose
to suspend disbelief when I could hear the rustling of paper every time he
turned a page? How was I suppose to believe he was James Joyce if he needed to
read lines that he supposedly uttered? I refused to, I was determined not to,
my mind was made up or so I had thought. The actor who accepted the role in the
25th hour, to my surprise and benefit, rose to the challenge with
such ease and grace. There weren't moments punctuated with silence because he
lost his place (at least none that I noticed) or portions that were simply read
out loud rather than acted. Was he perfect? No, but he was damn near close.
Lines were jumbled, but I do that everyday with my own words. He was a true
professional in every sense of the term, and the fact that he took the time to
study his craft and honed his skills was evident in his work. The entire play
could have been a complete disaster, but due to a lifetime of dedication and
desire for theatre the “major wrinkle” in the production was thoroughly ironed
out.
How
do you get there though? To a place where you're so well acquainted with your
profession that you're able to rise to the occasion (if the occasion ever
arrives). I pondered this question for most of my time in Dublin simply because
it baffled me. Each production is unique, it will never be the same role or
play or stage that poses the problem. Even if a production has a lengthy run
where a performer repeatedly portrays the same character any number of
incidents may arise, from wardrobe malfunctions to technical difficulties. Not
to mention, the ever changing audience, which can alter a performance each
night of its production. For instance, What the Folk! was heavily
dependent on audience response and interaction, and since this was the case
those involved had to not only be able to portray a role, but also divert from
it in order to maintain the performance. It also incorporated text,
music, and dance to assist with their objective, which was to deliver a
production that would be able to answer the question, “what is folk?” In a way,
they purposely set the stage for a performance that thrived on obstacles and
that required them to employ their trained expertise in their craft.
Brokentalkers,
a
Dublin based theatre company that devises, directs and produces original and
accessible
live performance, had a similar process that they enlisted prior to production.
Just last week we had a 7 hour long workshop that basically broke down the
process of constructing productions. In its infancy this entails a mixture of
improv, raw ideas, and action. At the end of the workshop, we basically had to
incorporate what we learned during the day (text, music, and movement) with our
own experiences concerning displacement. There were many conflicts that arose,
from an abundance of ideas to lack of time to insufficient organization. I am
sure there is still much more to learn, but what I realized is there always
will be when it comes to theatre because theatre is about creating, building,
pushing, and expanding. So everyday you must create, build, push, and expand
yourself. You must commit, whether this entails setting up the lights (rather
than being in the spot light) in order to remain within close proximity of
theatre as a whole, or establishing your own theatre company so that your able
to produce the works you believe address the aspects that are important to you. There must be
a need, a hunger that drives you to constantly want to better yourself and your
work.
I
think we can all agree that theatre is an art. It requires talent, hard-work,
and passion by those who chose to pursue a profession within it, but theatre is
also a business. During our first week of class we read a serious of articles
that summarized how Irish theatre came to be. These articles also outlined many
of the obstacles faced by Yeats, Lady Gregory, and other individuals who
attempted to establish a national theatre within Ireland. One of the main
hurdles, then and now, is money. How to get, who to get it from, what to use it
for, and the constant lack there of. In Our Irish Theatre by Lady
Gregory, she points out the financial burdens that fell upon their attempts
when they first began this endeavor. From the venue to the actors, their were a
multitude of budget restrictions, as well as a need to earn revenue from their
production. This particular aspect has not changed in recent years, there is
still a lack of funds and a desire to profit from ones work. When THEATREclub
spoke to the class they also touched upon their financial struggles and
expectations. For example, their theatre company functions so well because they
essentially have members that are able to perform multiple tasks, which limits
the amount of money needed to hire outside sources. They write their own material,
perform it themselves, as well as advertise and market it. When they were
awarded a grant that was suppose to be utilized to fund a single production,
they devised a budget that covered the cost three instead.
The
conclusion that I've come to about theatre is its hard. Really hard. The amount
of time and effort it takes to create something of worth, that is laced with
value and meaning, as well as engages the audience takes time, dedication, and
talent. In the course of this class this has become more and more evident, and
because of this I have newfound respect for theatre as a whole.
Our class after their final monologue showing with special guests Luther Hanson,
Bern Deegan, and Charlotte seeing us act for the first time!
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