Tell Us Your Theater Wishes
Posted by Martha Lavey on 7/07/2009
Michael Van Ness wrote a post recently talking about what it feels like to enter a new environment - in his case, the Steppenwolf administrative offices - and the inhibitions that might obtain. He likened the experience to the obstacles that might keep potential audience members from feeling comfortable going to the theater. Many of you responded with terrific ideas about how theaters might make themselves more inviting, particularly to folks who are unfamiliar with theaters. You identified some of the obstacles to theater-going.
What I would like to ask is what motivates you to come to the theater: our theater, or to theater generally. What is it that you seek in coming to theater? What makes you choose live theater? And what theater experiences have you had that really delivered your wish?
July 13th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
there is a quote in American Theatre magazine a few months ago that i feel sums it up best :
“As society becomes more digitized, equal and opposite to that drive is the growing need for authenticity. Live theatre offers just that: authentic artisitic experiences.”
July 15th, 2009 at 10:12 am
As naive, idealistic, and cheesy as it sounds… I go to and work to make theatre in order to change the world.
Theatre forces us to look at ourselves and what we are capable of even when we are afraid to look, even if what we see is not what we care to admit. And it is through brutal honesty and incisive, imaginative artistry that truths about ourselves, exciting, grand, and repulsive truths, are revealed and explored. And it is through this theatre, through a theatre that grabs its audience and says “look what we can do”, a theatre that emotionally and/or intellectually affects, infects, and involves its audience, that the world can be changed. Because if this theatre can affect one person’s being in such a way, then that one world has been changed, even if they don’t realize it. And if it can affect a hundred people’s beings… well you get the idea.
And I don’t see anything wrong with being just a little idealistic.
July 17th, 2009 at 8:45 pm
My husband and I enjoy edgy theatre. We are not from Chicago. My first trip to Steppenwolf was in the ’80s. Gary Cole was playing in a 4 person comedy/drama. I don’t remember the name but the 4 people were sealed in a underground bunker because one of the 4 pushed the panic button sealing them in until the nuclear war was over - there was no nuclear war. It was masterful. We have seen so much theatre is so many cities since. We like theatre which makes us think, that lets us tear is apart and put it back together, that makes us think and talk about the performance to friends for days. No fluffy, cotton candy theatre for us….bring on the edge!
We look forward to seeing UP on our next visit to Chicago in August.
Break a few Legs!
J&J Haas, Raleigh, NC
July 20th, 2009 at 3:24 pm
I wish I may, I wish I might, have another Letts (’s) play Broadway.
Wish come true!
Congratulations Mr. Letts ala Superior Donuts. Here’s to Uptown.
And also love plays with pretty costumes and scenery set in France. Thanks.