My sister is a part of the drama department at her high school; she recently joined stagecraft and she absolutely loves it (she hardly ever talks about anything else). However, over break, she told me an alarming statistic about the drama program at her school: the school district only gives the drama department $75 for the whole school year to fund their five various productions.
Over this past year, I have established a newfound love for theatre and the performing arts. Although I do not act myself nor have ever really done anything within the theatre realm, I have been mistaken for being a theatre major in college multiple times before. Over the past year, I have gained a new appreciation for theatre—all the work that goes into a show, not just with the actors, but with the widespread components of the people who work in booth, set, props, hair and makeup, costumes, and more.
In other words, it is frankly ridiculous that the drama department at my sister’s school only receives $75 a year, not just because of all the hard work, time, and money that goes into putting on productions, but because the arts are so valuable. Even though my love of theatre is new, I have always been an advocate for the arts and I think that there are so many important things about theatre that should be rightfully recognized. Throughout this article, I will list multiple reasons why theatre is important and why you should go see a show!
1. Theatre can expose and bring attention to a myriad of cultures, issues, and ways of life.
One of the things I love most about seeing shows is that it exposes you to important problems and issues. Over the past year, I saw several shows, including Hamilton, but I want to talk about a show I didn’t see: In the Heights. In the Heights is a musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda that follows the story of a Hispanic-American community living in Washington Heights in New York City. The musical explores the financial problems that poorer communities and communities of color experience during the present day, particularly when living in a city environment. This community, in particular, is highly populated with immigrants and first-generation Americans. Based on this, the musical further highlights the issues that immigrants face, whether it be in regards to their race, culture, or financial burdens. This is important because not all people are aware of the problems that immigrants and poorer communities of color face; however, with plays like this one, some light can be shed on the issue and can perhaps promote change and action.
Another play I saw that I believe really brings attention to an important issue is Dear Evan Hansen. Dear Evan Hansen is a musical about a teenage boy named Evan who gets stuck in keeping a big secret that eventually unravels and gets worse, personally affecting him and the relationships around him. Not only is the acting and music in Dear Evan Hansen amazing, but what really resonated with me was the musical’s focus on mental health. Throughout the show, it is quite prominent that Evan has issues with anxiety and depression. As someone who struggles with mental health and who knows many people who struggle with it as well, seeing a character on the big stage deal with the same problems was really important to me. It made me feel less alone, and I am sure that it has had that same effect on many other people as well. As I watched Evan struggle with these issues onstage, I found myself crying in my seat because I could relate to what he was going through. High school can be a difficult time, and the fact that this musical brought that and mental health issues to light can be really significant in encouraging awareness and empathy regarding these problems in today’s society.
Lastly, I want to mention the show Waitress. Waitress is another example of a show that draws attention to societal issues, and in this case, the issue of domestic abuse. Waitress follows the story of three waitresses but particularly hones in on the life of one of the waitresses named Jenna. In the show, Jenna gets pregnant with her husband’s baby but is unfortunately involved in an abusive relationship with her husband. The play unpacks the complicated issues of domestic abuse particularly within a romantic relationship, which is an important problem that many women and men alike can relate to, whether it be on an emotional or even physical scale.
2. It is more personal than going to see a movie.
Theatre is super personalized—not one show is the same. Even though actors practice and rehearse hundreds and hundreds of times, there are still slight variations within each and every performance of the same show. For instance, in the showing of Waitress that my family and I saw last month, one of the actor’s pants ripped! (Was this intended? I think not…)
Casts in theatre also change all the time as actors move on to other projects, so if you see the same show a year later, it is likely that there will be entirely different actors! Having different actors can potentially change your perception or interpretation of the same show, which can be interesting to see and compare.
Lastly, another cool perk of seeing a show as opposed to seeing a movie is that you can sometimes meet the actors! My aunt went to go see Hamilton before it was big on Broadway and she got to meet Lin-Manuel Miranda (BRB while I fangirl). When my sister and my mom went to go see Hadestown, they got to meet and take a selfie with Reeve Carney, who plays Orpheus, and Eva Noblezada, who plays Eurydice!
3. It’s a community.
Hearing my sister talk about theatre all the time has really made me realize how tight-knit the theatre community is and how it can bring a sense of belonging. Although my sister just joined the drama department at her school this year, she has already made so many new friends and has found that sense of community that can sometimes be hard to come by, especially in high school.
When talking to my sister about her theatre department, she called it a “family”—and as cheesy as it sounds, that is really how it is. Everyone is so supportive and encouraging of each other, pushing one another to do their best work. My sister and her drama friends work on set on the weekends all day, which can be very tiresome work—but since they have that community aspect and sense of unity, they are able to get through it and actually enjoy doing it.
4. Theatre makes you feel something.
Just like movies, shows can touch you and make you feel something. For instance, Dear Evan Hansen made me feel something—and although it made me feel sad, it made me feel less alone. Not only that, but there were funny moments within the show, too. I became connected to the characters, to the storyline—I became invested in something bigger than myself, but something that, at the same time, I felt like I was a part of. Theatre makes you feel things because it captures the human experience and human emotions, whether those be emotions and experiences of sadness or happiness or anger or everything in between. There is no screen dividing you and the actors, which makes things more intimate, personalized, and special.
5. Theatre is fun!
I know it sounds cheesy, but theatre really is fun. My family and I love seeing musicals in particular, and so before any musical we see, we will listen to the soundtrack like there is no tomorrow. Before we saw Hamilton, we listened to the soundtrack well in advance, and some of the most fun memories I have with my family is blasting the soundtrack in the car and belting out the lyrics.
However, theatre is not only fun for the audience, but also for the people actually involved in the performances themselves. Actors and those who work in set, lights, costumes, and everything else can have fun performing and working collectively on a show. When I went to go visit my sister at school when she was working on her set, I watched her and her friends goof around and have fun while working on their project.
All in all, the arts—not just theatre—are super important for all of these reasons and more. They are enjoyable, they strengthen a sense of human connection and community, and they spark emotion and can allude to really significant issues and ways of life. I encourage you to go see a show not only for these reasons but to also support such an amazing industry that, in my opinion, doesn’t get enough credit. Theatre, and the arts, should be protected and cherished at all costs—not just at $75.
Note: All photos were taken by me! Check out my VSCO if you’d like to see more!