7-21-12 Outdoor Theatre

For the last 400+ years, theatre practicioners have been doing everything they can to control distractions during a show... theatre moved from being a mostly outdoor event to a mostly indoor event, the light on the audience was darkened, soundproof materials were used.

So when you go back to an outdoor space... in the middle of a city... that is holding a major expo... on a Friday night...  it is always interesting.

I've done a lot of outdoor theatre.  When you do it around July 4th, you deal with fireworks.  One time, out at Utah, there were wildfires 15-20 miles away from the theatre.  When the wind shifted, we started to get "snowed" on during the final scene... it was ash blowing in from the fire.  Last night... it was helicoptors.  Goodness... helicoptor after helicoptor.  The best one of the bunch was the police helicoptor that decided to shine it's spotlight across the stage and audience.

Love it.

The thing is though... we, the theatre practicioners, know what the show COULD be.  It could be this and it could be that and if we had the perfect environment (perhaps the IRT stage) then it would be this and that and blah blah blah.  But.. that isn't what the show IS.  And part of the show IS the experiences and the beauty and the challenges of being outside.  Part of the show is that you can bring your dog and that you can watch the sunset during the first hour of the show and you can drink a bottle of wine while you watch and get up and smoke a cigarette or go to the bathroom.  Part of the show is that that little kids can get inspired by the show and have their parents tie "capes" around their necks so they can be the characters on stage and sword fight during the show.  (That actually happened.)

Part of the show is that people who have never seen shakespeare or have never seen a play can do so for free... in an environment that is familiar... and feel like they belong... and hopefully get excited to see more theatre.

So yes... there were helicoptors.  Yes, because we didn't have a "Tech Rehearsal" on Thursday, we had a few little mic problems.  But to hear a family say, "we've never been to a play before... that was really great..."   well....  to me that's it man.  That's it.  That's why we do it. 

Was last night perfect?  Nope... hell... theatre probably is never perfect.  Was last night perfect enough?  I don't know about everyone, but for one family it was.  And that is awesome.

Tonight we'll be even perfecter.