Playbill.com: Is there anyone more insignificant — or more vital — than a theatre person in a time of national tragedy? A decade after the Sept. 11 terror attacks on New York City, Playbill.com's Robert Simonson talks to industry people and reflects on who we were when America changed forever.
Sunday, September 11, 2011
A 9/11 Reflection: When the Curtain Came Down on the American Heart
Playbill.com: Is there anyone more insignificant — or more vital — than a theatre person in a time of national tragedy? A decade after the Sept. 11 terror attacks on New York City, Playbill.com's Robert Simonson talks to industry people and reflects on who we were when America changed forever.
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10 comments:
Its amazing how people a community that can be as competitive as theater can come together during a tragedy and put money on the back burner. I think its extremely important to have some form of normalcy in times of tragedy. It helps distract from the reality of a terrible event and make life seem normal, even if its for a moment and sometimes that moment is enough to get you through the day.
I cannot believe that the events that unfolded on such a tragic day happened a total of ten years ago, I think most everyone, especially those in New York, will never forget where they were, and what they were doing at that very moment when the planes hit. Being from Staten Island, just a ferry ride away from Manhattan, I know that my parents and most everyone, especially commuters were panic stricken when learning the surreal news that the towers had collapsed. Although I won't forget the confusion of that day, I will also never forget the pulling together of most every community afterwords, especially the city, and everything that made New York New York. I always thought that our Mayor did a tremendous job in encouraging New York's recovery, not just in first responders, but yes, in the aftermath of pulling up people's spirits. In times of such high anxiety, it is so important to be a little light hearted when you, for just a little while, have a chance to do so. The pulling together of those Broadway shows is just an example of how much of an affect the arts can have on lifting spirits, mending wounds, or distracting us for just enough time so the wounds we experience in such a tragedy won't be so very unbearable. I am grateful for Broadway, entertainers, and even everyday people who responded to such a tragedy by moving forward as best they can, to help others get through the most difficult challenges by simply being there to sing a song, dance a dance, and just be there to lend others some love and light.
Being from NY, less than half an hour from the Twin Towers, 9/11 was a defining moment. It not only changed the way people thought about my city, it fundamentally changed the way NYC thought about itself. I think that what is special about the NY theatre world is that while it can be seen as frivolous and nonessential in such a time of crisis, it in fact can have a definitive and influential role. Yes, Broadway is a commercial business, but the fact that the NY theatre community could come together so fully to support the city and its residents demonstrates how important theatre can be. Yes, it can be a distraction when you need it, but it can also be a symbol of life continuing. 9/11, while devastating and horrific, did not destroy NYC, and Broadway was able to be a concrete demonstration of the resiliency of NY.
It is great that the people of the New York theater community came together in such a way to get theater back up quickly after the 9/11 attacks. And to hear that Mayor Giuliani wanted it back up so quickly after the attacks speaks volumes. I think there are times such as 9/11 where theater doesn't seem to have an important role in events around the world, and as the author was describing, how we can feel trivial. It's important to note that theater can provide something for people in times of crisis, whether it be a sense of normalcy, or an escape for people. Theater is part of the fabric of our lives, especially on Broadway in New York, and this article makes that apparent.
After 9/11, I think that a lot of us New Yorkers really needed a distraction. It's hard to admit that when you are so stunned. Broadway reopening just two days after 9/11 was an important step for New York moving on from the disaster. It doesn't surprise me that the Broadway community came together so much after 9/11, because I remember a lot of New Yorkers coming together in a way that you wouldn't necessarily expect New Yorkers to. Mayor Guiliani did everything he could after 9/11 to get New York back on its feet, and he did an amazing job. New York is a city that cannot run on fear.
I think that after 9/11 New Yorkers were scared to laugh and think about anything other than what had just happened. But, the truth is that what we needed was a laugh and something to get our minds off of what had just happened. There are signs all over reminding us to "never forget", but it is ok and healthy to forget every once in a while.
I want to start off by saying that this article was incredibly well-written. The story told was that much more poignant because of the elegance and care with which it was written. The best plays are those that are written with this same care. Anyways, I didn't know about the events described in this article before reading about them. I am so impressed, but not at all surprised, that the Broadway community came together to help their city and their nation. I wish that it could always be so united, and that it never mattered which show people went to. I think it's important to note that people don't just look to the nation's political leader in times of need, but also that people will look to entertainers and anyone that can provide some relief. This article speaks to how much impact theatre can really have. Though live entertainment may certainly seem trivial at times, it really can help people through.
Us theater people tend to have an inflated sense of our importance in the world. As much as we want it to, theater cannot change the world. However, this article takes an interesting look at the theater industry in NYC as a industry and cultural icon rather than a artistic endeavor. As the article states, the theater industry is such a vital part of the Manhattan economy that it did play an important role in the revitalization of the area. After the fact, the theaters on broadway played an important role in getting people on the same page. So, while it does have an important role in our society, theater is not the game changer.
Me Me Me I I I . frankly i dont think we should feel artists as a community are that important in the greater scheme of the immediate action, but are more the responsible ones to help the nation cope after a loss as big as this it is very important that we think of others and not of ourselves in this conversation. we are not important in this grand scheme of things and it is very important to keep that in mind in a modern world of highly inflated egos.
I didn't realize how much the New York theatre community came together after the 9/11 attacks. Returning as quickly as possible to normalcy is in some ways the greatest resistance we have to terrorists. A goal of terrorism is to use violence and shock to impact a society and command its respect. By re-opening theatres and other hallmarks of a successful society, we show that acts of extreme violence do not warrant recognition and respect.
The first thing that Robert Simonson proposes we consider: "Is there anyone more insignificant — or more vital — than a theatre person in a time of national tragedy?"
I think that although we may not be the most helpful in times of a national crisis, we provide immense support and reflection for the national public. We respond to these disasters in passionate and innate manners. The way in which we respond helps the public deal with tragedies such as September 11, because we have begun the examination and discussion of such events.
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