WIT journal: On Tuesday I began packing my bags, which was unexpected since I had arrived in Houston, TX only a week earlier to begin rehearsals on the World Premiere of Rajiv Joseph’s Describe The Night. Hurricane Harvey had been raging since Saturday and on Tuesday we’d taken advantage of a brief break in the near constant rain to walk down to the Alley Theatre. What greeted us was a heartbreaking sight of waist high floodwater and an alarm sounding from a door that had been breached and from which water was pouring into the theater. We were completely unprepared for what greeted us because only a block away there had been no visible flooding.
3 comments:
“The show must go on” This is a common phrase that practically everyone knows regardless of whether or not they are involved in theatre. The commitment of this theatre really emphasizes this and to me it gives it a new meaning. Before it was always used in context of something going wrong around the opening of a show that related to a solvable issue like someone being late or a piece malfunctioning, etc. However, this theatre and the people in charge were so dedicated that even amongst a tragedy, which was being nationally recognized; still managed to put on a show. They found a new location and a way to rehearse. This is also probably the most vital time for a show to go on as well. Everyone is facing this tragedy but when people step into the art of theatre as audience members, they become surrounded in a new world to which they can forget their problems, relax, and come out refreshed with a better ability to go about things. As performers, they become invested in their roles and creating this world that they too can forget their troubles for the moment and as crew, they can stop worrying about the outside world and focus their attention on this world they are a part in creating. It gives everyone involved a break and in a time, such as this tragedy, everyone needs a release. In the end, it probably even helped them deal with this tragedy and the world as a whole more clearly.
I find the drive that people involved in theatre, whether they are an actor or on the tech crew, so interesting and unfaltering. It is somewhat crazy that, even in the midst of a seriously destructive hurricane, these people’s main goal was to continue the show. While I was reading the article, I found myself thinking, “Oh my goodness, these people need to stop for a second and reevaluate their situation. Calm down about the show and take care of yourselves!” But then I realized, maybe by doing this, they were taking care of themselves. Maybe theatre provided the perfect distraction from this devastating storm. I think it did because of what Sardelli says, that the work was hard, but always invigorating. Theatre does pull people together, and in times like these facing huge problems, we need that.
I find the drive that people involved in theatre, whether they are an actor or on the tech crew, so interesting and unfaltering. It is somewhat crazy that, even in the midst of a seriously destructive hurricane, these people’s main goal was to continue the show. While I was reading the article, I found myself thinking, “Oh my goodness, these people need to stop for a second and reevaluate their situation. Calm down about the show and take care of yourselves!” But then I realized, maybe by doing this, they were taking care of themselves. Maybe theatre provided the perfect distraction from this devastating storm. I think it did because of what Sardelli says, that the work was hard, but always invigorating. Theatre does pull people together, and in times like these facing huge problems, we need that.
Post a Comment