EYEFORGOT
06-21-05, 01:37 PM
So I'm finally going to school to major in Theater Arts Education. I've always loved theater and gave it up for ten years in a fit of insanity.
I am banging my head against a wall now. In New England there's a community theater in every town. I love community theater. I'm the type that says "I've got an old dress! I've got a barn! let's put on a show!"
Well not in my town! For crying out loud! The local community theater group is so small they don't even call me back and they perform two hours away because that's the only place they can find. The other two are at least an hour drive from me...and get this...even though they are non-profit "community theaters" they put on professional shows with paid actors. THAT'S NOT COMMUNITY THEATER!
The one that started up just down the street from me had an amazingly talented woman with a good business ethic in charge. She wanted it to be huge immediately. She wanted four shows a year even though we didn't have enough people to build a proper set. (Our first show had exactly two people building it, herself and her husband.) She wanted the membership board to be made up of 9 people and directors trained by being in the group for a year before aquiring the position. She didn't have enough volunteers for a board of 4 or 5 people let alone 9. No matter how hard I tried to tell her that you start small and grow big...because community theaters really can get that big, huge in fact...you have to start with what you have. She wanted a production company, not a community theater. her knowledge was seemingly infinite, being realistic was unheard of.
I've tried contacting a children's theater (which is really more like a family theater) and they've blown me off as well. I am so frustrated. In this town only getting paid counts. I'm totally out of practice, I have no outlet to regain my skill set and the first two years (four, I'm going part time) of college will be spent on the basics of academia.
I would love to start my own group but I can't imagine having enough interest or a place to do it. I guess I'll have to try. Shoot for a "summer stock" kind of thing.
Once you're in it never leave it, because you can forget getting back into it. I am completely ignored or the doors are slammed in my face. I have been trying for over two years now trying to get back involved. The closest I have come is an acting workshop and a mini-talent show for my home school co-op group. The turn-out and committment to time was sorely, sorely lacking. If the load isn't shared than anyone with kids won't be involved because their schedule revolves around paid activities and classes. Where do people get the money? What happened to just learning something hands-on?
Thanks for letting me vent. Any thespians out there? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?
I am banging my head against a wall now. In New England there's a community theater in every town. I love community theater. I'm the type that says "I've got an old dress! I've got a barn! let's put on a show!"
Well not in my town! For crying out loud! The local community theater group is so small they don't even call me back and they perform two hours away because that's the only place they can find. The other two are at least an hour drive from me...and get this...even though they are non-profit "community theaters" they put on professional shows with paid actors. THAT'S NOT COMMUNITY THEATER!
The one that started up just down the street from me had an amazingly talented woman with a good business ethic in charge. She wanted it to be huge immediately. She wanted four shows a year even though we didn't have enough people to build a proper set. (Our first show had exactly two people building it, herself and her husband.) She wanted the membership board to be made up of 9 people and directors trained by being in the group for a year before aquiring the position. She didn't have enough volunteers for a board of 4 or 5 people let alone 9. No matter how hard I tried to tell her that you start small and grow big...because community theaters really can get that big, huge in fact...you have to start with what you have. She wanted a production company, not a community theater. her knowledge was seemingly infinite, being realistic was unheard of.
I've tried contacting a children's theater (which is really more like a family theater) and they've blown me off as well. I am so frustrated. In this town only getting paid counts. I'm totally out of practice, I have no outlet to regain my skill set and the first two years (four, I'm going part time) of college will be spent on the basics of academia.
I would love to start my own group but I can't imagine having enough interest or a place to do it. I guess I'll have to try. Shoot for a "summer stock" kind of thing.
Once you're in it never leave it, because you can forget getting back into it. I am completely ignored or the doors are slammed in my face. I have been trying for over two years now trying to get back involved. The closest I have come is an acting workshop and a mini-talent show for my home school co-op group. The turn-out and committment to time was sorely, sorely lacking. If the load isn't shared than anyone with kids won't be involved because their schedule revolves around paid activities and classes. Where do people get the money? What happened to just learning something hands-on?
Thanks for letting me vent. Any thespians out there? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?