I don’t necessarily think that
theatre is becoming so diluted that it melts into other mediums of art. I think
that theatre can incorporate all of these aspects without losing its artistic
presence. For instance, I’ve seen
countless bootlegs and live on Broadway videos of some of my favorite
shows. It will never be the same
though. I would much rather go see Memphis
live than watch the recording on Netflix. However, I do feel as though I have
to resort to watching film and bootlegs of theatre because I don’t have instant
access to these shows. I would’ve killed to go see Heathers when it was off Broadway, but it closed before I had the
opportunity to go to New York. Despite all of this, I do have more of a
gratification of seeing a show live. I remember going to shows Theatre Baton
Rouge (Back when it was BRLT) and sitting in the front row and getting pointed
at by an actor or having eye contact with them while they share these emotions
with me was spectacular. I felt so present in that moment and nothing, especially
technology, could take away that personal moment.
A lot of violent things have
happened in the Louisiana State Capitol’s senate chamber. Every year when I was
little, I would go with my mom after session had ended and we would sort the
bills numerically for a few hours every day for a week. I remember her taking me around the
capitol and she showed me a painting in the back hallway of Huey Long’s
assassination. It terrified me because, as a 7 year old kid, that I would get
shot if I went into the senate chamber.
Then there is the pencil. For those of you who don’t know, there is a
pencil stuck in the ceiling of the Senate Chamber from a bombing in 1970. I’ve
gone back, since, when I worked as a page and thought about all of the violence
that has happened there and I imagined what happened. Who was there? What were the
reactions? Would it happen again?
I completely agree with you that even a video of a live performance doesn’t stand a chance compared to there to witness and be a part of a live performance. Other variations of art, specifically film that rising more and more each day tend to be compared to theatre in a way that highlights what theatre doesn’t have in comparison, rather than what it does have that film could never offer. Theatre is live and film can’t be and no matter how close you feel to the characters in a film or how much the film moved you, there is nothing like the human connection that occurs in a live performance. Often in a live performance, similar neurons in the performers brain are firing simultaneously with the audience members and that to me is magical and you can feel the connection. This doesn’t and can’t happen with film, so I don’t see how theatre can possibly be diluted when theatre offers the very intimacy that humans tend to crave. Theatre has the potential to create a shared experience between two human beings that don’t even know each other for a tiny moment that can have a long-term impact on both parties because of that connection.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your opinions and like the differences that I didn't realize about these thoughts. I love the personal touches like going to see Heather live is definitely an interesting perspective. Technology has definitely made a challenge to our theatre and even the film side. I feel bad for what may happen with the progression of this technology.
ReplyDeleteI agree with both you and Yvette, but I also want to ask you both if you think the development of technology opens up a range of subject matter for us to present on stage in a stylized way that we would otherwise have to avoid. If there are no apologies made about the fact that it is less based in realism, is it possible for technology to enhance our chances to make an impact?
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ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you Sara and I think Yvette makes a great point. I, like Sara, have watched countless bootlegged productions of broadway shows only to find myself mostly uninterested and disconnected by the material. I would attribute this to the disconnect that technology creates. It creates a disconnect from the world which you are watching. Technology establishes a different type of connection and one that is different from a genuine person to person connection. I do think that technology can enhance a persons chances at making an impact but I think the strongest connection is made in the flesh. Once that connection is established technology can be useful and furthering that bong and relationship. I believe there is no better way to experience the arts then when you can experience in person. You feel all the emotions that you should feel and you really get a true essence of what impact the works are trying to establish.
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