[NEOPAL]Fear of possible dissolving of theatre in the U.S.

[Andrew Rothman]

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A good topic Ken... it is a troubling trend, although probably not a new 
one.

Sure, there is a lot more competition for the theatrical dollar than 
ever before, with TV, movies, video games, etc... that's why we see so 
much schlock and spectacle and so little substance coming from 
mainstream sources of theater.  Not only that, but there is more 
competition for the actors themselves... the average person's life runs 
at a much higher volume these days, with a lot more distraction and 
other obligations that perhaps in the past.  Many good community 
theaters will fall under the weight of this kind of competition.

However, I might venture to say it's the fault of the theater not the 
audience. I think it's the duty of the theaters and those who love them 
to grow with the audience and grow towards a new audience as well.  The 
crowd may be 65% seniors because the younger audience doesn't see 
community theater as something to be involved in... the theater is 
attracting the same crowd it drew 20 years ago because it hasn't made 
enough effort to draw in a younger group.  It's a perception issue 
really... there's an impression that community theater is somehow 'less 
good' than 'real' theater, or worse, they don't even know it exists.  If 
you ask the average 25 year old where the nearest community theater is, 
I bet you 50% or more couldn't tell you if there is one anywhere at 
all.  Heck, I do theater all the time and the people who /know/ me 
haven't heard of the places I perform.

I think if community theater wants to stay around, attract audiences, 
get more guys in, etc. the important thing is to tighten up, take some 
chances, go for a new audience base, and try to change the way they are 
seen in the public eye.  If the public continues to see community 
theater as something for senior citizens and women alone, yeah, the 
future is pretty grim.  If theaters reach out a bit more to the 
community by playing less safe and more forward-thinking, it might work 
out better in the end.

Just my own 2¢ of course...

Andrew


Ken Milota wrote:
> I am an active performing in community theatre in this area and I 
> don't know if this is just me or if somone else has been seeing signs 
> of this also.
>  
> I have noticed ever since I started performing 5 1/2 years ago, each 
> year there seems to be less people interested in theatre around here.  
> With all the new forms of entertainment that exist today, it seems as 
> theatre has been pushed aside, and is made to be a game people play 
> when they can't think of anything else to do.
>  
> Throughout the performances I have been in, I have noticed that well 
> over 65% of the audience are senior citizens, and I believe that they 
> are enjoying the kind of entertainment they had when they were young, 
> and it is rare you see teenager attending musicals unless they have a 
> friend appearing in one.
>  
> I have also noticed the disappearing of men in shows.  The past 3 
> shows that I have been in we had to go out of our way and ask men to 
> perform, and even get some to do it when they didn't really even want 
> to, and some who couldn't sing and just mimed it.
>  
> I am wondering how much further this pattern will go, and will musical 
> theatre still be around once the elderly that attend musicals and 
> plays today around around many years from now, who will be viewing the 
> shows?  Who will be performing in the shows?
>  
> As technology increases, theatre seems to dissolve.  It seems as if 
> people have too much now days to entertain themselves that they see no 
> need or desire to see a live show.
>  
> I hope this is just me and somone else has a more positive opinion on 
> the future of live theatre.  I would like to hear your theory because 
> I hate mine.
>  
> Thanks,
>  
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Ken Milota
> Coldwell Banker Hunter Realty
> KM Videos
> 440-781-1401
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> How low will we go? Check out Yahoo! Messenger's low PC-to-Phone call 
> rates. 
> <http://us.rd.yahoo.com/mail_us/taglines/postman8/*http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=39663/*http://voice.yahoo.com>

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A good topic Ken... it is a troubling trend, although probably not a
new one.<br>
<br>
Sure, there is a lot more competition for the theatrical dollar than
ever before, with TV, movies, video games, etc... that's why we see so
much schlock and spectacle and so little substance coming from
mainstream sources of theater.  Not only that, but there is more
competition for the actors themselves... the average person's life runs
at a much higher volume these days, with a lot more distraction and
other obligations that perhaps in the past.  Many good community
theaters will fall under the weight of this kind of competition.<br>
<br>
However, I might venture to say it's the fault of the theater not the
audience. I think it's the duty of the theaters and those who love them
to grow with the audience and grow towards a new audience as well.  The
crowd may be 65% seniors because the younger audience doesn't see
community theater as something to be involved in... the theater is
attracting the same crowd it drew 20 years ago because it hasn't made
enough effort to draw in a younger group.  It's a perception issue
really... there's an impression that community theater is somehow 'less
good' than 'real' theater, or worse, they don't even know it exists. 
If you ask the average 25 year old where the nearest community theater
is, I bet you 50% or more couldn't tell you if there is one anywhere at
all.  Heck, I do theater all the time and the people who <i>know</i>
me haven't heard of the places I perform.<br>
<br>
I think if community theater wants to stay around, attract audiences,
get more guys in, etc. the important thing is to tighten up, take some
chances, go for a new audience base, and try to change the way they are
seen in the public eye.  If the public continues to see community
theater as something for senior citizens and women alone, yeah, the
future is pretty grim.  If theaters reach out a bit more to the
community by playing less safe and more forward-thinking, it might work
out better in the end.<br>
<br>
Just my own 2¢ of course...<br>
<br>
Andrew<br>
<br>
<br>
Ken Milota wrote:
<blockquote cite="mid20060406185423.93172.qmail at web52002.mail.yahoo.com"
 type="cite">
  <div>I am an active performing in community theatre in this area and
I don't know if this is just me or if somone else has been seeing signs
of this also.</div>
  <div> </div>
  <div>I have noticed ever since I started performing 5 1/2 years ago,
each year there seems to be less people interested in theatre around
here.  With all the new forms of entertainment that exist today, it
seems as theatre has been pushed aside, and is made to be a game people
play when they can't think of anything else to do.</div>
  <div> </div>
  <div>Throughout the performances I have been in, I have noticed that
well over 65% of the audience are senior citizens, and I believe that
they are enjoying the kind of entertainment they had when they were
young, and it is rare you see teenager attending musicals unless they
have a friend appearing in one.</div>
  <div> </div>
  <div>I have also noticed the disappearing of men in shows.  The past
3 shows that I have been in we had to go out of our way and ask men to
perform, and even get some to do it when they didn't really even want
to, and some who couldn't sing and just mimed it.</div>
  <div> </div>
  <div>I am wondering how much further this pattern will go, and will
musical theatre still be around once the elderly that attend musicals
and plays today around around many years from now, who will be viewing
the shows?  Who will be performing in the shows?</div>
  <div> </div>
  <div>As technology increases, theatre seems to dissolve.  It seems as
if people have too much now days to entertain themselves that they see
no need or desire to see a live show.</div>
  <div> </div>
  <div>I hope this is just me and somone else has a more positive
opinion on the future of live theatre.  I would like to hear your
theory because I hate mine.</div>
  <div> </div>
  <div>Thanks,</div>
  <div> </div>
  <div>-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</div>
  <div>Ken Milota</div>
  <div>Coldwell Banker Hunter Realty</div>
  <div>KM Videos</div>
  <div>440-781-1401</div>
  <p> </p>
  <hr size="1">How low will we go? Check out Yahoo! Messenger’s low <a
 href="http://us.rd.yahoo.com/mail_us/taglines/postman8/*http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=39663/*http://voice.yahoo.com">
PC-to-Phone call rates.
  </a></blockquote>
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