Playhouse Creatures is done! It was a fantastic 4 days, and I had so much fun being a part of an amazing collaboration. I'm so proud of the cast, crew, and production team. We received a lot of supportive comments from the faculty and theatre patrons, so it's a job well done if you ask me.
The president of my college attended, and so did most of the theatre faculty and students of the department. It's great to have a nice turnout.
My mom flew in to come watch like the wonderful parent she is and I had a blast performing with her in the audience. The closing night was the best audience we had, mostly because they were theatre people and appreciated more of the jokes in the script. Striking the set wasn't as sad an occasion as it sometimes can be, and I think that's because I feel fulfilled having completed something without ever really completing it at all. I never settled on my character and I didn't stop creating new things to try during the process. I'm proud of that development.
I watched the Academy Awards tonight. The competition was so tough this year. And I didn't have the same satisfaction watching it because there were so many films that I hadn't seen yet. But for the ones I did see, the wins were deserving. And all of the speeches were beautiful.
Anyway, the reason I brought up the Oscars was because I was thinking tonight about the differences between film and stage acting. I've always had an attraction to film, though I haven't done much of it. However, I attend a theatre based school that doesn't allow for many film opportunities. I've often tried to decipher the reason I'm more attracted to film than theatre, and I still haven't figured it out. There is an instant gratification that comes with the stage. That audience feedback that can power a performance and feed an actor. There is the immediacy of the moment, knowing that there won't be a second take to do it better. There is an artistic finesse that can be applied onstage where an actor's entire body can be engaged in an emotion or action, which isn't seen on screen.
These are all elements of theatre that I love. Since I've started earning my degree, I've begun to respect and appreciate the art form of theatre much more. There is so much more training involved in being a stage actor I feel. However, I still feel an unavoidable draw to film. I enjoy the intimacy of the camera, which is impossible onstage in the same sense. And I enjoy the degree of realism that can't usually be found in theatre, the intricacies of human life. I feel like somewhere I might have picked up the idea that the more natural you are, the more talented you are. Which isn't true at all. There are times for being natural, and then there are other forms of art.
It's safe to say I'm still unsure of my attraction to film. But I can say that, tonight, during the Oscars, when those dancers came onstage to perform the nominated songs and they danced their hearts out and then finished--and every one of those movie stars applauded their appreciation, I loved theatre that much more. Still, one day, I hope to have the opportunity to do film. Maybe it's because I always felt like I was meant to affect somebody. Or do something great in this world. And with film, an actor can affect so many more people, and your performance is never lost. Your moment--your acting--your craft is never lost. Then again...it doesn't grow the same way that it can onstage over a long run. I digress.
I have a lot of work to get busy on for this upcoming week. Maybe one of these days I won't even be sick anymore. That would be a pleasant improvement.
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