The Joy of the Theater

As you hand off your ticket you see the sign reading, "No Food or Drink Allowed in Theater" and you think, "We're not in the movies anymore Toto."   You pass through the glass double doors and see and hear the rows of people.  Some people are hugging, others blowing kisses.  You laugh at the children trying to read the program upside down.  If you're lucky, you see someone you know, and you walk over to them and tell them how wonderful it is to see them.  You mean it.  It IS wonderful to see them.  You look at your watch (or phone as the case may be) and realize there are only 5 minutes left, so you bid farewell to your friend and go find your seat.  Five minutes later you sit there as the lights go dim.  The music swells, the curtains open, and the show has begun.

Having a husband who works in the theater means we go to the live-action theater much more than we go to the movies.  Yet, somehow, I always forget the magic of seeing a show.  Sure, movies are a great escape, but there's something to be said for dressing up for a night on the town and sitting in a 100 year old theater and watching live people act out shows that numerous other actors have done in numerous other ways. 

You can watch a movie a hundred times and see the exact same thing every single time.  A live-action show, however, changes with every single performance.  Sometimes an actor just says something slightly differently, other times there's a "mistake."  It doesn't really matter, the material stays fresh no matter how many different times it's performed.  If you're lucky enough to know someone working on the show you'll be told where each of the differences are.  If not, you'll just have to think, "Wow!  That was different from the last time I saw it."  Either way you'll enjoy the night out.


For those of you who go to the theater on a regular basis, Yay!  For those of you who don't, I highly encourage you to get involved.  Find a local, community theater.  Shell out the money for a big show.  Actually audition and perform in one.  It's up to you.  You can go to an opera, a ballet, a musical or a plain ole' play.  Just, please, try to see something other than a movie for once.  Oh, and for those of you in the Richmond area,  I highly recommend A Christmas Carol at Theatre IV or Putnam County Spelling Bee  at Barksdale Theatre.  Both are wonderful shows.

Enjoy your night out!