Imagine, you have a spring football workout. On the field, you have athletes that rank from outstanding college players to possible draft choices in the NFL. They are all broken down into different positions. Each position has a specialty coach.
The playbook for the offense, defense, and special teams is sitting in each players locker along with their uniforms, helmets and protective gear.
The coaches expect the players to be in top physical condition, which entails hours of conditioning. The various teams work on their game simulations. There is the classroom work "putting it up on the board"play description, film review of past performance and player grading.
Then imagine the head coach saying that he is proud of the effort the players and coaches are putting out and he is hopeful they will actually get to play some games next season, but so far nothing has been scheduled.
Top flight athletic programs don't exist that don't have their opponents scheduled for years ahead of time. But regardless of whether your an actor, musician or backstage support person the latter situation is your life.
In the performing arts, there is always the audition. Are you good enough? Do you fit into the group's goals?
You will practice on your own. Depending on the event, you will rehearse. The style of your performance garb may be optional. You bring your own skills and instrument to the gig.
.
There will be somebody that lights the performance. There has to be someone who knows how to setup and adjust the audio. On stage, there is a set list or a script.
And somebody has done something to provide an audience. And for the hundreds of talented people who make their living doing something else, but love to perform, that is what it's all about.
Why am I writing this on my blog? My part-time gig is writing the theater column for Appleton Monthly magazine. Last week I wrote about my passion for live performance theater. That passion extends to all of the performing arts and I want each and every one of you to look at what you may or may not be doing to support local performing arts groups.
There are two things that frighten me when I attend music and theater performances, low attendance and everyone attending has lost their hair or it's gray. Enough said.
The playbook for the offense, defense, and special teams is sitting in each players locker along with their uniforms, helmets and protective gear.
The coaches expect the players to be in top physical condition, which entails hours of conditioning. The various teams work on their game simulations. There is the classroom work "putting it up on the board"play description, film review of past performance and player grading.
Then imagine the head coach saying that he is proud of the effort the players and coaches are putting out and he is hopeful they will actually get to play some games next season, but so far nothing has been scheduled.
Top flight athletic programs don't exist that don't have their opponents scheduled for years ahead of time. But regardless of whether your an actor, musician or backstage support person the latter situation is your life.
In the performing arts, there is always the audition. Are you good enough? Do you fit into the group's goals?
You will practice on your own. Depending on the event, you will rehearse. The style of your performance garb may be optional. You bring your own skills and instrument to the gig.
.
There will be somebody that lights the performance. There has to be someone who knows how to setup and adjust the audio. On stage, there is a set list or a script.
And somebody has done something to provide an audience. And for the hundreds of talented people who make their living doing something else, but love to perform, that is what it's all about.
Why am I writing this on my blog? My part-time gig is writing the theater column for Appleton Monthly magazine. Last week I wrote about my passion for live performance theater. That passion extends to all of the performing arts and I want each and every one of you to look at what you may or may not be doing to support local performing arts groups.
There are two things that frighten me when I attend music and theater performances, low attendance and everyone attending has lost their hair or it's gray. Enough said.
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