my theatre :)

I used to be one of those people who thought that musicals and musical theatre were lame or for sissies.  Until I came to ASA and realized that musical theatre was one of my favorite things on this earth.  Realized that things like Cats and The Lion King that I had been watching since I was little were musicals.  I wish more people outside of our little ASA world understood that theatre and musical theatre really can be “cool” as opposed to “sissy” or “lame” or “gay”.  Which COMPLETELY offends me, by the way.  I absolutely hate it when people use the word gay to describe anything other than homosexuality.  Anyway, back on topic.  I love musical theatre and just theatre in general.

            Theatre impacts my life in many ways.  I spend a LOT of my time at the theatre and I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I’ve said the words “I can’t.  I have rehearsal.”  But even though it’s a total time-suck, I love theatre and the people that surround it.  Whether they be diva-lead-roles or all-black-wearing-tech crew.  I love how easy it is to express yourself when you’re around theatre people, and how supportive people are of your ideas, whatever they may be.  So many people involved in theatre are not only actors, but singers, writers, dancers, directors, techies, costume designers, etc., etc.  This opens up many, many opportunities for you to express yourself in whatever way suits you. 

            Theatre always makes me happy, no matter what’s going on in my life at the time.  I always have friends there and there are always people to support me.  Theatre is such a loving, accepting community and I am eternally glad to be a part of it.  It’s always making me not only a better actor or singer, but a more outgoing, more inviting, more accepting person.

            One aspect of theatre I particularly like is masks.  I love how they can transform a character from happy, to sad, to angry, to embarrassed, simply with a change in facial expression that doesn’t even come straight from the actor.  The expression is put onto their face and it is up to the actor to work with it and act through it.  Masks, however, can also be related to real life.  There are different “masks” for each different persona a person has throughout their life.  There’s a different “mask” for how you act with your school friends, around your teachers, around your theatre friends, around strangers, family, etc.  I love how putting on a different “mask” can change your entire mood, or even aspects of your personality. 

 

/abruptending

Emmi Hoyos