Theater and Writing

I’ve been involved with our local civic theater for about six years.  The theater has contributed the gift of live entertainment to our community for over 43 years.  I’ve had a variety of jobs from props, to running the light board, to running sound affects and being a stagehand.  In the past four years I’ve concentrated on serving as show producer.  I have collaborated with a director that is a friend of mine and we’re currently on our 5th show working together.

Both the director and my wife (mostly my wife) have encouraged me to go on stage.  I have fought off this suggestion for years.  However, fortune dealt me a trick hand when an actor in the current production of Wait Until Dark had to drop out due to illness.   The director asked me to fill and I said yes, to help him out.

It is a very small role at the close of the 2 hour play.  My role is so small that my character doesn’t have a name – just Patrolman #2.  Working with the actors, rehearsing, I’ve learned how the theater is like acting.

First, actors love words – as much as writers.  They love the sound of words and how words along with action and produce emotion and convince an audience to suspend disbelief.  In writing action and words should be interwoven – we call it showing not telling.

Everyone involved in a theater production develops a strong comradery while working on the play.  The degree to which they support each other, make suggestions for improvement and support the crew is incredible.  To be honest, writers, at least in my experience, could learn something from actors in supporting each other.

I invite other authors to post about their theater experience.