The Theatre - Heart Correlation

We all, as theatre artists, have that moment, that memory of a production that forever changed us.

The moment I knew, without a doubt that I wanted do this for the rest of my life came when I was seventeen and on a school trip to Chicago. We had seen a production of "Mary Poppins: The Musical" the night before, and that night we headed to the Lookingglass Theatre for a production of "Our Town." I'd read the play and had fallen in love with the script, but didn't really have any expectations for what a staged production would be like. Most of my friends were excited simply because David Schwimmer was playing George. I can honestly say, however, that the two hours I spent in that theatre forever changed the way I look at theatre. Laura Eason’s portrayal of Emily and the entire production’s seemingly effortless dedication to put the true beauty behind Wilder’s words made me see theatre on a different plane, and realize the thousands of possibilities it has.

For me, it's fitting that "Our Town" is the script that changed everything. So many people say that it is the "most boring piece of theatre in creation" and that the third act is the only part of the show that holds any value. But I have never understood how they find themselves to be correct. The opinion they have is sort of the point. “Our Town” is a perfect depiction of what theatre is supposed to illustrate: life. The first two acts are supposed to be typical, even mundane, in the sense that they are depicting every-day life. The reason Emily’s revelations in act three resonate so strongly with an audience is because they realize, as she does, that the moments in acts one and two that they took for granted are the truly beautiful ones in life.

And it’s not just “Our Town” that can do this. All theatre has potential to show people who they are and what their lives can be, and can change them in ways they didn’t imagine. Shouldn’t that be our goal?

Antonin Artaud writes “The actor is an athlete of the heart.”

We’ve all watched sporting events where we’re screaming our heads of and getting all worked up over the score and the other team’s behavior.

But think of those theatrical performances where you’re sitting in a dark audience watching a character fight for something or someone. Isn’t your heart beating just as fast? Aren’t you wanting to get up and scream “She’s worth it!” “What are you doing?!” “HAMLET! NO! POLONIUS IS BEHIND THE TAPESTRY!!”

The theatre shows us real life, and we root for the best outcome for the characters. We are elated when they win and devastated when they lose. This is what, to me, Artaud means. That these stories, these plays, these characters are depicting what we as human beings fight for in our lives. Our struggles, our victories and our defeats.

This is why theatre means so much to me. I will forever be in wonder of theatre, especially those performances that can, in less than two hours, change you forever.

Don’t we want to be a part of that for someone?

A director I worked with once told me that “We, as performers, are the most powerful people on earth. Because we can make the audience feel whatever we want.”

We can evoke truth and beauty in the life of a person who feels that they are devoid of those things.

We can find the parts of a person’s life that they forgot or lost sight of and make them prevalent.

We can teach and demonstrate and depict truth for people who have been living existences filled with deceit and lies.

We can save the world.

We can find and exhibit true, sought-after love, and make people believe that it does, and always will, exist.

“Our Town” is not the only example of this, but is certainly a perfect one, and one, for me, that will always ring more true than anything. The third act is merely a culmination of everything that Wilder has been saying throughout the play. Constant references are made as to how people aren’t meant to be alone in this world. How love is constant and vital to a happy life. In act two, just before their wedding, Emily and George share this exchange:

Emily: All I want is someone to love me.

George: Emily, I’ll try.

Emily: And I mean forever, do you hear? Forever and ever.

And that last picture of George falling at her grave is more than just a portrait of new grief, it is proof that he did and will always love her.

Forever and ever.

Isn’t that what we all want, in the end?