Puts a Tingle in your Fingers and a Tingle in your Feet

I took my brother to a concert on Saturday night, for his (late) Christmas present (and it was the day after his birthday, so it was kind of a present for that too). We're both big fans of The Band, so it made sense that we would go see Levon Helm.



It was pretty great.

I don't see a lot of live music and I've no idea why not. I listen to so many different kinds of music, and I love a good show, but I'm just not plugged in to concerts. So I never go. In some ways, this was my first concert. Since Sharon Lois and Bram.

It's so different than theatre.

First, there are people there. And they're having a good time.

HA!

I don't mean that in a bad way. But it's kind of true. The energy is just so exciting and fun and everyone can wear what they want and react the way that they want. People yell and clap and laugh and argh.

I was with theatre people that day and they were talking about how great it would be if people wanted to see theatre the way they want to see rock stars. If audience members were like, 'Whoa, let's go see this play! I hear it's sold out, but let's just GO and try! And if we can't get in, we can hang out in the lobby where you can drink and have free wifi! And there's a restaurant that opened up next door and it will be fun and we'll see people we know and can maybe meet the actors after!'

That would be coooool.

So I've been thinking a lot about how to turn a theatrical event into an EVENT. Into something electric.

My brother said that part of it is that at a concert, there's not so much pressure. If you don't like one song, maybe you'll like the next one. You're not stuck with the same story forever. Ok. So variety. And yes, I think we can do that in our plays, that there are different flavors. But more than anything, it's the feeling of people wanting to be there. Of the connection with story, that for some reason, is seen as less primal, or less enjoyable as our connection with music. Mostly, I think it's that we can feel lectured at in the theatre. Like we're supposed to learn something, and appreciate it to a high degree. I feel that pressure. Sometimes when I drift off I get mad at myself. I feel I wasn't appreciating the theatre enough.

It's hard that I love the theatre and don't even know how to solve these problems. I guess they're kind of existential things, which I have a propensity towards becoming embroiled in, and I kind of just have to let them go, because there are no answers. But I do think its' worth thinking about, if only in terms of doing a specific project that would create this atmosphere that I'm interested in.

LIKE A PLAY IN A RAVE!