My Visit To Broadway Theatre

My Visit to Broadway Theatre

My wife and I enjoy watching plays. Whenever there is a new act in town, we are the first to reserve seats. My interest in theatre began in school. I was an active participant in plays. In college, I got the chance to hone my acting skills further. My brilliant teachers and the modern facilities worked wonders for my acting skills. But, once I began working, I had little time for acting. Thereafter I did my best to keep in touch with theatre by attending plays. My wife has never done a play in her life, but I have managed to pique her interest by taking her along with me.

The two of us visited Broadway recently to watch Shakespeare's Hamlet. Being seated close to the stage gave us a birds-eye view of all the action. In the middle of the first half, my wife said that though she had, thanks to me, become familiar with the acting world, she never saw what went on behind the scenes. Taken aback, I replied that it starts with shortlisting a script. The Director then chooses actors and assigns roles. The Producer pays for the entire process. Regular practice is a must for smooth dialogue delivery. It is also important to know your lines and feel your character. Emotion memory and confidence also play an important part in improving the quality of your acting. At the end of the day, theatre needs hard work, commitment and discipline. But unfortunately, theatre as a profession is a risky proposition. It does not pay well, and nor does it assure a stable income. 

My wife listened to me with rapt attention.

When the interval began, she wanted a peek backstage. I thereupon took her behind the stage. 

The backstage was messy and disorganised. Sheets of tarpaulin lay on the floor. Long, torn curtains hung from the ceiling. Ropes tied to the screen were slipping owing to wear and tear. The entire set reeked of neglect. Yet, the impression of anyone watching the final output would have been different. The polished performance and the crass backstage were symbolic of the struggle you had to endure to create a fine work of art. 

There were some lighter moments too. As we finished with the disorganised backstage and headed to the green room, we saw a man dressed as a clown. He had a puffed, green nose, a painted face and hands with a loose shirt on. Imagine our surprise when we saw him reach for a newspaper! We do not associate clowns with intellect. But then, I guess they put up an act to seem funny. For all other purposes, they are human like anybody else. 

Upon finishing our tour, we realised that the play was ending. We, thus, decided to return home as hanging around seemed pointless.