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Theatre Fan as Critic

I have now spent almost two full days being in the company of theatre critics who have done this for decades, along with newbies like myself.  Some people got their start when a news desk said "we need you to write an entertainment feature, go!"  Some of us, like me, sought out opportunities to be a part of the community.
I love theatre.  I have since I was a kid.  And while I am a decent singer, I never really translated well to on stage performance.  Nerves got the best of me.  My voice doesn't match my appearance.  A million other reasons.  So I did back stage stuff, chorus stuff, but really, what it came down to was simply that I enjoy more than anything being in the theatre.  Watching the story unfold.  Watching the actors play their parts.  Connecting and learning and being with others like me and not like me.  Today I saw a quote on the wall at the San Francisco Playhouse that said it perfectly:

Making the community a better place, one day at a time. What is it about theatre that can make community better?  I think it is so many things. There are so many plays that have done this for me.  I remember seeing Ragtime as I was on the edge of adulthood.  Born and raised in Utah around people just like me, this story of history and people in it who were so different than me opened my eyes to the community I had never bothered to see before.  Watching Into the Woods reminded me that good and bad are not black and white.  Seeing Wicked taught me to value what was inside of me, not what was outside of me.
I came to admire Rent and the productions that followed for looking to find ways to make theatre affordable to the audiences that wanted to be there, the fans that scrapped and saved and then stood for three hours just to afford to see that show.  That was the fan that I was.  I had listened to the Cast Albums and found all the fan websites and dreamt of the day that I could be a part of it. 
When I became lucky enough in 2011 to find my home with Utah Theatre Bloggers, I gained a stronger appreciation for what theatre in your community does for your community.  I was no stranger to community theatre.  Thanks to a sister well immersed in the arts as well as my own experiences through college, community theatre has been a part of my existence.  My first review I ever wrote was for a small town production of Music Man.  Not my favorite play, mind you.  But, with my new eye as a critic, what I saw was that in 2011 there were families and friends choosing to spend their time creating art.
Throughout my time growing and learning as a critic, I have found the wonderful thing that is having a community to create new art.  I have watched theatre companies pop up in Utah, and try to find their market.  I have enjoyed seeing things like the Fringe Festival encourage new works.  I have been able to witness professional masterpeices, sad flops, and magical hidden gems.  I am so glad I get to continue this experience, wherever it takes me. 
To anyone involved in the process of creating, showcasing, and reviewing theatre, my one peice of advice is this.  Don't forget the fan who scrimped and saved to sit in the back row to admire your work.  Don't say that they would have been better off if they just could afford a better seat.  Understand that it is those of us who are in the back row that make up your fan base.  There is a community of theatre loving people that will never be able to do more than listen to your cast album over and over again unless you work to bring the theatre to their communities.
And, to the fan in the back row, please don't hesitate to find your place in the world of theatre.  If you can perform, do.  If you can write, please write.  Step out of your comfort zone.  Tell your story, so that we can practice our empathy together and make our communities better places.  

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