Theatre is the art form of the present: it exists only in the present, and then it’s gone. ~Simon McBurney
There is nothing more precious than the moment right before the curtain opens. The audience holds their breath and the orchestra swells. Everyone is waiting for what happens next, because it will be new.
It doesn’t matter if you have seen Phantom of the Opera 30 times or if it is your first time there. The production you are seeing is the only of its type ever made because it is made for the moment. There is no repeats, no rewinds, no ability to re-watch and consistently have the exact same show. There is no editing or camera play. There is only the actors and their ability to tell a story to an eager audience. This is the beauty of theater.
Every time you are seeing a performance, you are seeing a different show. It is not simply a game of reruns. It is the opportunity to witness a voice crack, a dropped prop, a tear shed on a particularly heartfelt ballad when the actress hadn’t been able to get there previously. It is the ability to exchange energy off every single person in the room. The Audience relies on the cast and the cast relies on the audience, both feeding off of one another in a truly collaborative piece of art.
You cannot fake the theater. Ever. That is the beauty of it. It cannot be tricked. It simply comes down to sheer talent, and an exchange of energy, like a conversation, between the cast and audience. Good theater is precious.
James Corden shares my sentiments in the 2019 Tony Awards Opener. Check it out here.
Theater Talk with Sarah 