# Theatre?



## Actor (Mar 17, 2009)

*Please go to post 8 to see the conclusion of this topic.*


Actor said:


> Hello rest of the world.
> 
> I have a great passion for theatre; in spectating and in practicing. I'm planning on putting a show together soon but I can't shake this feeling that it's all been done before, if you know what I mean. I've been wondering if there's really any point to it all what with TV, Film, the Internet etc. I was wondering what does theatre means to you, in this day and age?
> 
> Oh, and any ideas for the show would be greatly appreciated lol ;-)


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## Chris Chapman (Mar 17, 2009)

I think a great quote about this goes something like this:

"Film is Art, Theatre is Life, and Television is Furniture." Film and Theatre may be swapped in the original quote, I'm a little vague on it. Anyway...

To me Theatre remains about the personal level of story telling and involvement. Film is wonderful in capturing ideas an moments, but Theatre gives you a sense of urgency and immediacy that is absent in the other narrative arts. That is when it is done well...  

For the Actor it is the most rewarding medium (IMHO) because of the response of the Audience. When filming, it's just you and your scene partner, and you have to ignore the crew around you and create that world in your mind. But onstage, you have that living, breathing, creature of an audience that can energize and terrify you on a whim. When a show connects with an audience, and you can send shivers down their spine or make them roll with laughter, there is nothing like that in the world. That's why I love it. Getting that reaction from the Audience is the best thing in the world to me. Finding the pieces that lend themselves to getting a reaction from our jaded audiences is another thing altogether. 

What type of show are you looking for?

-Chris


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## lieperjp (Mar 17, 2009)

That's like how many books can be written or how many songs can be composed. Really, the limit is creativity of mankind. Not to mention all the re-makes, parodies, and re-workings of shows, books, and movies.


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## Footer (Mar 17, 2009)

First things first... we have been around for 4-5 years and the SN "Actor" was never used? Wow.

Yes, it has all been done before. Deal with it. However, not everyone has seen what has been done before. Thats the good part about what we do, the new to you thing. Your audience is your audience. What you show them can be new, even if they are doing the same exact thing in NYC. 

What kind of show are you looking to put up?


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## Van (Mar 17, 2009)

Footer said:


> First things first... we have been around for 4-5 years and the SN "Actor" was never used? Wow.........


 
Um, Yeah, Like who'd ever actually admit *that*,.... here. 


No offense, but "I'm an Actor" and "I think it's all been done before..."
should be considered Mutally Exclusive terms in your world view to be successful in this business.


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## icewolf08 (Mar 17, 2009)

"All this has happened before and will happen again"
~Originally from Disney's_ Peter Pan_, now from Battlestar Galactica


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## Actor (Mar 22, 2009)

Thank you very much for all the replies.

In regards to what I'm thinking of I doing... I have an idea in mind... I'll get back to you with more details in about a week.


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## Actor (Apr 4, 2009)

Actor said:


> Hello rest of the world.
> 
> I have a great passion for theatre; in spectating and in practicing. I'm planning on putting a show together soon but I can't shake this feeling that it's all been done before, if you know what I mean. I've been wondering if there's really any point to it all what with TV, Film, the Internet etc. I was wondering what does theatre means to you, in this day and age?
> 
> Oh, and any ideas for the show would be greatly appreciated lol ;-)



It's been just under 3 weeks since I posted this here and I'd like to conclude the topic.

I DID put a show together and it was thanks to all your comments. I used the comments themselves for the show. You inadvertedly created the actual show =)
I actually asked the same question on 11 other internet forums. I gathered all of them together and then read them out as a piece of performance work at a showcase-like thing called 'Showroom' close to my University.

I had enough material for over an hour, but I only had 20 mins max so I had to go through the difficult process of cutting posts out; I'm sorry to those whos posts I didn't use. Many I cut out were brilliant replies, I've saved them all. (my biggest mistake in the show was forgetting to mention this, for which I apologise). 

Like I said, this was a showcase, demonstrating new work. The performance was entirely non-profit. I am currently working on putting a show together that will tour small theatres in Cornwall this summer. If the other company members back the idea and we do it, then these comments will defiantly feature in the show if that is ok with the authors. If you want you can join our Facebook group. Just search for "Dave's House Theatre Company"

So here are the Youtube links for both parts of the recording I made. You guys are the first forum I read from in part 1.

I was surprised the SN 'Actor' hadn't been taken too! I was hopeing to get a post saying "Who'd admit to being an actor here" and was overjoyed when it did come  I'm mostly focused on the performance and directing side of theatre at the moment, though I tend to do anything and have a history in helping out with tech at school. Most of the forums i've chosen are semi-random. But always knew I'd use this one.

Enjoy, and thank you again


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## gafftaper (Apr 6, 2009)

Hey Actor, I have to warn you that what you did isn't acceptable practice. No one around here is going to hassle you about it, but what you did is definitely improper and possibly illegal and potentially an offense that could get you sued. While it's not exactly plagiarism, it's very close. It's just not okay to use someone else's words without giving credit and asking permission. In this situation not only should you have asked permission to use the comments from their creators but you should have also asked permission of the webmaster. I believe anything posted on CB becomes property of the website. So you could probably be sued by both the posters and CB for stealing intellectual property. 

Now I'm pretty sure no one's going to sue you for this, I know 4 of the 5 people you quoted fairly well and they are committed to helping educate and inspire students. I'm confident that if you asked them they would have been very happy and probably don't care all that much. If we can help inspire your art around CB that's great. BUT before you do anything like it again in the future be sure to get permission from everyone involved as you could get in a lot of trouble. I know a couple of college professors who would have taken the situation to the dean to try to get you kicked out of class or expelled for stealing intellectual property if they caught you doing this. 

Like I said, no big deal, we are glad to help. But be very careful with this sort of thing in the future, you could potentially get yourself into some big trouble.


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