Carly Keone ~ Essay # 1

Thinking Theatrics

In this day and age, there are a vast variety of activities from which to choose from to combat the never ending evil that is Boredom. Everyone knows that watching T.V. or playing video games is not the healthiest option to choose. Plummeting to the earth with a parachute as the only life-line is one way to get the adrenaline pumping, but skydiving is not an experience that one is likely to come by without some difficulty. Taking a romantic trip across a serine river on a gondola is all well and good if you happen to be living in Venice, but the rest of the world is left to find other ways to pass the time. Living in a small town like Astoria, Oregon especially limits the amount of activities that are available; however, one surefire way of achieving a fun night in town without having to spend a lot of money is by taking a trip to the theater. Although the country is currently facing financial difficulties, and many of its citizens are scrimping to save, those looking for a means of entertainment the should consider seeing a local play, because it is fun, affordable and an effective way to support community culture.

Seeing a live stage performance is the most captivating and suspenseful choice of entertainment here in town. Of course, there are many attractions to just watching a movie from the comfort of home, as opposed to exerting the effort to go see a play, but the theater has special qualities that the movies could never share. Seeing a performance live is a much more interactive experience which the audience and the actors share together. It feels like being temporarily transported into another world as the audience are drawn into the lives of the characters who are performing in front of their eyes. They find themselves right in the middle of the action which makes the story’s conflicts all the more suspenseful and exciting compared to a movie which can be turned off at any time. Going to the theater also provides an opportunity to get dressed up in fancy clothing which makes for a way more romantic evening than going on a date to the movies. One of the most enticing advantages that the theater has, however, is the fact that every performance is fleeting. It can never be repeated the same way. Unlike a movie which is the same every time, a live performance is always different and only lasts as long as the show runs, making each trip more meaningful and enjoyable.

  Taking a trip to the theater is an affordable experience that the whole family can enjoy. Many might argue that renting a movie at the video store is better because it’s cheaper than buying a theater ticket, and they would be partially right. It would be a bit cheaper, but creating memories with your loved ones without involving the Internet or technology based devices is well worth the few extra dollars. Nowadays, many younger people especially have become so wrapped up in the technologies which are very easy to access that it has become their top choice used for passing free time. Many of these movies, television shows and video games that children are choosing to spend so much time on are not stimulative at all. They are simply ways to temporarily numb the mind and are taking the human aspect out of the entertainment industry. Children need to have interests and participate in activities that are seperate from these devices and the social media. Taking the family out for a night away from these distractions to see something exciting and affordable is the best way to spend time with loved ones, and one way to achieve this scenario is by visiting the theater.

Seeing a local play is a great way to get involved the community. The visual arts scene here in Astoria is a big aspect of this town’s culture and makes it unique compared to other cities. Visitors can’t really say they’ve seen true Astoria without watching the play, “Shanghaied in Astoria”. This goofy adaptation of historical events from Astoria’s past shows how much things have changed and what the city’s modern culture has become since then. The Astor Street Opry company isn’t the only theater from which to choose from either. There are other options for the types of plays to see which appear throughout the town. For a more sophisticated theater experience, there are shows that deal more in the abstract side of theater which occasionally appear at locations such as The Hip Fish or other art galleries. There are also dinner theaters that are held at the Fellowship Hall behind the Presbyterian church which always makes for a fun night out. The Performing Arts Center also hosts a variety of live entertainment, including plays put on by school programs, and the Astoria High School theater always succeeds in putting on pleasant productions during the school year. It is also the host for the very popular Nutcracker performance that has become an annual Christmas tradition for many. With all of these different locations to choose from, there is no shortage of options for seeing the many different types of theatrical productions Astoria has to offer.

There are many ways to spend free time, but seeing a live performance has enjoyable aspects that no other activity can share. It drags the audience in and makes them apart of the fictional world that the actors draw onstage for them using their voice and movements. It stimulates the imagination and fires up the curiosity to learn more about what will happen to the characters. The theater may even become a source of inspiration to see the world in a different way or act as a motivator to answer a call to action for positive change. In this way, a trip to the theater has the potential to be a life changing experience.