The E-P-L Experiment

Unless you happen to be fortunate enough to live in New York City, chances are theatre has been a rather small part of your life.  Sure, St. Louis does have The Fox.  And most people have seen a school or community production at some point.  But theatre seems to be dying out.  We’ve moved on to television, film, and now web videos.  Our celebrities are those who not only live but perform from far away.  We have lost our true heritage as an audience of reality.  There is nothing like seeing an actor, singer, or dancer on stage in person.  You can see their struggles, the sweat on their brow (both literally and figuratively).  Completely raw, unedited.  When they speak, the words carry straight through the air and to your ears.  You can witness firsthand the true craft of all those involved in putting on a production.  This is not to say that I despise other types of medie, quite the contrary.  But I do think we are missing out on an experience previously enjoyed more often by prior generations.

One aspect I loved about the book “Tipping the Velvet” by Sarah Waters (picture above includes actresses from the film adaptation) is the introduction of London theatre culture.  In the West End, theatres populated the streets, catering to the masses (the high brow productions being held elsewhere).  In the story, two of the main characters are found running from one show to the next and on and on into the night.  After retiring from the stage, Nan visiting a pub with her lady interest, is accosted by other women.  We remember you, you’re Nan King!  Sing us a song won’t you?  After some further coaxing, she gets up to sing at the piano, for old time’s sake.  I love that sense of closeness between the performer and the audience.  She’s a celebrity, but not hiding away in her mansion or off on a jet plane traveling to some remote location.  The audience could see their favorite actors live and see them walking down the street the next day.

We’ve also lost the drawing room culture.  Any Jane Austen fan will know what I’m talking about.  How many scenes are there of dinner parties followed by women and men playing the piano, singing along together.  Or private concerts.  Needlework and artwork.  And yes, I do realize this mostly pertains to the “genteel” world.  But how fascinating that in such a polite society, we also find the remnants of a community creating “art of the moment.”  One of the qualities one must possess to be considered a lady was to be artistic.  To sing, dance, paint, draw, design clothing or be fashion conscious, sew by hand, arrange flowers, write in a delicate hand, and more.  Beautification might sound like an old-fashioned concept, but why should it be?  Modern artists and other ambitious types want to leave the world more beautiful than they left it, with the hope that they’ve given people something to think about as well.  Where is that woman standing beside the piano singing a plaintive song to her guests, silent in their reverie, praising her for her bravery, practice, and execution?

In an ideal world, I would resurrect the theatre and parlor room culture of old.  Why should only the coasts and the big cities enjoy such riches?  I would love to have my own venue in which to host resident performing companies and to bring in guest ones as well.  I would love to bring the performing and fine arts to the community on a regular basis.  Not just wait a few times a year for a festival.  I want to offer education to those interested in wanting to participate.  If you want to be a part of such a world, there’s no reason why anyone should be denied some role to play.

To bring such a thing to life, I know one needs money, the people to commit to such activities, and of course a communal interest.  I am willing to do what it takes.  I just have to ask for help first.  So watch out Midwest, here I come!