Why should we support theatre? People are losing their jobs, their homes. Our economy is in the toilet. Shouldn't we be giving all our money to the poor? I suppose it's easy for artists to see themselves as necessary. We all want to be necessary. But why? What is the necessity of art? Of theatre?
Simply, art, and theatre, create two indispensible things. Brotherhood. And Hope. Without these we are lost. But how do we manifest brotherhood and hope through art? Through theatre?
Art proves that we can work together. A cast of actors, directors, designers, technicians and witnesses are all necessary to create a theatrical event. An event that we create out of nothing. In theatre, we prove that we can work together to create something out of thin air that cannot exist without all of us. Brotherhood.
Theatre also uses empathy to literally force us to identify with others. We see that we have more in common than we have differences. We see that we are brothers. And sisters. Under the skin, we are all the same. Deeply embedded in the core of theatre is this belief. We all share the same love, hates, fears, joys. Theatre promotes brotherhood.
Theatre also promotes hope. If we humans can band together to create this world on stage out of nothing. If we can imitate life successfully enough that people suspend their disbelief, then we can in our real lives change the way things are. We can transform our world.
The world of the dramatic hero, the protagonist, is a world where something is wrong. Where something doesn't work. And the hero must struggle. To right a wrong. To improve her lot. To change someone else. To escape a hell. And the hero has hope. And shows us the way. With determination. And courage. Even when he loses.
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