Children's theatre- I love to do it! (so there, nyah! ;-P )

[TheatreSlave]

Posted: 12/3/05 at 5:19am

After reading posts here for the last month(ish), and after myriad converstaions with other theatre folk, I have noticed that there are quite a few who seem to think that doing children's theatre something that an actor is "forced" in to; that it is somehow inferior to what they call "real" theatre. I don't agree. I live doing shows for kids.

You can learn a lot about letting go, losing your inhibitions, and how to deal with a sometimes difficult audience. Children can be both your most forgiving audience and your hardest to please. And, unlike adults, they will flat out tell you to your face if they don't like it.

Also, when you are doing children's theatre (at least at my theatre), you are introducing kids to theatre for the *very first time*. Isn't that important?

And I don't mean "by kids for kids" theatre (I'll admit that I have issues with that sort of show). I mean theatre done for children by actors of all ages.

And how many of us went to see a children's theatre show at an impressionable age and thought "I want to do that."? I know I did.

*stepping of my soapbox* Sorry, folks, just venting after a bad day....

Updated On: 12/4/05 at 05:19 AM

[StageWhore]

Posted: 12/3/05 at 5:44am

I decided I wanted to be on stage when I saw a H.S. production of "Annie get your gun" at the age of 12. Anywho, I love performing for children b/c they're so honest. And even when I'm only in the chorus, they want an autograph.

[hannahshule]

Posted: 12/3/05 at 6:36am

I completely agree! It's nice to sometimes do a fun, light show that's introducing kinders to the world of theatre.

[CostumeMistress]

Posted: 12/3/05 at 10:48am

Granted, I could never do children's theatre all the time - but I do love it. I also love working with kids in shows. I find it refreshing - kids are so honest, and sometimes it's a nice change from all the agendas and pretensions that adults may carry around.

[jasonf]

Posted: 12/3/05 at 10:51am

Can you change the title of this thread so the subject on the main page doesn't say "Who else loves doing children" ?

[TheatreSlave]

Posted: 12/4/05 at 11:53pm

jasonf- Oh crap, I didn't even think of that! I tried to change it, I hope it worked. that is really embarassing...

StageWhore (great nickame, btw), CostumeMistress, hannashule- Thank you for your support. I was beginning to worry that I was alone it this. I think that it is important...and fun.

I've been going to shows my whole like (I "saw" my first at age 2, but obviously I don't recall it). The first one I really remember was a production of "The Red Shoes" (a play, not a ballet) that I saw while in elementary school at the theatre I now work for (http://www.theatrebristol.org yes, there's a reason why I call myself "TheatreSlave"). I wore a pair of red shoes to the show and all the way back to school and for the whole rest of the day, I had so much fun acting out the part of the girl with the red shoes. Someone else would pretend to be the one who enchanted the shoes, forcing me to dance. People would laugh and applaud, and I felt so good to be noticed in a good way (I was a REALLY shy kid). Then, shortly after, I read Medea for the first time and felt a burning desire to play that role. I never figured out what any of this meant until I did my first show as a freshman in high school. The first time I heard an entire audience laugh BECAUSE OF SOMETHING I HAD SAID addicted me to theatre forever. I'm still chasing the dream of playing Medea, but doing theatre has given me so much over through my life- it has been my refuge, my bane, my sanity, my stress, my one true love, the reason for my self-haterd, the reason for my self-confidence. In short, theatre has been my life, with all the ups and downs, joys and sorrows, that life offers you; and the one and only constant in my life for 17 years.
I may not be a Broadway star, I may have "only" done community theatre and high school/college theatre, but theatre has shaped my life to a point that I don't know what I would be doing right now without it. ANd I owe it all to children's theatre. See why I think it is important?

[jacobtsf]

Posted: 12/5/05 at 12:01am

I've worked in children's theatre for 5 years and it is a BLAST! Getting to introduce children to theatre (with GOOD shows) is a great feeling.

One of the highlights for me is going outside after a show, in costume, and signing autographs in character.

[TheatreSlave]

Posted: 12/5/05 at 12:42am

I agree, jacob. Even if you are a company member with no lines, the kids are so happy to meet you. And we usually don't sign autographs in character, and the kids love to see the real people behind the characters (although some of the really little ones are a bit intimidated). I live in a small town, so I run in to people who have seen me in shows in every day life. It is so strange to see their reactions. Some, both kids and adults, are afraid to come up and talk to me. Sometimes I have random people come up and hug me because of a show they saw me in. Even if it is not kids, it is sometimes humbling to realize the impact you can have on people's lives by being in a play.

One of the moments I will never forget was the first time a kid came up to me during rehearsal one night (it was her first show) and told me that *I* was the one who inspired her to get in to theatre. I rarely ever cry, but that actually cause me to tear up. To think I had that sort of influence on the life of a child I had never even met until a few days before...

The funny thing is, I ended up working with the woman I saw in "The Red SHoes" many years later. She never knew the influence she had on my life because I didn't realize that she was the one I had seen in that show. I wish I knew where she was now so i could tell her...

(sorry to wax poetic on you guys, but talking about the impact that theatre has on me and on other people tends to bring out that side of me)

[fiatlux]

Posted: 12/5/05 at 7:58am

I started out in theatre-in-education touring the county schools performing various plays for a wide range of ages and it was great fun and very rewarding.

Although there was a particularly awful experience when touring with Noah and The Flood when members of the audience (aged 5-7) thought they were playing the second half of the title of the play, so frightened were they by my portrayal of God, they lost control of their bodily functions. Note from the director: "God should be less Old Testament and more New Testament for the time being, as the flood is coming too soon in the run of the performance."

[CostumeMistress]

Posted: 12/5/05 at 9:06am

HA! That's a good one.

[Guillermo Ugarte]

Posted: 12/6/05 at 11:15am

Children's theater is a proud tradition that will hopefully bring the next generation of audiences to live theater.

It is also a good way to get up on stage for the first time and get comfortable with an audience. And believe me if you can keep an audience of squirming five-year-olds quiet for an hour you deserve an award.

We all choose our path to the arts and if you decide to stay in children's theater just remember that it is through your work that these children will become enchanted with live performance. So, all of those other artists who feel they can only perform in front of an adult should be thanking you for providing THEIR audience.

[TheatreSlave]

Posted: 12/7/05 at 2:15am

fiatlux- Good line! *LOL* We have kids throw up on occasion. That's always fun (especially in our small theatre when you can hear it).

I remember doing a production of Puss In Boots where the kids pulled Teddy (who was playing the Ogre) off the stage and held him down because he had threatened me (playing Puss). The problem was, that Teddy was about 3 weeks from back surgery and couldn't get up by himself! Talk about finding depths of ad-lib ability you never knew you had!

Not only was it a children show, it was avery *close-up* children's show, the kids were so close to the stage that the front row could lean on it. A bit disconcerting at first, but fun later. One day, a little girl saw that the bow on my tail was untied and stealthily pulled it over, retied it, and then spent the rest of the time a was near her petting it. AWWWW....

Guillermo- *bows* Thank you for your kind words. SO many forget where they first saw a play, were they not lucky enough to live in/near New York or a large city with frequent tour performances.
I still learn from those I work with in children's theatre, both cast and audience. I think that when you cease to learn from doing shows, that is an indication that it is time for you to stop. But I have often been told that is not a popular opinion (to put it politely)