Last night, while preparing for my nightly slumber, I listened to a NPR Morning Edition broadcast titled Is It Okay To Leave A Show During Intermission? Protecting the feelings of the performers was the main reason discussed for early dismissals to be unacceptable. It would be disheartening to see less people in the audience by the end of a show. However, by the time you get to that point as a performer, you hopefully would have developed some thickish skin. Time is one of the few things in life that you can't get back, so if one chooses to leave a performance early that is up to them.
I went to an open discussion today by well known dance critic Deborah Jowitt. (I sat in admiration, trying to soak up everything I could of this amazing woman as she spoke eloquently with intelligence and wisdom. I am excited to subscribe to her blog DanceBeat!) The subject came up of viewing performances that you don't necessarily care for. Her advice, as I interpreted it, was to shelve the negative thoughts and to focus on targeting the source of the problem. This brought my mind back to people walking out of performances. While I can't say that I am not guilty of ever walking out of a show, I think we should exercise staying. Art can entertain, and for some people that is all they are interested in. The more instant the gratification the better. Art can also challenge us which makes some people uncomfortable. Artists sometimes see things through different lenses and make an effort to share their perspective. As viewers we should be open and make an effort as well. We should embrace the challenge and be open to the growth it may bring. Sometimes we know what we are going to see and sometimes we don't. That is one of the beautiful and exciting things about live theater. If you are are going to leave though, I will "Second Act" and take your ticket stubbs.
I went to an open discussion today by well known dance critic Deborah Jowitt. (I sat in admiration, trying to soak up everything I could of this amazing woman as she spoke eloquently with intelligence and wisdom. I am excited to subscribe to her blog DanceBeat!) The subject came up of viewing performances that you don't necessarily care for. Her advice, as I interpreted it, was to shelve the negative thoughts and to focus on targeting the source of the problem. This brought my mind back to people walking out of performances. While I can't say that I am not guilty of ever walking out of a show, I think we should exercise staying. Art can entertain, and for some people that is all they are interested in. The more instant the gratification the better. Art can also challenge us which makes some people uncomfortable. Artists sometimes see things through different lenses and make an effort to share their perspective. As viewers we should be open and make an effort as well. We should embrace the challenge and be open to the growth it may bring. Sometimes we know what we are going to see and sometimes we don't. That is one of the beautiful and exciting things about live theater. If you are are going to leave though, I will "Second Act" and take your ticket stubbs.
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