Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: 6 Performances Down, 4 to Go

Tonight is Industry Night. Theatres starting doing industry nights on Mondays to attract other theatre/industry folks who are busy doing their own shows on the weekends, but are free on weeknights. However, with people so busy with rehearsals, performing in their on industry nights on the same day, or just busy with life in general, attendance on Industry Night can be a bit light. But the great thing about Industry Night is that sometimes a crowd of 15 “theatre people” can out-laugh and out-applaud an audience of 200.

Let’s be honest, one of the biggest draws, if not THE biggest, to doing live theatre is the immediate feedback of an audience. Yeah yeah, actors like to develop characters and delve into the complicated nuances of a play, but really, we do it to entertain people. An audience can have a huge impact on a performance depending on how they react. It’s not supposed to - we are supposed to give the same great show every night regardless - but when an audience is falling into the aisles with laughter, you can’t help milking the really funny bits or pumping up things here and there because you know they will love it.

Conversely, a timid and unresponsive audience makes an actor wonder what the heck he or she is doing wrong. So we might deliver a line differently to test the waters, but usually it doesn’t help. Or we just feel like the show is dragging and cross our fingers that at the curtain call, the audience really did enjoy the show, but were afraid to audibly express it.

No matter whether the audience is quiet or raucous, really, we are all just super excited that they showed up in the first place! Without an audience, well there wouldn’t be much theatre happening. Not only because community theatres depend on the generosity of their patrons to stay afloat, but because without an audience, we might as well just be singing into our hairbrushes in front of a mirror. I am deeply appreciative to all my friends and family that have taken time out of their busy schedules to come and support me and what I do. It means a great deal to me and I can’t ever fully express my gratitude. I know it’s not cheap to come to the theatre and it takes time and planning. Yet, many of you have come to every show I’ve ever been in and some of you come multiple times. You are all amazing and I thank you for your continuous love and support!