Have you ever watched something and felt like you were part of the story? Did you identify with the characters? Even feel like you were making decisions for them? That's what theater does for me.
Theater is riveting and makes me feel like I am in another world. The active voice of actors allows me to be immersed into this other world, the imagined world in which the story is set. Of course, the grandeur of the playhouse and closed setting also helps me feel like I'm part of the narrative. The storyline takes me into the unknown and makes me question my beliefs, mindset and ideas about society. The second the show begins, I am met with the logic, reason, and irrationality that are part of the human mind.
The stage seems like a private, distant thing. Yet, when I watch theater I feel intertwined with that private, intimate story being told on stage. The characters and space are developed by language. Characters know more than what they do or say, which allows me to interpret their actions and words. There are so many types of characters I encounter while watching theater. There's the compelling character, the contradictory one, the erratic, the empathetic, the rational, the mysterious, etc. There exists an inwardness within the characters. They have secrets. Most of the time they aren't telling you everything. One action doesn't allow me to guess the next action. I am constantly held in suspense. I am able to observe interactions that are personal or distant, leaving me to decipher these interactions on my own.
The experience of watching a production is not repeatable. It varies each time because there are live humans on stage. There is an in-person feeling developed, a closeness between the stage and audience. When you think about it, theater is an odd art form where we take human beings and put them into a frame. But that's why I love theater -- the humanness of the whole thing, including the humanity of the writer, director, and actors. It allows viewers to get a glimpse into the "otherness" of society through the unique stories told as well as the characterization of individuals on stage. I come out with an experience, a lesson, and a story.
Essentially, theater is a reflection of ourselves as human beings.
