Kudos to Capital City Productions for offering theater classes that make the theatrical arts accessible to everyone.
The local theater company recently announced that it will hold a series of six classes (for just $60) that will each focus on a different theme and feature a different guest instructor.
That includes areas such as lighting, set design/construction and stage management.
Wouldibe thespians, don't fret. Starting in March, the theater group will host Intro to Acting classes as well as audition classes for dance, music and acting. This summer, the group plans to host a camp for third- through 12th-graders. At the end of the camp, they'll put on their own production of "Beauty in the Beast Jr."
The program is both altruistic and self-serving. It's a way to introduce the public to an art form worth preserving and advancing. People who are interested in theater but didn't know where to begin, now you have an open invitation. And for Capital City Productions, it's a recruitment opportunity.
By the end of the 20th century, some feared that television and the internet would be the final nails in the performing arts coffin. Many small theaters that once staged popular vaudeville performances, such as the Finke Theatre in California, closed.
But rumors of their death were greatly exaggerated, as Mark Twain famously once said about himself. Even the historic Finke was restored to its former grandeur and reopened with the help of the local community. Jefferson City's own 900-seat Miller Performing Arts Center also was renovated in recent years. Like the Finke, it regularly brings in performances that city residents wouldn't otherwise have a chance to see.
Despite newer technologies, the performing arts will always have performers and audiences. Here's why:
Live performance gives audiences something they can't get from other dramatic forms. It's offers an excitement of seeing real people in real time. In the sports world, that's the anticipation of seeing "the thrill of victory; the agony of defeat." Similarly, audiences eagerly anticipate live performances, where they can witness everything from missteps to masterpiece theater, with some improvisation included. All this works to connect with the audience on a personal level.
Acting, dancing, singing and other performing arts teach people to express themselves, giving shy performers confidence in their performances and in life.
Performing spawns creativity, and creativity is a necessary component of a free society. Not only that, it could be argued that it's essential for human development.
So if you've ever considered learning the ins and outs of acting and theater, here's your opportunity.