Batman Stunt shows and "The Word that changed Theater forever"

A few revelations already about what I've been saying.

As I was talking about development and audience involvement, I realized that was actually a key part of Accessibility.

I am going to need to revisit that principle later because I think what I'm ultimately looking for is a way to build theater that is a part of the community--accessibility not just economically but throughout the life of the theater.

The next item on the list is what I originally termed "authenticity."

I have a problem with using this word for several reasons.

1. It's part of the catch phrase for WMC. "Authentic. Original. Theater."

Which is an awesome catchphrase. But it's WMC's catchphrase.

I'd rather not start a new venture using part of the old terminology.

2. What does it actually mean?

The dirty little secret about that catchphrase and WMC is that everyone had a different idea about what it meant.

The phrase actually came from Brenda a friend of WMC that worked in Nonprofit fundraising/marketing.

That's why it has such a great ring. Original simply meant New Works--everyone agreed on that. But "Authentic?"

It meant different things to different people in WMC. I tried to nail down what Authentic meant to us but I got so tired of hearing everyone else turn it towards to what they liked or wanted it to mean--whenever someone asked me what it meant I just found ways of avoiding any definitive answer.

(One thing I really like about the direction WMC is heading now is that I think as a group they have a clearer more singular vision of the type of work WMC should do is. They can probably all agree on what "authentic" means to them now)

3. Authentic is a buzzword now.

Of course it is. People take classes in how to be on reality TV shows. Even worse, we all know this. So now, any Reality TV, Documentaries, Youtube videos--are all under immediate suspicion and scrutiny. It's fake until proven real these days.

And everywhere around us the word authentic is popping up and is used as high praise.

Which means over saturation and diffusion of meaning for the word "authentic" is just a short while away. Remember when every book/movie/tv special/article was about

"The ____ that changed _____ forever"?

Whatever that means.

So what does Authentic mean to me?

So part of what authentic theater always meant to me was, as a friend of mine recently said, "theater from the gut."

Visceral.

As in not solely reliant on intellectual ideas.

It also meant that to be visceral it required emotionally honest, organic acting.

Part of what it meant to me was, problematic. That is, not a neatly tied up story that serves as a lesson.

But rather a story that is viciously honest with the audience and deals with a honest, human problem and does not give predigested answers designed to "better" the audience.

So let's combine those two ideas and see what we come up with.

We put emotionally honest actors in problematic stories that wrestle with difficult issues.

I suppose what I meant by authentic is "honest"

But "honest theater" is a bit of an oxymoron if you think about it.

And you can't really escape the fact that any storyteller or group of storytellers are going to have a point of view that will color their narrative.

But I don't think that that means we can't have a real struggle. But it can't be too finely choreographed.

When I was in highschool I went to Six Flags Theme Park and saw a "Batman Stunt Spectacular."

Spectacular isn't the word I used to describe it then.

It was a mildy entertaining live show that featured a few stunts that I'm sure were very dangerous to attempt in a time sensitive manner in a live show twice a day, but compared to what we see on tv and in film everyday--not very exciting or impressive. Definitely not spectacular.

Even worse, some of the stunts were obviously faked. Physically different actors doubling each other, smoke and mirror tricks that weren't very tricky, and some BAD stage combat.

Now I don't advocate dangerous physical situations for actors, but I do want to see actors take emotional journeys onstage. Ones with high stakes. In stories that have fair fights--not fixed outcomes.

I'm not talking about improvised endings, but honest stories about real issues. No propaganda.

If everyone walks out of play with the exact same experience and feeling about what they just experienced--I'd rather just skip it.

I believe that if everyone working on a play actually investigates the story that they're telling--writer, director, actor, designer--that they will find an honest way to tell the story each time.

To be sure this requires a vigilant commitment to honesty and self awareness. We must be objective investigators and careful creators; we cannot make ourselves into wise prophets and glamorous heroes.

Authentic Theater:

A theater where genuine conflicts and real human problems are honestly and sincerely wrestled and struggled with by all the artists involved.

Or as Sandy said about acting: Living truthfully in imaginary circumstances.

That's (in my opinion) the most perfect definition of acting and damn close to what I'm getting at...okay...round 2...

Authentic Theater:

A place where imaginary circumstances are both created and lived out truthfully.

Oof.

That's as close as I'm going to get today.

Any feedback or suggestions are welcome.

"I hear a blue heaven crying

Some folks just call it a bird

Call it what you will, I'm heartbroken still

Words are just words

Some call an end a beginning

For right now they'll go unheard

Call it what you will, I'm heartbroken still

Words are just words"

Joe Pug, Call it what you will