2018: A Critical Year of Theatre
Have you ever tried to sum up a year in one sentence?
This was the “Year Of…”
This year, I saw more than 30 performances, mostly spread across the New York City and the DMV (DC, Maryland, and Virginia) area.
2018 was unquestionably “The Year that Tayzau Saw a Heck of A lot of Theatre”.
Table of Contents
How were you able to see so much theatre?!
I was able to access all of these shows because…
- I live in DC where there are many small/large/public/private theatres, which are all accessible by public transportation.
- I prioritized spending my time/money on going to the theatre over eating out/going to the movies/shopping/other miscellaneous activities.
- I can afford to pay, and I am willing to pay. (Acknowledging my privilege here.)
How much $$$ did you pay per show?
For the majority of the shows listed below, I spent on average between $20-50 per ticket. Many of these shows sold tickets for seats that were much more expensive. However, I repeatedly chose to pay less if possible, and sit in the back of the theater. I was also not ashamed to take advantage of any discounts!
See below for a few links to check out. Note: These discounts are usually available to those in the military, education, government, or if you are a young adult under the age of 30 years old!
Washington D.C:
NYC:
Major U.S. Cities:
How did you approach each show?
Because of the sheer quantity of performances I saw in 2018, expectations were always set low.
Some were hits!
Some were duds.
In every performance, I found myself thinking critically about the writing, the character development, the portrayal of certain stereotypes, and the very U.S. and Western-centric lense of many of these shows, and more.
@TheNutcracker: I furrowed my eyebrows and thought, That seemed kind of racist…
@TheColorPurple: I kept stealing glances at my friend, KV, trying to see if he was on the brink of tears like me, This is so powerful.
@Carousel: I stopped breathing and thought, This is so ethereal!
Who was in the audience with you?
I made a point to observe who sat with me in the audience as well. Who else was spending their Thursday afternoons watching Miss Saigon? Or their Saturday nights watching a political play about a “radical” female congressional woman?
I found that.. most of the audiences were white, old, and/or seemingly very well-off. It was not uncommon to see un-scuffed shoes, floor-length dresses, and deep red lipstick amongst the audience members. It made me very aware of the fact that a very select group of people go to the theatre, and that a lot of these shows were created by people with similar backgrounds.
Where was the diversity?!
It made me face my own privilege of being in this category as well.
During one show at the Studio Theatre in DC, I tried counting the number of people who appeared to be non-white in the audience.
In that theatre of 200 people, I counted less than 10 people.
I found that… in general, theatres that explicitly preached being diverse and inclusive, such as Woolly Mammoth Theatre in DC, had a much more “diverse” audience.
I found that… shows written by people of color or about people of color, such as School Girls or The Color Purple, tended to have more people of color in the audience as well. When a show acknowledged the intersectionality of a person’s experience, especially with regards to the experience of a woman and/or a person of color, I found it easier to relate to the performance. These shows were much more striking or memorable.
I found that… I thoroughly enjoyed environments that were very explicit in their commitment to being a diverse and inclusive space.
What does it mean to be a “diverse and inclusive space”?
Here is a snippet from Woolly Mammoth Theatre’s Core Values:
We are a radically inclusive community—across race, ethnicity, nationality, age, gender identity, sexual orientation, physical ability, socioeconomic background, and political viewpoint—in which all are encouraged to exchange ideas freely and reach for new understanding.
Did you notice any similarities between each performance?
There appeared to be a central theme among a lot of these shows, specifically with regards to physical, verbal, emotional, financial, and sexual violence against women… by men.
I hated every single man that thought they could stomp around and control the women in their lives. I absolutely despised each man who was incapable of acknowledging their ignorance, changing for the better, or apologizing when they were flat out wrong.
(Masculinity is fragile, indeed.)
…On the flip side, there were also SO MANY STRONG, FEMALE LEADS AND SUPPORTING CHARACTERS!
Here are a few examples of the contrast between the male and female characters:
1. In Beautiful, Carole King’s first husband tells Carole that he feels unsatisfied/does not feel like he’s living up to his potential, so he proceeds to cheat on her, over and over again.
Despite some really crappy and cowardly men, Carole King goes on to become the most successful female songwriter of the latter half of the 20th century in the USA.
2. In Miss Saigon, the white American dude doesn’t have the balls to openly love and take care of his Vietnamese wife, Kim.
Kim does her best to ensure that she secures a better life for her son.
3. In The Color Purple, Celie’s husband is physically and verbally abusive towards the main character, Celie. By the end of the story, he ends up becoming a character that the audience almost pities because he is such a sad, spiteful man. How awful!
Celie designs a better life for her, her family, and even has the strength to forgive all of those who wronged her, including her abusive husband.
4. In Born Yesterday, the male characters treat mistress Billie like a “dumb blonde” and underestimate her wit and education.
Billie uses her access to education to beat the corrupt and single-minded men at their own game!
5. In My Fair Lady, the professor treats Eliza Doolittle in a brash, selfish, and harsh manner. Even the professor’s mother admits that he is incapable of changing and maturing.
Eliza Doolittle uses her access to education to change her fortune for the better!
6. In Comfort Women, the premise of the story is built upon the brutal treatment of women by the Japanese Imperial Army during WWII, who essentially enslaved, raped, and abused women for years without repercussions.
Comfort Women brings awareness to these women’s experiences and a voice to many women who have been silenced. To this day, the Japanese government has not formally apologized for their actions.
Note: This list above is not comprehensive of all the shows I watched, however I hope it highlights some of the contrasting characteristics between the male and female characters.
Have you changed anything in your day-to-day life because of these shows?
- I created a playlist of my favorite songs of “Women on Broadway”
- I picked up my guitar again, and my goal is to play a econcert-length amount of songs soon 🙂
- I will continue to support local theatre through donations and by purchasing tickets.
- I will continue to encourage my friends to join me at the theatre.
- I will continue to share my theatre experiences with my peers because I enjoy conversations about WHO is in the audience, WHO is writing each piece, WHO is performing, WHAT topics they are bringing to light, and WHY these topics are significant.
Theatre is such a unique place share and connect with people.
Moving forward… What are you looking for in a show and theatre?
- A diverse and inclusive audience
- A price point that accurately reflects the quality of writing, design, and performance of all everyone involved.
- A moving piece that provokes thought and creates individual action.
What shows have you seen this year?
What would you recommend seeing?
A full list of Tayzau’s shows of 2018:
