Curtain Call: The power of live performance

I recently put out a little call on Facebook asking folks to share their most influential moments watching or participating in a live performance. I was expecting more responses about concerts or bands that changed someone’s life; that’s a pretty common response from people. I did get one person that answered, “I saw Sir Paul McCartney LIVE at the Sprint Center. Need I say more?” No, no she needn’t; that is sufficient.

Apparently, I was underestimating the magnitude of live performances, though.

Theatre can make you feel so many different things — it can change the way you see other people or situations. For example, a friend of mine was in a show called "The Boys Next Door." The show is about a group of men with different mental disabilities who live together in a group home. Doing that show actually changed the way this actor thought about mentally handicapped people. He said, “There is a world of people out there that most of us distance ourselves from unless we are in the middle of it, and at the end of the day they are just people … changed my thinking forever!”

An actress friend told me about the time she performed "Brundibar," a short opera composed during the Holocaust by a concentration camp prisoner. The show gave the children hope for a brighter future because of the hidden meaning inside the story. She wrote, “Although most of the performers did not make it, one did. She came to visit us while we were rehearsing. She told us stories and shared her happiness that we were sharing this story with others. It showed me how a show can be more than just entertainment, it can be hope, and it can share a strong message. It remains one of my favorite shows to date because of the history and strength in the show. It helps others believe that anything is possible if you believe and you work for it.”

Awesome, right?

These aren't just plays and musicals, though. The change in people comes from stand-up and improvisation, too. A longtime friend is a big improviser, and she says performing in improv shows has actually given her more self confidence and better communication skills. Most people would start to get anxious just thinking about playing games like you’d see on "Whose Line is it Anyway," but not here. She said, “Thanks to improv, I've been able to gain the courage to fight anxiety and depression and to lead a happier, healthier life. Basically, improv will bring world peace, and if it were a person, I'd marry it.”

That’s pretty cut and dry, I think.

Same with an actor here in town I’ve shared the stage with a couple times. Doing standup has helped him in almost the same way. He remembers overcoming his nerves after landing his first joke in front of an audience.

“The laughter fades into applause, a rally from friends, family and strangers alike," he said. "So loud I dropped my arms in awe, taking a breath, nearly shedding a tear, I was overwhelmed. During this, I can see those who came in support and their look back is what drives me to this day as a performer. It took me literally only a couple of minutes to realize my dream and commit to what I plan on doing for the rest of my life.”

And for me? Well, there are so many times I could talk about. Maybe I’ll piggyback off what Jeffery Kin, the artistic director at The Players Theatre of Sarasota, said.

“Watching several Broadway plays, I realized that it was action and physicality that moved me the most," he said. "The visual aspects of the show were more impactful than the words. This was a huge realization as a playwright, actor and director. The strength is in strong action.”

My parents and I saw the musical "Next to Normal" on Broadway several years ago. It’s an intense show, and I just remember my mom crying through the whole thing, because the situation reminded her of one of my aunts. It was a visually spectacular show, and the music is amazing, but it’s all about the interactions between the characters. You could see the pain, and it touched her in a way she wasn’t expecting.

There aren’t too many things in this world that can dramatically shift a person’s point of view so quickly.

Share your stories below — we’d love to see how live performances have affected your life.