Harsh Words can Lead to Harsh Actions

I was recently backstage for a production of Seussical the Musical Jr. and I witnessed some bullying. It was unintentional and nonviolent but it was there. So, I will take the words said by the director/teacher as they put on their first showing:

THERE IS NO ROOM FOR DRAMA IN THEATRE.

First of all, I am against calling classes where one learns to act Drama. That is just a bridge that should be burned or not built in the first place. These classes should be: Performing Arts, Theatre, Theatrics, Theatre Studies, The Art of Acting, Acting Logistics, or, if you are ambitious and have the slot space, The Art of Standing in front of Your Peers and Making a Potential Fool of Yourself For their Entertainment and to do Something Amazing. NEVER Drama. Ever.

Now, the title of this post is "Harsh Words can Lead to Harsh Actions" which is the point I really want to make. Middle school is a tough world to be in because everyone is evolving at different speeds where before they were pretty much all at the same level. Some people are learning what they are good at and knowing that they are good they will put themselves into a false leadership position and make others, who are still unsure of themselves, feel self-conscious and bad about their own talents and abilities, even if they are better than the other one.

The words said from one person to another can usually be brushed off, but sometimes it can lead to what the police like to call a physical altercation and what I call a fight (or well deserved B* slap, depending on the situation). When this happens backstage, there are a series of things that can, and will, go wrong. It doesn't matter if the actors are six or sixty, all actors react the same way to hate or hateful acts. That is to hate back.

Here is a compiled short list of different things I have personally seen actors do to each other backstage:

• Stop talking
• Taking the other's makeup
• 'losing' tights or small costume pieces
• tripping
• gossiping 
• peanut butter in the foundation
• putting runs in pantyhose
• placing glass in the other's shoes

These may all seem like female 'pranks' but the glass shoes was a boy who got made fun of for a reason I was told I cannot go into.

Words hurt more than a person, it hurts the performance.  The audience can feel when something is off and that means that there will be people going home saying, "That was fun but I don't think I will tell my friends to come see it."

So, I encourage all actors to, before they something they might regret, take a deep breath, bite some ice, and walk away. if you cannot get into character because you are angry, walk away from a number or two unless you have lines, then get over yourself. The production is bigger than any one person and everyone contributes, no matter what your lines, part, or costume. Have fun and the audience will too.

Sarah K