Me and a dear pal went to All Things Go, an outdoor, two-day music festival set at the Merriweather Post Pavilion. The lineup ate, the fits were fitting, and the vibes were so good.
We decided to shelter at a nearby campground, rather than booking a hotel. Between me and the ground was my sleeping bag, a sleeping pad, the tent floor, and the footprint. On the second night, snuggled into my decade-old sleeping bag, I was reminded that "this is the closest I've been to the ground in a while".
I could feel the Earth warming me -- being source -- feeling the softness of mulch and could picture where each raindrop fell outside. And though my child-hood fear of the dark told me there was a dog/bear outside my tent, I felt such a deep comfort from the earth.
HOW THIS RELATES TO THEATRE...
People that go to an artist/ band whose songs they know, a live event can become a choir. On the other hand, people may not know all the words to a play, especially when its ~new work~ that requires an openness to a communal adventure. So why do people attend live music that they're unfamiliar with? Its free, its in the same venue they are, its advertised well… So how do we get people to attend new plays that they're unfamiliar with???
Because new work is a communal journey, trust of the guide (the production/ producers) is required. Here is how the campsite made me feel safe/ comfortable: clear maps, noticeable signage, and walkway lights at night. What are those elements in relationship to a theatre/ production? And depending on how comfortable we want our audiences, we can offer other amenities like wifi, a sauna, well maintained bathrooms.
What makes live music worth all the fatigue, overpriced food, and risk of heat exhaustion is my love for the art and the EXPERIENCE itself. How do we make theatre an experience -- do we plan outfits, celebrate our artists, and have a source-place to lay our heads after a show?
PS: please enjoy the sounds of the Cherry Hill forest at 05:19 am
The wee morn.m4a
