Going to the theater and going to see plays growing up was something I did not want to do. My mom used to drag my brother and me to plays all the time. To say we went kicking and screaming would be an understatement. It didn't matter if it were a school play put on by real armatures or a huge production with professional actors, we had to go. I don't remember what a lot of those early performances were about at all. I spent way to much time wishing I were somewhere else, fooling around, and yes, sleeping. I will never forget though when my attitude, and my whole opinion of the theater changed.
I was in the fifth grade. I had a day off from school and my plans were to spend a lot of time in front of my video game system, because there was a lot of madden to be played that day. I also thought maybe I would watch some TV. Give my parents a reason for us to have it. My mom had different plans. She thought we should go out and not waste the day inside the house. At the time I remember being all for it, I figured maybe I could get her to spend some money on me. Was I in for a surprise! She informed me in the car where we were going in a voice like she was doing me a favor. See my fifth grade class at the time had been reading some of Edger Allen Poe's work and it just so happened that the theater in Portsmouth NH was putting on some short plays of a collection of his work. Not what I wanted to here at the time.
While we sat waiting for the performance to start, I was watching everyone around us talking with excitement in anticipation for everything to get stared. I was not thinking the nicest thoughts. Then the lights dimmed very slowly and I heard some kind of background noise almost like a thunder sound and a heartbeat mixed together. Everyone in the theater was silent and all eyes were on the curtain, including mine. There was a thick smoke that passed over the stage as the curtain opened. We could barely see what the set looked like. Then i heard a mans voice. A deep voice. A voice that made me shiver when I heard it. Everyone in the theater must of felt the same as I did because when I looked around everyone was doing the same as I was; sitting way back in my seat and crunching down so he couldn't see me. Then I thought, "Wait I'm in a theater, this is an actor!" What was this man doing to make me feel like I was really part of this performance.
It was his passion that did it. This man had put his all into making this character apart of himself. The way he walked, talked, dressed. Anything he could to make this character come to life he did it. As the plays went on, I found that it wasn't just that one actor that had gone above and beyond making his character come to life, it was all the performers. The trip that I thought was going to be the worst trip of my life turned out to be one of, if I can put it this way , the most inspirational days. Not that I wanted to grow up and be an actor, but there are people out there that put that much work and dedication into something they love, something they are passionate about. Those performers will never know what they did for me that day I didn't want to see them perform, but I do appreciate them. As an adult I go to dram performances whenever I can. What a joy it is to see people doing something they are passionate about! I hope people see that same joy and passion through me with my career in real estate.
I wanted to share my love of the theater not only with whoever may read this, but also want to let you know that I promote my local opera house right here in Rochester, NH by telling people about what the coming events are there. Like the performance of The Nutcracker, Friday, Dec. 14 at 7:00pm. If you have never been to a drama performance of any kind, I highly recommend you attend one. Just find one, buy some tickets and take a loved one. Who knows, it could change your life!
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