Something I wrote a while back. For all the performers out there. ;)

Recently, while at rehearsal, I was watching my friends perform and I began to ask myself, ‘Why do we do this? Why do we constantly put on these masks that make us different people and show it to society?’ To be honest, this seems a rather cliché question on the surface. People are constantly asking why the performing arts matter and what makes them so important and enticing. However, when you dive further into it and ponder the question for even a moment, you realize that the answer is far more complicated than it seems like it would be.

          I suppose that on a more individual level (as far as performers go), one could begin by saying it is a way of “getting yourself out there”, building charisma and creating relationships (onstage and off). Or perhaps it is just the adrenolytic feeling that is created when you step in front of other people, waiting to be praised, judged, etc. In my experience, every person has their own reason for partaking in what I think is one of the most mysterious and unpredictable forms of entertainment. But that still leaves the question to be answered. 

          Due to the difference in opinion from person to person, it is very difficult to determine the general verdict on why performing arts are so important and why they matter so much. However, Ben Vereen (a well-known Broadway veteran and performer) once said, “A society without culture is not a society at all. The arts are our culture.” Culture is a very important part of the world and I believe that everything stated in the previous quotation is true. Cultures all over the world are defined and well-known- not just for the religions and languages they practice, but also the forms of art that they partake in (for example, in many Asian and African cultures, dance and theatre play a huge part in their religious practices as well as their main forms of entertainment). One would not tell another person that the way they dress to satisfy their culture is not important. But then, by the same token, would you say that performing is not important either, even though it is a huge part of many cultures (including our own)?

          All of these points are things to consider when asking the question, “Why do the performing arts matter?” Personally, I have not come up with a full explanation myself. However, I do believe that as long as the world still appreciates the performing arts and continues to explore this seemingly magical art form (and the culture that it brings to the world) then performing arts will continue to “matter”.