All The World's A Stage: Literally

There's an article in yesterday's New York Times about theatrical performances in public places--there's been a lot of it this summer, apparently. I'd heard about Break Out in Song, but I hadn't realized this sort of theatrical events was so extensive.

I think presenting theatre in unconventional locations is really exciting. Aside from what it does to expand the boundaries of where and how you can stage theatre, it does so much for helping people look at theatre in a different way. Theatre, especially musical theatre, can be incredibly insular. Most people who are heavily into it--as performers, writers, crew members, or fans--tend to have grown up with it. Those that haven't often have very different and often inaccurate impressions of what theatre actually is. How many times have you heard someone unfamiliar with musical theatre describe it as "people randomly breaking out into song" or as being "unrealistic"? (As though cinematic conventions such as voiceovers, direct address to the audience, and background music are staples of everyday life...and as though all art forms strive to be as "realistic" as possible.) Admittedly, randomly breaking out in song is exactly what Break Out In Song does, but if nothing else, it may make someone who's anti-musicals realize just how fun breaking out into song can be. Which in turn could get them into a theatre, where they'd learn that, at least in a well-constructed musical, the songs aren't exactly random.

These performances are also important for theatre fans because of the questions they inherently raise. What makes something a piece of theatre and not performance art? What's the role of the audience, and how does that change depending on venue? What's different about watching two people argue from a chair in an air-conditioned Broadway house and watching that same argument take place outside your car? And then there's the issue of audience participation, and of course, that fourth wall.

I'm not sure how much I personally would enjoy these types of performances. I haven't even been to Shakespeare in the Park, and any audience particpation beyond Rocky Horror Picture Show level makes me nervous. But anything that blurs the line between theatre and reality fascinates me, and as far as I'm concerned, anything that exposes theatre to more people--especially people who wouldn't seek it out--is automatically a good thing.