How Theatre Shaped My Life
People have asked me how theatre shaped my life. I hadn’t given it much thought until I considered my students growth through it.
Theatre gets a bum rep. Don’t you think?
People who haven’t studied it have a difficult time understanding its power. I remember seeing a football player interview where the newscaster asks him what he planned to do now that he retired. He said, “I’m going to be an actor. My girl friend is an actress. She’s going to teach me.”
Oh. My. Heavens.
No.
We theatre lovers know it’s not a weekend workshop type of experience. Actors work their whole lives. A favorite quote of mine from Bill English of the San Francisco Playhouse, “‘Theatre is like a gym for empathy. It’s where we go to build up the muscles of compassion, to practice listening and understanding and engaging with people that are not just like ourselves. We practice sitting down, paying attention and learning from other people’s actions. We practice caring.”
I asked some students of mine to share how theatre shaped their life. Here are their thoughts.
How Theatre Shaped My Life
Matt Kimbel
I’m Mat Kimbel. I’m in college working towards becoming a theatre teacher. After working under the direction of Mrs. Baldwin for six years, there’s no denying that she influenced my decision to become a theatre teacher.
I found theatre when life dealt me a hand I was struggling to handle. 📌 I had just begun developing seizures as a result of being born with Cerebral Palsy (CP). Growing up with CP presented its own set of struggles, which at this point in time was my mental and physical health.
I wasn’t eating or hydrating or sleeping. I wasn’t doing well at school. I didn’t have many friends. I was battling depression at an extremely young age.
👉 During this time, my doctors prescribed several meds. most of which caused me to lash out, be angry and crude to people. Doctors suggested I play sports to try and release all of these volatile feelings. This seemed like the perfect solution. However, after participating in several sports, I struggled to keep up. I wasn’t finding what I was looking for.
After a few months of searching, my grandma suggested that I try theatre. 🎭🎭 My initial reaction was “Theatre? Frolic around on a stage, wear makeup, sing songs and pretend to be someone they aren’t?” Grandma kept insisting and got me to audition. Now, I can honestly say there is nothing I would rather do.
Once I got involved in theatre, my life completely changed. It’s like a light went off in my head. 💡I stopped being angry and lashing out. I started doing better in school. I started actually eating, to enjoy life. It led to me to taking voice lessons, choir and expanding my interests.
When I was bullied everyday and my life at home wasn’t the best, 😊 it was theatre which kept me motivated during some of the roughest times.
👉👉I wouldn’t be the person I am today without theatre. I can’t imagine what my life would be like if I didn’t find it. You never know what doors you can open until you try.
How Theatre Shaped My Life
Mahogany Thomas
As a pastor, drama is present within my ministry in many ways. The lessons I learned while acting on empathy, connection and authenticity resonate deeply and are timeless. Projection, stage presence, eye-contact, and improvisation are all traits that essential to my profession.
Since I am often found in many places speaking in front of people, the practical lessons of drama are also fundamental. Likewise, I have a LOVE of preaching, and in many ways, preaching is a monologue.
This means the way you engage the audience and present the material matters. Your voice, storytelling, creativity, narration, and ability to captivate the audience to take them on a journey are critical in both the structure of my sermons and my delivery.
Drama education empowers its students to see not only themselves but one another with empathy. This is how you cultivate authentic relationships and move through such a contentious world. Building genuine relationships with one another are foundational in a world that needs healing. Therefore I make it my duty to live with empathy, love with empathy, and teach empathy to everyone I encounter, just as my drama experience has taught me.
How Theatre Shaped My Life
Ivy Favier
I’m Ivy Favier, a performer, composer, and artist who dreams of becoming a teacher. I was a student of Mrs. B. for 5 years, and I know it was she who inspired my dream.
I met Mrs. B. in 5th Grade Musical Theatre class. I was shy and introverted as a child, and I remember being a little intimidated at first. She was so full of enthusiasm and vigor, and gave so much to her students, who gave so much back in return. She expected something of me, and I was going to have to dig deep to find it.
She pushed me just hard enough, challenged me to step out of the shadows and find my light. She made me feel safe and supported, showing me that it was ok to look silly and make mistakes. She encouraged me to speak up, reach out, make friends, and take risks.
After that, I “caught the bug.” I auditioned and performed with many theatre companies across CO, took workshops, and attended summer camps.
How Theatre Shaped My Life
As a TA for Mrs. B’s classes, I admired the way she interacted with her students. She taught them the value of theatre not in an academic way, but in a playful way. She made it real and relatable for them. This inspired me.
🎭 My latest theatre endeavor is in Playback Theatre, a form of improv. —audience members tell stories from their lives and the actors interpret them on stage. This challenged the way I think about theatre. I now realize how our stories are all connected. Playback strengthened my listening skills, creativity, and empathy in my theatre and non-theatre life.
I would be an entirely different person without theatre. I might still be that shy little girl, too afraid to step out of the shadows. Theatre gave me my own voice and power. It gave me courage. I learned I must leap in order to fly. If I fall, I can pick myself up and try again. It’s always worth it. Theatre taught me that. ❤️
Thank you Matt, Mahogany and Ivy!
If you’d like to know about my moment when theatre not only shaped but saved my life, go to: How Theatre Saved My Life
Do you have an experience about how theatre shaped your life? I’d love to hear about and maybe down the road, I’ll feature you too!
Contact me at DhcBaldwin@gmail.com or DeborahBaldwin.net