Random Theater musings

My previous entry was about Inherit The Wind. I also saw a rehearsal of that performance as well.
What amazed me was the professional atomosphere the actors created versus a high school atmosphere. The actors were really good at their lines and with voice, diciton, prounounciation, articulation, speech basically. The actors obvioulsy looked like they'd reharsed the scene often, and aslo they were performing without a script. INCREDIBLE!

How can theater be made to appeal to families and to younger audiences? Families like educational things. Hence the numerous memberships to museums of art, science, and history. Perhaps if theater examined social issues that pertain to modern audience or other educational content, then families will wilingly go. However, even when education is incorporated into theater the result (to my knowledge) is that schools take the oppurtunity to take the kids to plays and not families. What then is holding back the typical family from attending the theater? Perhaps people think of entertainment like the theater in terms of modern television. Perhaps when they think of the theater they think of familiar tv programs like Glee, Grays Anatomy, or perhaps shorter versions of movies. Affordibility could be one problem. Not many families have enough money to subscribe to a theater membership. Whereas museum memberships are about $50-$100 on average, tickets for a one show run around $75-90 for a family of five (cleveland playhouse). The average family doesn't have enough money for the theater on a regular basis. If memberships to the theater were made family friendly, for example five tickets to all the performances of the Great Lakes Theater Festival for only $100, then many families would quickly sign up. If a family has really young children attention span may be another. Although parents would most likely take their school aged and high school children with them to the theater. Limited participaton could also be another factor. Whereas in todays theater modern audiences just sit and watch. A very passive activity. At least in art museums the people who go walk around and look at art and think about it or admire it. Although art history is a private knowledge these days, enjoyed by few. So little people today understand the value and meaning of art. So how can we encourage families and young people to go to the theater? Perhaps by making the theater more affordable, experiential, and appealing to familes and young people.