Theater Response Essay

583 Words2 Pages

As part of the Art Symposium we recently had the opportunity to tour both the Performing Arts Center and the Hyman Fine Arts Center. The PAC’s tour focused on the technical qualities of the performance space and how the theater is able to accommodate a wide variety of performance. During the tour of the Hyman Fine Arts Center, staff and students were busy putting the finishing touches on this semester's production of The Tempest. Recently I was able to enjoy a performance of Crimes of the Heart at another theatrical venue, Florence Little Theater. With the abundance of performance spaces in our community, I started to weigh the pros and cons of each space. While old theaters have their quirks, there's nothing quite like the smell of a newly built theater, like the Performing Arts Center, with its fresh paint and fire retardant fabric. Technical specifics aside, it reminded me of the “entertainment center” in my hometown because the space lacked what I can only describe as character. As a presenting theater, it focused on getting theater companies in, …show more content…

In contrast to a presenting theater, there is an additional character taking part in each performance: the performance space itself. FLT's production of Crimes of the Heart was my first low-budget producing theater experience. Prior to this, my only other producing theater production was Le Rêve at Wynn Las Vegas. I previously thought Cirque du Soleil's polish was the reason I liked Le Rêve so much, but the fact that a low budget community theater company could match the level of engagement I felt as an audience member proves that this connection stems from more than having recognizable brand. Truth be told, I wasn't a fan of the story behind Crime of the Heart, but that didn't stop me thinking FLT had gone above and beyond to immerse the audience in the production. The cupboards were stocked and the kitchen sink even had running

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