A Muslim hipster, a vegetarian drag queen, a good ol' boy from out in the sticks of Randolph County, and a feminist who loves mystery novels all walk into an audition... No, it isn't the beginning of a tedious joke; its exactly the sort of thing that regularly happens when my local community theatre group holds auditions for shows.
It's easy to gaze upon your smart phone and feel a bit of discriminating superiority as you read acid-tongued tweets about those "other people" who disagree with your political, social, and religious beliefs. Viral memes which ridicule anyone who could possibly support idiotic candidates or policies are so easy and fun to share. It is now simpler than ever to lump all of those ignorant buffoons together and dismiss them into the category of persons for whom nobody has time. Sometimes I yearn for the pre-social media days when I didn't have to know that the nice lady I just met at the gym was a member of the Facebook group "Albino Lesbians for Sara Palin", but those days are gone, my friends.
I adore the opportunities to sing, dance and perform that the Community Theatre of Greensboro affords, but my favorite thing about working with CTG is that it has allowed me to develop real and deep friendships with people I might otherwise have dismissed or simply never encountered (including my wonderful husband). Rehearsing and performing together creates trust and intimacy among cast members whether they come from similar or completely different backgrounds. When we work together to perfect a scene, when we help each other learn lines or harmonies, when we collectively hold our breath and behold a cast member's spot-on portrayal of a character, we form a bond and we find common ground despite being told by the rest of the world that our differences make us incompatible.
I am so in love with the cast of this season's production of The Wizard of Oz. Something rather wonderful and magical is happening with all of us because we respect, trust, and admire each other. If you're in the area, I would encourage you to come out and see the show. A cast of nearly 100 has worked with such commitment bring new life to a favorite classic story. With so many people of different ages, abilities, and world views working together to produce something so magnificent, I started to wonder...perhaps Congress should try working together to put on a musical? I'd like to see more shimmying across the aisle and less division, wouldn't you?
It's easy to gaze upon your smart phone and feel a bit of discriminating superiority as you read acid-tongued tweets about those "other people" who disagree with your political, social, and religious beliefs. Viral memes which ridicule anyone who could possibly support idiotic candidates or policies are so easy and fun to share. It is now simpler than ever to lump all of those ignorant buffoons together and dismiss them into the category of persons for whom nobody has time. Sometimes I yearn for the pre-social media days when I didn't have to know that the nice lady I just met at the gym was a member of the Facebook group "Albino Lesbians for Sara Palin", but those days are gone, my friends.
I adore the opportunities to sing, dance and perform that the Community Theatre of Greensboro affords, but my favorite thing about working with CTG is that it has allowed me to develop real and deep friendships with people I might otherwise have dismissed or simply never encountered (including my wonderful husband). Rehearsing and performing together creates trust and intimacy among cast members whether they come from similar or completely different backgrounds. When we work together to perfect a scene, when we help each other learn lines or harmonies, when we collectively hold our breath and behold a cast member's spot-on portrayal of a character, we form a bond and we find common ground despite being told by the rest of the world that our differences make us incompatible.
I am so in love with the cast of this season's production of The Wizard of Oz. Something rather wonderful and magical is happening with all of us because we respect, trust, and admire each other. If you're in the area, I would encourage you to come out and see the show. A cast of nearly 100 has worked with such commitment bring new life to a favorite classic story. With so many people of different ages, abilities, and world views working together to produce something so magnificent, I started to wonder...perhaps Congress should try working together to put on a musical? I'd like to see more shimmying across the aisle and less division, wouldn't you?
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