from Stanislaw Warda: Theatrical Reflections

    

  The proposition to see this play came on time. It’s true I have planned to visit some of Chicago’s theaters, but the ticket prices and many other issues caused that I always postponed it. The idea of visiting a theater was the result of my desperation. Although I finished many classes, my English spoken language is far from perfect, so I decided that I should join one of any amateur theaters  which usually exist next to theaters or  particular schools. I have even done some research, but as usual with me, from my idea to my action it is not short time. This time the price of the ticket was not a problem, but once again my innate shyness exposed its concerns. “It’s not for you,” “Do not waste time doing this” “You will not understand anything, etc.”  Finally, the last and louder  inner voice said “Ok, do not  Go! Let lay to the casket and wait for your death!” It was enough.

In the box office the nice girl told me that I didn’t have to buy a ticket, it would be enough if I gave a small donation usually $ 2 or $5. The title of the play is “ Black Bear Island” by Karissa Murrell Myers.  

There were many plots, but I only wanted to focus on a few. The plot of action was that after a long time, probably 16 years, the girl returned to the place where everything began; her family, first love, and trouble. By the way, this bittersweet plot had been a little familiar to my life because I associated it with the feeling  I have, when I travel from Chicago to the place where I was born. The bear’s motive went   through the entire  play. It was  expressed with scary noises, terrible music, and flickering lights. This animal’s motives kept  all audience in suspense.  Nevertheless, this play and the emotions in it were about people,  our emotions, fears and feelings. I  have always been impressed by how the author of a play or book can choose the means of expressions and metaphors to achieve their desired effect. Perhaps it’s a little easier when audiences have the same background. In America, especially in Chicago, where more than 100 different ethnic groups from the whole world exists, to be  able to find the common means of expression  to be understood is something remarkable. I looked at the audience and they confirmed my assumption.  

Of course, the author is talented, so the audience understood what he meant.  The author’s job to create a play is essential. Nevertheless, in an environment like Chicago,  most of this huge job to “raise” this kind of audience was made by the University and those wonderful professors who mold many different humans  from many cultures into a  lively reacting audience. 

 I thought, “What a wonderful job this theater is doing to integrate people. Not only the theater but the whole University, professors, students, and the whole staff. It is a smart and the best way to spend spare time for everyone. 

Once, one of my friends who move from Poland to US with his whole family complained that his children do not want to go to Polish school. I think I understand them.

I made some interesting observations when I was watching the actors. The actors’ plays were also spectacular. I do not have any experience in it, but I wondered how they do it. They do not see their audience although they look at them as if they need to be focused in a special way. And similarly they are sure of the audience reaction even when they do not look at them. I liked an opinion of an actor who described his audience in this humorous way. “When they are reacting, I know I got them, I know they lay under my feet and I trample them mercilessly, not caring about their moans."

Perhaps this humorous example does not fully show the connection between actor – audience and vice versa, but this is a sense of their job. Good actors have to find middle ground with audience , otherwise this job does not have any sense and it will be more like a spelling bee competition than acting. An actor does not have to be Hamlet and not everybody can do it, although many of them believe they can. Some of the actors from NEIU  can bring out the authentic experience from the depths of their soul and pour it out to the audience. 

I am a little regretful that nobody showed me what is in my school. During my study at NEIU sometimes I had to take the classes which I did not really like because of my program. For this reason, I did not have an opportunity to take acting classes. Now, after this spectacular spectacle, I regret it, on the other hand, this spectacle was a very nice adventure. I watched  it twice to remember more and it was not wasted time.