This is a letter I have written in response to the Op-ed piece “Theatre Dedication.” To quote the Oscar and Tony nominated, Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, director, and screenwriter David Mamet, “When you come into the theater, you have to be willing to say, ‘We’re all here to undergo a communion, to find out what the hell is going on in this world.’ If you’re not willing to say that, what you get is entertainment instead of art, and poor entertainment at that.” It is in this spirit of community, respect, and service to the enduring art of theatre that the West Chester University Department of Theatre and Dance faculty, staff, and students strive to achieve excellence in areas related to the theatre arts. It is unfortunate that in this pursuit of excellence, some students view the efforts of arguably one of the most hard-working departments at the University as little more than “obsession” or “psychosis.”
The requirements to be an active member of West Chester University Theatre and the requirements to remain a major or minor within this department are clearly outlined in the department handbook as well as the University Theatre handbook. That being said, any student on this campus wishing to become a major or minor, or simply wishing to be an active and involved member of the University Theatre organization has clear and easy access to what is expected of them in order to remain either as a major/minor or a UT member. When the expectations are so clearly laid out in this fashion, there is little excuse for any student not to prioritize to make sure these requirements are met. If any student feels otherwise, he or she is welcome to make the adult decision as to whether or not they feel such an activity is worth his or her time.
That being said, one of the distinct and unique features of the Department of Theatre and Dance is the immense dedication of so many of our students. It is not uncommon to see set crews working until well after midnight in scene shops, actors devoting much of their free time to outside character study, or a barrage of students in town hanging posters and working on PR campaigns for shows. In 99 percent of these cases, these students who go above and beyond do so because they feel so passionately about the art they pursue. As stated before, all student involvement expectations are clearly outlined for students, and if the student does not have the time or the desire to go above these expectations, they will not be penalized. We as a department realize the individual lives and experiences of each person, and do not try to impose constricting or impossible standards for students to live up to. As I stated before, it is often the most passionate of students that take on extra responsibility and dedication. And, as in any profession one may encounter, it is the people with that extra drive, that willingness to go above and beyond that are the most successful. In effect, we hold these people, as we should, as role models and examples of what it means to be dedicated to one’s craft. I am of the personal belief that no obstacle, whether it be loans and bills that need to be paid or otherwise, should serve as an excuse for anyone who truly wishes to devote themselves to excellence in their field.
To support this belief I would like to point to the fact that three out of the five University Theatre’s executive council hold part-time jobs of their own in addition to their extra officer duties. Our treasurer, in addition to his executive duties, performs regularly in shows, directs and choreographs the annual Dept. of Theatre and Dance Aids Benefit, and frequently serves in production positions.all while working 30 hours a week. Roughly 65 percent of active University Theatre members (including majors, minor, and non-majors) hold at least one part time job as well.
The students of the Department of Theatre and Dance recognize, perhaps better than many, the importance of sustaining one’s self and its direct conflict with the long and often difficult path of pursuing a career within the theatre. Immense dedication does not show disregard for obtaining, as some say, a “j.o.b”, but rather an extremely intelligent awareness of the fact that to make it, to be the best, to find jobs and to work steadily, one must actually have training within the profession they pursue. To say that because one will not have a list of part-time waitressing, sales, or fast food jobs on an undergrad resume that they will somehow be less valuable in the job marketplace is almost absurd. Without participation and dedication to gaining experience in the field we train for, Theatre and Dance students would graduate without anything on their resumes that supports experience in their field.
While I really adore my part time job, when I go to audition for the Theatre Alliance of Philadelphia’s annual auditions, the fact that I have logged a ton of hours as a Bath and Bodyworks sales associate but have no experience in shows or technical production is not going to help me, in anyway, secure a place as a professional in the theatre. It is perhaps the attitude in which the theatre profession is viewed, even by its fans and supporters, as being “frivolous” and not a “real” job that the real misunderstanding of why we as a department strive so relentlessly for excellence occurs. Fortunately for its majors and dedicated members, there is an understanding that training to work in the theatre is not unlike training for any other form of employment: those who work the hardest are the ones who succeed. A smaller and more difficult job market does not invalidate the theatre as a legitimate and rewarding career choice, and it is because of this limited market we find ourselves working even harder to be the best. To say that we can somehow compartmentalize our lives to the point where our life’s work and goals do not spill over into the other aspects of our lives is a futile argument at best.
As the famed Greek philosopher and one of the earliest theatre critics, Aristotle, once wrote, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act, but a habit.”
Jackie is a fourth year student majoring in musical theatre. She can be reached at jc614628@wcupa.edu