This past weekend, I opened a show called Soldier’s Heart in Western Massachusetts the same night our Outreach Coordinator Ben Abbott opened Fiddler on the Roof in Utah. Outside of Performing Arts Abroad, we’re both actors and we both believe wholeheartedly in the theater.
As I walked through the door labeled “Stage Door” on opening night to settle down in my dressing room and start warming up for the show, I remembered what a privilege it is to participate in live performance. As performing artists, we are so lucky to pursue an endeavor as timeless and essential to humanity as the telling of stories, enacted by and observed by real people in real time. There is such a palpable exchange of energy between performer and audience, between tech crew and their instruments, between the people standing on stage making themselves vulnerable to one another and exposing the core of what it means to be human.
It’s sometimes easy in the day to day grind of this job to forget that what we are doing matters greatly. So to all you performing artists out there, keep forging ahead and creating beautiful art. And when you’re ready to join us in pursuing your craft cross-culturally and collaborating internationally, we’ll be here to guide you every step of the way! All the world’s a stage!
As always, I welcome you to e-mail me directly at reynolds@performingartsabroad.com with any questions regarding our programs and how to get involved. For a full list of locations where we offer programs, please see below.
Program Locations:
Belize
Brazil
Costa Rica
Ecuador
England
Galapagos Islands
Ghana
Ireland
Italy
Kenya
Philippines
South Africa
Spain
Thailand
Reynolds Whalen
Director of Performing Arts Abroad
reynolds@performingartsabroad.com
+1.413.341.5548