I have a friend and co-worker named Sandy. Sandy and her husband like to attend the theatre, go to plays, occasionally. In fact, they belong to a little informal group that makes a little ritual of before, during and after activities. They don't go to all plays all the time. But they go as the chance or reason arises.
Sandy and her husband are modest and prudent people, smart and caring. Sandy works with me and her husband owns a small business. He is a true small business owner. By that I mean he doesn't assume he is supposed to get rich beyond his wildest dreams just because he owns a business. He assumes he will make a modest or decent living. He has kept the business for many years based on loyalty, hard work, good work and respect all around. Sandy and her husband own their home, nothing fancy, simple middle class midtown long time residents. Sandy enjoys typical pursuits in her spare time, gardening, reading, occasional travel, social time with friends, and cooking.
In the realm of "people who go to every production anywhere anytime" and "people who never go and don't even know that theatre exists," Sandy and her husband are the average Jane and Joe. Whereas there are people who know everything about production and theatre and those who are clueless, Sandy and her husband are "everywoman" and "everyman." Sandy and her husband are as "ordinary" as they come - and I mean that in the best and most meaningful sense of that term.
With ticket prices to theatres usually beginning at about eighteen dollars per person, it is easy to imagine Sandy and her husband spending fifty dollars or more if they go, and have a drink or snack before or after the show. With dinner included the price easily goes to one-hundred or more. For Sandy and her husband, this is affordable but would be done with foresight and planning. The activities they do outside of work and the accompanying expenditures are chosen with care. Choosing one thing will negate or put off another activity until the following month perhaps. So when they make the decision to join the informal group or go by themselves to a production of a play, they are hoping it is time and money well spent.
If theatres are, economically speaking, competing for spectators, Sandy and her husband are the catch everyone is after. Choice of play, reviews, word or mouth, subject matter, ticket price, will all play a part in their decision to go or not. I don't believe they would be specially inclined to like or dislike a production based on social or political context or trendy appeal. They are intelligent and open people and they live their lives with purpose, but their tastes and critique of theatre productions does not fall into a steadfast category.
For the director or actor who thinks or works like me, Sandy and her husband are who we "aim" the actions of the play towards - not in the sense of a "middle ground" or non-conformist, non-offensive appeal, but in the sense of one spectator, one action of clarity.
It is with great kindness and appreciation that I write and dedicate this post about and to them.
And if they are reading I say that thank you on behalf of all our theatres.
Sandy and her husband are modest and prudent people, smart and caring. Sandy works with me and her husband owns a small business. He is a true small business owner. By that I mean he doesn't assume he is supposed to get rich beyond his wildest dreams just because he owns a business. He assumes he will make a modest or decent living. He has kept the business for many years based on loyalty, hard work, good work and respect all around. Sandy and her husband own their home, nothing fancy, simple middle class midtown long time residents. Sandy enjoys typical pursuits in her spare time, gardening, reading, occasional travel, social time with friends, and cooking.
In the realm of "people who go to every production anywhere anytime" and "people who never go and don't even know that theatre exists," Sandy and her husband are the average Jane and Joe. Whereas there are people who know everything about production and theatre and those who are clueless, Sandy and her husband are "everywoman" and "everyman." Sandy and her husband are as "ordinary" as they come - and I mean that in the best and most meaningful sense of that term.
With ticket prices to theatres usually beginning at about eighteen dollars per person, it is easy to imagine Sandy and her husband spending fifty dollars or more if they go, and have a drink or snack before or after the show. With dinner included the price easily goes to one-hundred or more. For Sandy and her husband, this is affordable but would be done with foresight and planning. The activities they do outside of work and the accompanying expenditures are chosen with care. Choosing one thing will negate or put off another activity until the following month perhaps. So when they make the decision to join the informal group or go by themselves to a production of a play, they are hoping it is time and money well spent.
If theatres are, economically speaking, competing for spectators, Sandy and her husband are the catch everyone is after. Choice of play, reviews, word or mouth, subject matter, ticket price, will all play a part in their decision to go or not. I don't believe they would be specially inclined to like or dislike a production based on social or political context or trendy appeal. They are intelligent and open people and they live their lives with purpose, but their tastes and critique of theatre productions does not fall into a steadfast category.
For the director or actor who thinks or works like me, Sandy and her husband are who we "aim" the actions of the play towards - not in the sense of a "middle ground" or non-conformist, non-offensive appeal, but in the sense of one spectator, one action of clarity.
It is with great kindness and appreciation that I write and dedicate this post about and to them.
And if they are reading I say that thank you on behalf of all our theatres.
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