Art and Healing Wednesday…
There’s nothing like going to see live theatre. The stories are provocative, entertaining, and engaging. Actors put their heart and soul into the characters bringing them to live in magical ways. Sometimes we can find an art form that bridges entertainment and meaning. It brings about social and cultural messages and we related to them.
The other thing that theatre can do is teach. It may not be on Broadway, but theatre companies across the country have created theatre pieces to bring about important lessons about everything from obesity to teen pregnancy. Why is it so powerful?
We feel connected to live performance. The actors feed off the audience and the excitement, drama, hilarity put forth by the actors is palpable. There’s an inter-connectedness that creates an energy of mutuality and healing. If the theatre piece has a moral to it then all the better, especially if you’re entertaining young children. There it is; theatre reaches people at all levels of economics, cultural, spiritual, age, gender, etc. It’s a universal language.
Look for theatre that provides laughter if you’re experiencing pain of malaise. Norman Cousins, watching Three Stooges movies found that a good belly laugh gave him periods of pain-free sleep. Sometimes the theatre piece brings out loud the questions you’ve been asking yourself. At other times they play devil’s advocate, something I’m always in favor of no matter the discussion.
There’s a lot to choose from, so watch two theatre productions and call me in the morning!
Pilgrim Pathway/Surviving Strong 