There’s nothing like the thrill of watching artists make magic
Yes, live performing arts have taken a hit. But no, they’re not dying, Feb. 24
Bravo, encore and a standing ovation to Joshua Chong for an article we all desperately need these days.
Without denying the difficult times we’re living in, your arts critic hit the right spot as to the importance of the performing arts.
Live productions of music, drama and dance — of any genre and of any level of professionalism — are truly essential to our well-being. The arts reflect and rise above our daily lives.
The community of sitting together, now, in the moment, without clutching any electronic devices, is something we need to experience, whether it’s a high school concert, a community theatre drama or an elaborate, professional opera performance. And the arts will be here, to be enjoyed and experienced, long after our current digital distractions have become outdated.
Anyone who has been a part of a live production comes away with a renewed feeling of positivity and even hope.
The act of creation gives us a freedom, a new perspective, a breath of fresh air, away from the sorrows of today’s world — as a performer, a behind-the-scenes tech person, or an attentive observer in the audience.
There is nothing to compare to the act of being present and attentive, watching or performing, breathing in the work of art that we’ve chosen to be a living part of.
No technical device or digital gadget can duplicate the thrill of the moment before the curtain rises or the house lights dim, and the artists begin to perform their magic.