The Nature of Theatre

To begin to search for theatre as a medium for worship helps launch you on a journey to discover and develop your own potential. Theatre connects to worship as symbol in action. As a participant, you become the instrument for worship that has the potential to transcend words and physical movement to a symbolic experience. As a spectator, you also become the instrument for worship when you connect to and identify with the experience.

Theatre always has been an exploration of our relationship with our world. Look at any drama and you can see any one or a combination of an exploration of the relationship between a human being and society, nature, other people, God (or the gods), culture, beliefs and values, or the self. Theatre as a means of worship affirms our connection to spirit as we explore any of these relationships. Indeed, theatre as a means of worship affirms our own spirituality, and when that happens we glimpse the positive potential within ourselves and at the same time build our bridge to God, however each of us defines that to be. If that does not happen then the theatre event is not a worship event. It may be entertaining or a good effort, but it does not lead to worship.

While not true in all societies such as Australia, the United States as a society trivializes the arts, including theatre. At the same time, Western religious organizations have traditionally condemned theatre. Consequently, artists find it necessary to constantly justify not only their work but who they are as productive human beings.

Yet United States' society is in transition. As Jane Alexander, past chair of the US. National Endowment for the Arts, pointed out in an interview with Sunday Morning, society suffers from a "crisis of spirit." Violence pervades our society and compassion is disdained. But, as Jane Alexander stated, "If you give a child a paintbrush or a pen, that child will not pick up a gun." The reason for that brings us back to potential. It is a part of human need to explore and discover the self, and then express that discovery. When we deny our own spirituality, the discovery becomes corrupted and consequently the expression is also corrupted and our lives are caught up in illusion. The arts counter-attack that corruption. The arts as a medium specifically engages a person in positive discovery and expression of the self, which often includes spirituality. As a response to violence and a lack of compassion, society and religious organizations are beginning to turn to the arts to help us rediscover the spirituality within ourselves.

Every human being has an artistic sense. As evidence, observe healthy young children. They dance, sing, paint or draw, and actively engage in imagination. An artist is a person who has a highly developed artistic sense, has studied and well-developed the discipline or technique of the art, and is able to transform his or her work as universal symbol. An artist also usually attempts to make a living with his or her art, because an artist has an overwhelming need to express, and many also have an overwhelming need to give his or her work to society. Many lay persons in United States' society seem to see these characteristics as seeking fame, but it usually is not true.

These essays are founded on the premise that every human being has an artistic sense. Often, when you want theatre as part of a worship program, you cannot find a suitable theatre piece. The reason for that is twofold. Not very much drama is written for Christian worship services, and those that are seem to be a poor quality. The second reason is that often what is want is very specific. You have an idea of what you want, you can't find exactly what that is, and you can't write it.

The goal is to present theatre pieces which will enhance the worship program. That means that whatever is presented must correspond with the theme, the tenor or mood, and the purpose of the rest of the worship program. However, in order to create a worshipful experience, the theatre piece must be as universal and as symbolic as possible, for it's the symbol that leads to experience. Because of its emphasis on symbol, theatre presentations probably would not help a worship program which includes the sacraments. The two symbols would not help but clash, and the theatre piece would probably take away from the symbol and consequently the experience of the sacrament. It's the clashing of symbols that many people respond to against theatre during these worship settings.

Presenting theatre for worship requires that you proceed toward your own potential. It requires you to take risks, to become vulnerable, to actively engage in sharing, and to delve into your innermost being. Have fun!

Copyright 1990 Debra Bruch

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