After watching many dazzling productions made by different drama performance groups, people may desire to become a part of them. Some people enjoy being a glamorous stage performer, while some wish to be a supportive backstage worker. If he or she is a daring person, stage performer could be a perfect choice. Yet, for some other people, acting on the stage may not be that ideal.
Here are some wonderful things about being a stage performer over being a backstage worker.
Actors and actresses will be transformed into more confident and bold individuals. How? During their daily training and rehearsals, they learn to speak loudly enough for the audience who sit on the last row to be able to hear every word clearly. They must get rid of their personal emotions and get into the souls of their characters. Then, on the days of their actual performance, actors and actresses should focus very hard on their own lines, gestures and facial expressions. No matter whether the audience burst into laughter or fall asleep, the stage performers should not lose faith. The show must go on. Hence, being a performer on stage could boost one’s confidence and boldness, in front of a huge crowd.
Moreover, it is a fascinating experience for performers to dig deep into the knowledge of acting. Backstage workers usually only focus on their own areas of strength, like sewing, design and operating sound effects. They don’t have the opportunity to explore much the world of acting. As for stage performers, under the guidance and supervisions of the director and other more experience performers, they are lucky enough to know and hone the acting skills. Reacting to the audience’s attention, making a scene more interesting…… what a precious chance acting on stage is!
Then, some opponents may argue that it is very embarrassing if the performer makes an obvious mistake on stage and having a backstage role can avoid such a scenario. However, let us think twice. It is quite cowardly to be a backstage supporter just to avoid being spotted. On the other hand, actors and actresses are trained to uphold responsibilities. They will practise more if they don’t want to be teased on stage. And since the audience can better recognize the stage performers than the backstage workers, the performers can share a greater sense of satisfaction among themselves, especially when they receive a big round of applause. People should not refuse to be performers for being able to hide behind the curtains. Instead, they should step forward and embrace the challenges. Then the applause and glory will be waiting for them.
Nevertheless, sometimes being a stage performer is not as preferable as a backstage worker.
For example, people who cannot cope with immense pressure should never give a thought to being stage performers. The road to success is full of hurdles. Especially when the show time is approaching, the actors and actresses surely face the greatest pressure. They are under strain when they worry about forgetting their lines on stage. They may even hardly breathe when they are very concerned about the reaction of the audience, including their friends and family. It is in fact a challenging job. Being a stage performer is not just about acting.
Furthermore, it is far more time-consuming and tiring to perform on stage. Backstage workers, however, start designing and adjusting the stage effects and costumes after the performers have kicked off their practices for some days. They could enjoy their time of innovation with less stress. Besides, the performers, in particular the ones who play the main roles, usually practise form time to time. Every day after having rehearsals, they still have to memorize their lines and think about the personalities and hobbies of the characters they portrait. Stage performers must have a consistent passion to finish their exhausting work.
In addition, stage performers have fewer opportunities to understand the entire picture of a production. They must focus on their own practices and acting. They can seldom get a taste of cooperating with different backstage workers. For some workers, like the stage managers, they can coordinate different parts of a production. They know how sound and light effects operate, how costumes are made and how scripts are amended. It is surely a loss to the stage performers to just concentrate on acting.
All in all, there is the plus side of being a stage performer, such as boosting of sell-confidence and learning of acting. Yet, it can be quite tiring to play such a role. The jobs of being a stage performer and backstage worker suit people of different talents and interests respectively. Which is better? It is a personal choice.