Journal 1
The Most Awesome Experience as a Performer
Last weekend(9/24-25), there was a huge event called Grassstraw Festival at Chiayi Performing Arts Center. It was held by a famous local theatrical company – Our Theatre. Artists around Taiwan gathered and brought their entrancing outdoor performances, including aerial circus, Taiwanese traditional puppet shows, contemporary dance, and probably all you can imagine. Aside from the performances, there were vendors selling precious handmade items, second-hand books, and exotic cuisines of Southeast Asia. The atmosphere was always exciting and passionate there, feeling like creating history – taking part in a precious moment of performing art in Chiayi.
During my university life in Minxing, I visited the event three times. And for the third time I attended it, I became an actor in one of the performances, which is named Teenager Theater this year. Moreover, from October 14 to October 16, we were going to perform in the experimental theater of Chiayi Performing Art Center. Though there was a tiny but apparent distance between me and my teenage years, the main idea of Teenager Theater is to tell the story of the performers themselves on stage and to experience the practical process of theatrical production. To be honest, there were no teenagers taking part in the performance this year, and the oldest attendant was even 36 years old. While making fun of this fact, the director gave us a concept to get used to such situation: our goal of coming to Teenager Theater was to bring out the teenage self inside and get along with him/her, have fun with him/her on stage.
What the director said reminded me of my teenage. It was my first year in high school that I join the drama club, and I have two wishes. One was a chance not to be a good student because I’ve tried so hard to make myself fit in the expectation of my parents and the teachers in middle school. I wanted to live in the identity of someone else. And the other was a stage for me to scream, releasing all my emotions, for I was aware that there was hardly a place allowing me to do so in real life. As time went by, I learned how to interpret the joy and sorrow of various characters and use theatrical techniques to guide the audience to the world of imagination. When I looked back, I already accomplish both of my wishes after finishing the play in the experimental theater.
I had a new perspective on my wishes. I realized that being a student is a lesson throughout life, all I need to do is reexamine those given standards and ponder on their value. The attempt I made to be a good student shaped my attitude, focusing on everything happening on stage, managing to read the atmosphere, and trying so hard to catch the “balls” the fellows threw. While working in the rehearsal rooms and the theater, what I brought out is the best, shining version of myself. And it is definitely not about appearance, but about sincerity and conscientiousness. While moving out of the theater, I had a small talk with the director. I deeply appreciate her instructions these weeks. She told me that she saw my talent and potential and recommended me for continuing my way to theatrical performance, which is the highest praise for me. I would take this genuine part of myself along for the following of my life journey.
