Amy Lu's View

“Real, because they can be imagined into being. Because some of the most wonderful things have to be believed to be seen.”

One of my lines from the play “Uh-Oh, Here Comes Christmas.”

Our little DIY theater company, Applause, pulled off a bit of a miracle this weekend: We successfully (and I think, enjoyably) presented a live show via Zoom, “Uh-Oh, Here Comes Christmas.” Yes, everything was LIVE except for the music videos at the opening of each act. We didn’t just broadcast a recording of our show over Zoom but actually used the online medium to tell our story.

We could not have done this without our collective optimism and faith: in each other, in the material, in our ability to generate an audience and in our ability (well, mostly our amazing tech director Connor’s ability and Chad’s ability) to successfully use the needed technology. Once again our director, Gary, inspired and led us with his optimism and vision.

And we also worked our asses off.

Nothing can recreate the magic of people getting together for theater–the connection that happens between the actors on stage and between the actors and the audience. (Of course the magic of actors and their friends and families being able to celebrate and socialize together at a favorite local establishment, say, Green Mill, in post-rehearsal and post-show revelry is irreplaceable).

But I DO love many aspects of online theater. The convenience factor is huge. Just like with online work, church, etc., I LOVE not having to drive to rehearsal, to be able to make questionable but comfortable clothing choices from the waist down, and having the food and beverages (and easy bathroom access to support all those beverages) of choices at hand. (Yes, my beverages choices for work are different than those for theater–although sometimes similar to church events).

I reveled in not having to do “strike” and take the set down and clean up theater (although we did have quite the various home studios set up, we could dismantle those on our own time).

But my comfort and ease aside, it was absolutely wonderful to be able to share our theatrical endeavors with many more people than we could have in person. Presenting a show online allowed friends and family to participate in our wild and crazy little miracle who otherwise wouldn’t have been able to. Folks who otherwise may have been thwarted by distance, health, transportation, or just inclination (I have total respect for people who don’t want to go out and about in the world for entertainment, pandemic or no, if it requires wearing pants) could be part of our show.

Because the audience is absolutely a integral part of the show–even when we can’t see them and just have to believe they are there and imagine we have a connection with them. (And while we do have amazing powers of imagination, all the feedback and kudos after the show is most welcome validation).

There are so many words and ideas that I love from “Uh-Oh,” but one of the most eye-opening for me is when I got to describe a juggler’s performance as a gift where he held nothing back in his generosity. I won’t deny that I mainly do theater for self-serving, narcissistic reasons, and getting to do it is definitely a gift for me, especially when “normal” theater isn’t possible.

But if my efforts can also be viewed as a gift I give–even a goofy, impractical, weird gift that’s the wrong size that you might want to return–now that’s a miracle.