Glory in Acting

If New York is the Capital of the world, Broadway is the capital of the Theatre industry. Every year millions of people attend Broadway shows. Shows like The Phantom of the Opera, Hair, and Mamma Mia have all seen multi performance success and each garner new fans every year. However, it is not an easy task to put on a Broadway show. It requires dedication by a team of professionals and ultimately talented actors to make a show a lasting hit.

Fame, fortune, hardship and the avant-garde have always clouded the lives of actors and actresses. ‘Sex sells’ and in a world where sex and violence are glorified how can Christian actors in theatre cope with a high pressure and mostly secular environment?

“It’s that learning to let go,” freelance journalist Retta Blaney said, “I think that’s impressive.” Blaney said that Christian actors first see themselves as actors. Of course there are lines that Christian actors have to be aware of. However that doesn’t stop these Christians in theatre from taking key roles and performing their best. This is key because as a Christian actor it is important to glorify God through acting well.

As an actor it is a tough business because there is always going to be a stigma if you don’t fit the profile. People of faith are also part of that stigma. For Christians “There’s always going to be factors against you,” Blaney said “are you tall enough, are you ethnic, are you religious.” Just as in the corporate world if you are a person of faith you are more likely to be looked over for a prime position over a more mainstream employee.

 In an age where materialism and secular humanism finds its way frequently onto the stage, there are still actors who are people of faith. “The ritualism of Theatre lends to this,” Blaney said. “It teaches you to see the necessity for faith.” Ultimately the industry may be moving towards a more commercialized environment actors of faith still try to glorify God through their unique acting and style.

Although Blaney said that the avant gard aspects of theatre have been somewhat abandoned and new shows, which turn out to be classics are rare, there still are a few quality performances on Broadway today. New shows like Memphis and Rock of ages have garnered rave reviews.

However, from the perspective of theatre critic to actor there is quite a different angle. Many actors take their work seriously and in that critical performance pressure is the key to success. As Christian actors it is important to glorify God through quality.

“People want to see someone work on stage,” Tad Wilson, an actor in the musical Rock of Ages said, “I look for a role that is quality.” Wilson commented that he looks to give people a performance that they are wowed by.

Wilson a secular actor expressed similar sentiments that Christian actors do. Striving to give a quality performance is the heart of acting. If actors are simply actors first their Christianity will shine through their performances. This is the crux of the issue. As Christians we must strive to first make good art. God calls us to a higher standard in everything we seek to do.

If a Christian show is poorly written and acted a critic like Blaney has to be true to her skill. A rave review won’t be up anytime soon for that show. This is the defining issue. Many Christians have abandoned art because of the belief that it is an irrecoverable field. This is certainly not the case.

The way to reform art is reform from within. Christians need to act well, write well, and direct well to reclaim Broadway. A Broadway show can be a magical experience it’s up to Christians to make sure that the performance the public receives is one that is memorable.

The stage is a sacred and profound place. In the words of the great George M. Cohan, “Give my respects to Broadway.” For actors this is their first priority. The right actor in the right role at the right theatre and on the right night can deliver a performance, which will dazzle an audience for a lifetime.