You've probably heard the saying “It’s not about what you know; it’s about who you know.” While that has proven to be true time and time again, in the end it really is about what you know.
Theatre is like politics or sports; there is news and information daily that can bring theatre geeks to their knees or cause an uprising. Thousands of people across the world are joined together because of their love for theatre and its time that you join in! Here are some tips to up your game, separate yourself from the average community theatre actor and give you the chance to be a true theatre geek!
Expose yourself to new shows. Take every opportunity you get to see all sorts of plays, musicals, concerts, cabarets, and operas. Listen to new cast recordings and watch movie musicals. By giving yourself that exposure, you’ll learn about new shows and actors, experience different artistic directions and you never know what you’ll take away from it. PS…it’s okay to not like some things. That doesn't make you a bad theatre geek; that makes you human.
Educate yourself. There are hundreds of places to pick up on the daily theatre news between websites, social media accounts, podcasts, etc. Like them on Facebook or follow them on Twitter to get up-to-date news daily on your news feeds for easy access. Popular and credible resources include: Playbill.com, Broadway.com, BroadwayWorld.com, @theatermania, @TheTonyAwards, and @BroadwayGirlNYC. Also follow individual shows and actors-they tend to dish out the best gossip and fun news.
Talk to other theatre geeks. There’s nothing better than talking theatre with others who love it as much as you do and you can learn so much through it. This is your chance to exchange likes/dislikes on shows and actors, copy cast recording albums and learn that bit of history you never knew about a show. And when you find yourself overwhelmed with your lack of knowledge try the next tip.
Fake it till you make it. A common trick used by the best of us. There will come a time when you’re in a conversation with a theatre friend, an avid actor or a random person on the streets of NYC waiting to get into the next big Broadway show where you’re asked “Did you see [insert show you don’t know]?” or “What do you think about [insert actor you don’t know] being cast in [insert another show you don’t now]?” While it’s always best to be honest, it does hurt your “street cred” when you repeatedly say “I don’t know” so act like you do – come on, we’re all actors! Say, “Oh yeah, I think I've heard of him” or “Ya know, I was in the middle of looking up that show plot.” You could pick up a wealth of new theatre news that you can Google later. Believe me, we've all done it.
Try some of these tips and you’ll be the Broadway know-it-all in no time!
Theatre Talk: How to be a Theatre Geek