By Fitz Turner
One of the hardest parts of growing up is facing judgment from others.
We all start as creative little balls of energy. Children have an endless ability to invent new characters, create new worlds and devise new superpowers for themselves to use to win the game their friend invented during recess.
And then, all of a sudden, those same friends who would play mermaids in the pool with you start to claim that’s only “for babies”. Soon after, everything revolves around being “cool”, gaining a sense of nonchalance, and becoming more of an “adult”.
As we pack up parts of ourselves that have a passion for creativity, joy, or light and hide them in the backs of our minds, we start to crush that inner weirdo until sometimes, we can’t find them anymore.
So when people ask me, “Why theater?” I ask them: Where else does having a sense of play get celebrated when you’re 13, 22, or 67? Where else is it more important to throw away your inhibitions and fully commit to a grand scale, make-believe scenario? Where else can I pour out my soul in search of a catharsis in a supportive environment, without masking your real feelings out of fear of being labeled as “silly” or “ridiculous”?
Something that was repeated to me over and over again in college as I sought a degree in “Professional Make-Believe” was “get in the river”, meaning jump in feet first and stop holding yourself back. Acting teachers would encourage us to be present in the moment, go all out, focus on the experience instead of what someone in the corner might have to say, and let me tell you what: that was not easy.
Fighting against the years of concern for what others think was so hard, and we were already big theater kids! As a theater teacher, I see how my older students struggle with maintaining the sense of play they had as Munchkins and Juniors, and I love to push our older kids to fully embrace who they are and who they can become through the power of creativity and play. I celebrate every glimpse I see of their inner weirdos, and I love getting to laugh and dance and clown with these kids every week. Embracing that sense of play enhances their understanding of themselves and the world around them. It builds empathy and teaches them how to connect with other people.
In a world focused on survival, proving yourself, and concern for what other people think of us, do something to reconnect with your inner weirdo. Give yourself a good wiggle, sing like nobody’s listening, or make up a story about the broccoli family living in your fridge. Your inner weirdo will thank you.
