My dad and I just spent a week together in Chicago on a kind of theatrical tour. We saw shows at the Steppenwolf (I’ve always wanted to see what it was like there), Victory Gardens, Chicago Shakespeare, Second City and Cadillac Palace (wow, that’s a lot).
We had mixed opinions on all those shows, and generally enjoyed them less than others we were traveling with, but it was a great opportunity to get a taste of the scene and the city.
One element of our trip included occasional panels with actors and directors who would talk about the shows they were in, and about the theater scene in Chicago in general, especially as it compared to other cities like New York, LA, Minneapolis and San Francisco.
One of my favorites of these discussions was with a group of young actors who were trying to make ends meet as they got a footing in the city.
At one point, they were asked what he “biggest surprise” was about joining the theater scene after studying performing arts in school. Most of them talked about how difficult it was to get agents to work for them, or about how expensive it was in the city, or about what kind of jobs they had to get to pay the bills. But one guy named Brandon also talked about how surprised he was by the intergenerational friendships he’d made over time. And it struck me that I feel this is true too, that being involved in the arts scene allows for a much wider breadth of friends at different ages and with different backgrounds than most professions.
Because we’re involved in plays and productions that often have actors and crew in their 20s, 30s, 40s and up, we often make real connections and friendships with whomever we’re involved with. I’ve been to birthday parties and get-togethers with just as many folks in their 50s, 60s and 70s as I have in their 20s, 30s and 40s. And I count people of all ages as ones I trust and can consult with and ask opinions about theater and even about life dilemmas.
It was nice to realize this, knowing that most of my friends stick with groups who are roughly their own ages and own generations. The expansiveness of the demographic makes me feel more open, freer and more experienced than I might be otherwise.
Nothing too profound to add here really. Other than that in addition to enjoying having creative things in common with people, I also enjoy people with diverse backgrounds and educational history. Another reason I guess I’m glad I didn’t choose a Wall Street or golf caddy career.
