Amateur versus Community

Sun, 29 Oct 2006, 12:03 pm

Logos25 posts in thread

When did we start using Community rather than Amateur and why? I can still remember a time when the word amateur was proudly worn by a number of theatre companys. After all the word means basically " for the love of" and means far more than unpaid. The top skilled amateurs are not far from professional in ability and the best companies manage very high production values indeed. I have to say that the Scouts are getting quite frightening from that point of view.

Community Theatre at least in the seventies menat something else entirely and related to professional company's working in and with the general community companys like Junction and Troupe here in Adelaide. Exploring local issues and producing performance pieces addressing those issues. They caot a fortune to run of course and as funding became harder and harder in the eighties and ninties they vanished.

So back to the first question. Are we no longer proud of amateur status, is it something we try to avoid as a label. Do we feel that the term community theatre has a better image. Any thoughts.

Soup Cans!

Tue, 31 Oct 2006, 08:49 am

Tari-Xalyr

ONLY SOUP CANS NEED LABELS!! And it bugs me how people try to put labels on things, including other human beings. Alas this is how the world attempts to simplify things. It is true that most "average joes" don't know the difference between "amatuer" and "professional." They do just judge on performance and entertainment quality. (I should know. lol. I've just introduced my family to a cultural whirlwind and they nearly died of shock when I said it wasn't "professional" theatre.) I haven't had much experience dealing with the two "labels" - if you will. So I'm not able to make as informed a comment there but from what I've been reading and gathering from other people is that there is quite a divide between "pro" and "am" - although like in everything it's being disguised or swept under the rug. People need to admit that they can learn alot off each other and a label should not stop this learning process. In an industry that is always changing so rapidly then to learn from the "other side of the tracks" may be a good thing. Or is it that some have forgotten a love for the art form and now it is merely a job?? (because it's time for a change if thats the case!) ~ Tari The Writer is a child forever listening at the keyhole of the adult world.

Thread (25 posts)

Threaded Flat

Amateur versus Community— Logos29 Oct 2006

Presentation— Labrug29 Oct 2006
I personally prefer the— Na29 Oct 2006
Not to wax anti-semantic...— Bass Guy29 Oct 2006
My local— Na30 Oct 2006
- So waddya suggest???— Bass Guy30 Oct 2006
It's a bit ironic that I— Logos31 Oct 2006
- Pro-Patronise— Labrug31 Oct 2006
  - As for choosing only to do— Na31 Oct 2006
Soup Cans!— Tari-Xalyr31 Oct 2006
- Learning from each other— Labrug31 Oct 2006
I've just seen an advert— Logos31 Oct 2006
Well, for what it is worth,— Robert Whyte31 Oct 2006
its a matter of overlapping but not equivalent definitions folks— Craig K Edwards31 Oct 2006
What's in a name— Alex Nicol31 Oct 2006
We've had this discussion— Na31 Oct 2006
- Let's all just call— Daniel Kershaw31 Oct 2006
  - Sole Figure— Labrug31 Oct 2006
A thought— Na31 Oct 2006
There's a lady here in— Logos1 Nov 2006
I agree...— Na1 Nov 2006
- Investigate— Labrug2 Nov 2006
I think that theatre is— grantwatson5 Nov 2006
- Thank god you're here— Labrug5 Nov 2006
we're not alone— Craig K Edwards6 Nov 2006

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