WELCOME STATEMENT

WELCOME TO REC ROOM WELCOME BACK

Since we’ve last seen each other at Rec Room, I have spent the greater part of the two years exploring the effects of theatre on communities through a psychological and social lense, and more specifically, what Rec Room offers the Houston community. Without any plays to produce, direct, or see, I have been driven by the central question: “what good is theatre?”

Theatre does not get much credit for its significant contributions to the overall wellbeing of theatregoers (largely because it is difficult to prove what would happen in the absence of going to a play). However, there are a handful of studies that have found that the performing arts promote physical, psychological, social, and cultural wellbeing for those who attend. More than ever before there is a need to acknowledge that, despite complex logistics and the risk of presenting shows in the midst of an unforgiving pandemic that seeks to remove our ability to gather, delivering effective performing arts programs is critical for our wellbeing.

Drama is a demonstration of the necessary balance between a dialectic understanding of ourselves. The act of drama brings us together to share experiences in real-time while also giving us the opportunity to observe through distance and perspective. Through the power of empathy, theatre enables us to feel powerfully with, and to know ourselves in others, and others in ourselves. In his book The Master and His Emissary, psychiatrist and literary scholar Iain McGilchrist writes: “What we feel arises out of what I feel for what you feel for what I feel about your feelings about me - and about many other things besides: it arises from the betweenness, and in this way feeling binds us together, and, more than that, actually unites us, since the feelings are shared.”

Carl Jung wrote that the main source of sickness is a loss of connection to the instincts and a lack of meaning. I am confident in my belief that theatre is one of the most powerfully effective ways to tap into our instincts and create meaning out of existence.

Through the beginnings of analytic philosophy and drama, the Ancient Greeks began the process of standing back and pondering the philosophy of our existence. However, today, many Houstonians are experiencing an overwhelming amount of obstacles that attempt to keep us away from pondering existence through drama. Sure, the pandemic is a significant deterrent, but additionally, our lives are becoming saturated with supplementary tasks and ways of living that are pulling us away from ourselves. For instance, digital communication has made superficial connections the primary means of communication. Emails, texts, Zooms, TicTocs, and Insta-stories seem to have gained sovereignty over our lives. What once used to take days to achieve now can be completed in seconds thanks to technology. However, the price of technological efficiency is taking its toll.

Parkinson’s Law states that “the work expands to fill the time available for its completion.” In other words, the efficiency provided by technology has led to more things to do and process. Therefore, we are spending less time on the things we truly value such as our friends, family, and selves. Attending the theatre is an investment in ourselves. Theatre takes deliberate time and forces us to pause. Yet, for many of us, our modern lives are telling us that we have no time to pause for ourselves. I believe our lack of time is a threat to the performing arts, and therefore, detrimental to our wellbeing. Is theatre at risk of being deposed by work, obligations, and TicToc?

Just before writing this note, I caught the designer run of Dance Nation. The play hit me hard. Not only are the performances top-notch, but I cannot think of a better play to restart our trajectory to become the theatre heartbeat of our city. Dance Nation is about the challenges presented to pre-teen girls, but it is also a play about resilience when the going gets tough. Dance Nation shows us the importance of connecting with others through art, even when things are falling apart all around us.

Do we give up, or do we pick ourselves up off the dance floor and carry on?

I am thrilled that you are with us this evening, and excited for you to have the opportunity to explore the metaphoric nature of existence.

Onwards! Matt Hune Artistic Director