Stage Light or Seat Side? I Have Loved Both.
There was a time when the stage
lights shone directly on me. Today, I mostly watch from the audience. Yet, my
love for the performing arts has remained unchanged.
As a child of about ten, I eagerly
looked forward to every opportunity to step onto the stage. If my class teacher
announced that someone had to dance to a song or act in the annual day drama,
my hand would be among the first to go up. I happily accepted every role and
gave it my best.
The applause that followed was my
greatest reward. Friends cheered, teachers encouraged me, and family members
made it a point to attend the school annual day just to watch me perform. Their
appreciation gave me confidence and made every rehearsal worthwhile.
Well, almost every rehearsal!
At home, after school, I would
enthusiastically practise my dance steps and expressions. Looking back, I must
admit that these rehearsals also became a clever excuse to postpone my
homework. Practising for the stage somehow felt much more exciting than solving
mathematics or writing essays.
One vacation at my grandparents'
town brought another memorable opportunity.
The local performing arts
association, or sabha, was staging the well-known story of Krishna and Sudama
(Kuchela). Children from the neighbourhood were invited to participate. We
played Sudama's children.
It was a simple role with no
dialogues. In the opening scenes, dressed in torn clothes, we sat together and
ate the porridge served to us, portraying the family's poverty. In the final
scenes, after Lord Krishna's blessings transformed Sudama's fortunes, we
returned wearing beautiful clothes and enjoying baskets of fresh fruits.
Though it was a small role, it
remains one of my fondest childhood memories. My aunts, who were visiting at
the time, came especially to watch the performance, making the occasion even
more special.
College brought yet another chance
to experience the magic of theatre. I became part of a production of The
Merchant of Venice. It was wonderful to be involved in a classic Shakespearean
play and to experience theatre in a different setting.
As life moved forward, my place
gradually shifted.
The stage gave way to the seat.
Instead of performing, I found
equal joy in being an attentive audience member. Today, whenever possible, I
attend live concerts, music performances, stage plays, dance recitals, and
cultural programmes. Watching talented artistes bring stories and music to life
is just as fulfilling as standing under the spotlight once was.
Age may have changed my role, but
it has never changed my admiration for the performing arts.
Whether under the bright stage
lights or seated quietly in the audience, every performance reminds me of the
excitement I once felt as a young child waiting for the curtains to open.
Perhaps that is the beauty of the
arts.
Sometimes we perform.
Sometimes we applaud.
Both experiences enrich us in
their own way.
The stage may belong to someone
else today, but my heart still beats in rhythm with every curtain rise, every
musical note, and every round of applause. After all, the love for the
performing arts never fades—it simply finds a different seat.
( This blogpost is a part of BLOGCHATTER"S BLOGHOP. Details here : https://www.theblogchatter.com/blogchatter-blog-hop-a-new-way-to-write-collectively)
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