Open Forum

Across the centuries, theatre has striven to illuminate the human condition. To paraphrase Hamlet's advice to the players, "The purpose of theatre is to reflect human nature." Theatre at its core - and often at its best - simply evokes the imagination of the audience. As Shakespeare says in his prologue to Henry V, "Let us on your imaginary forces work."

When I saw Star Wars, I had the distinct feeling that somewhere in the universe this is a documentary. This is the power of film, to create a 30'-high reality. In contrast, Sanford Meisner suggests that acting, and by extension, theatre "is behaving truthfully under imaginary circumstances." Theatre should embrace the power to engage the audience's imagination. Through the words of the playwright and the vision of the director, actors interpret story and character in an exploration and illumination of human nature.