Everything is theater (so take notes)
Last week I went to Medieval Times with a bunch of friends for a birthday party. We had a few drinks, took a limousine to Anaheim, and ironically enjoyed an evening from long, long ago.
(For those unfamiliar, Medieval Times is like Lucha Libre except with horses and swords–choreographed fights and a half-baked storyline of queens and knights.)
When we got there, we were amazed (and amused) at how many super fans spent their Friday nights at Medieval Times not ironically. They dressed up in high-quality tunics. They pored over the fight sequences and storylines. They ate and drank with the posture of nobles. As a hip crowd from Los Angeles, it was easy for us to laugh at these folks for being so into something so frivolous.
On Sunday night, I went to see the LA Clippers face off against the Utah Jazz at the Staples Center (now called “Crypto.com Arena”). My friends and I got a bite beforehand, put on our basketball gear, and cheered the night away. We were so into something so frivolous.
When you really break it down, there are very few differences between Medieval Times and an NBA game.
A staple in our culture has always been the theater. It’s taken different shapes over the centuries, but humans have always gathered to see a show.
Comedies and Tragedies used to be the popular theater. Before that, it was brutal death matches in the coliseum. Now, our culture enjoys an athletic contest the most. But the components are all the same. There are heroes and villains. Conflicts and resolutions. Ongoing storylines, and changes in status roles. On Friday night I saw the young Green Knight best the old White Night. On Sunday night I saw the unexpected young Jazz team overcome the injured Clippers team.
As you continue your week of creation and storytelling, keep these components in mind. Humans have always watched the theater, whatever form it comes in. Use the elements of good theater to your advantage, to connect with more people through your work.
Good luck out there.
