I took live performances for granted, and now I miss it
- Loreta Arroyo
- Feb 6, 2022
- 5 min read
Any musical theatre fans out there?
Watching live performances is something that some of us enjoy. From watching concerts in and around Metro Manila to the 3-5-song gigs at bars, clubs, restaurants, and mall shows, there's just something with watching live people perform that is so magical, so surreal, and so humanizing...and, unfortunately, I took it all for granted.
Before the pandemic, I've been to quite a handful of live performances. I've been to a lot of mall shows (Jason Derulo in 2010 , Christina Grimmie in 2014, and Greyson Chance in 2016) as well as full-blown concerts (Taylor Swift in 2011 and Lady Gaga in 2012) and stage productions (Les Misérables in 2016, Wicked in 2017, and Lucia di Lammermoor in 2020). As an audience back then, these were "treats" or a "nice-to-have" and not really a need. With the pandemic, though, when everything felt connected only through screens, my inner theatre kid hungered for more than bootleg shows on YouTube.
What's with live performances, anyway?
With live performances, let's just say there's...a lot.
To illustrate why I love live performances, let's compare it to taped or performances we watch on screens. When something is taped and/or blasted through screens (e.g., tv, cinemas, or smartphones), the level of interaction is limited by how directors and editors allow them to be. Even live performances that are either recorded or streamed on YouTube or Facebook, things like audio and visual elements like lighting are limited by what our devices allow. However, with live performances, everything feels personal — being right there, there is a sense of community simply because of the human interaction that we share. I know, there is an invisible curtain that separates performers and the audiences but, in some cases like when the entire audience screams the lyrics to a song, this wall is broken and the audience immediately becomes part of the performance, not alienated from it.
For example, in live concerts, you feel the bass and the drums banging on your chest as if your heart were to explode. That is not something that mere earphones or even cinema speakers can replicate (although cinemas are close). In opera productions like that of Lucia di Lammermoor at the CCP, the rollercoaster of emotions in Lucia's Il Dolce Suono as she appears in a bloody dress with a dagger on her hand is not something that's easily captured by film cameras. The way Lucia's voice complements that of the flute and how it rises above the orchestra later on as the character further spirals down into insanity is nothing short of magical. Not to mention, in operas, microphones aren't really a thing. The way an opera singer's voice is heard throughout the theatre is all thanks to their talent and years and years of training. Recordings just don't give them justice.
Another key element to live productions is the audience's imagination. Unlike in movies and film where there can be technology can hop in and amaze us with CGI, everything in a live production is pure artistry and the magic of imagination. Don't get me wrong. Animation in film is amazing but, where cinematographers can harness the power of color-correction or visual artists can use CGI to transform a person into a feline (ehem, Cats, ehem), a lighting director is limited by what RGB light bulbs can do, the same way makeup artists are bound by the colors in their palette, or the special effects artists with the amount of prosthesis they can put on a character's body. The rest is up to the audience to imagine, i.e., red means blood so it's bad or "doom" and yellow is sun so it's cheerful and happy.
These were the things I took for granted. In my mind, stage productions will always be there. Needless to say, the more than two years in quarantine proved me wrong.
What I want to see after the pandemic?
As the world opens up hopefully sooner, rather than later, there are some live performances that I want to see and explore! Here are some of them:
1. Local Drag Shows
I mean, I love RuPaul's Drag Race and it's so amazing how that show opened my eyes to the artistry of drag...and yet I haven't watched a single drag show in Manila? I need to do better!!! But seriously though, I haven't experienced what it's like to watch live drag shows. I haven't even stepped inside a bar! I mean, I don't drink alcohol anyways so maybe that's a part of it — but still! I want to see what happens in a drag show, how do performers interact with the audience, and know the level of drag our drag queens offer! I don't want to settle for watching Drag Race Philippines !
2. Local Theatre Shows
By now, it shows I haven't had a lot of local theatre shows on my list and that...says a lot. There are a ton of local theatre shows that I want to watch, actually! The productions of "Ang Huling El Bimbo" and "Rak of Aegis" are the two things that come to mind, but I'm also looking forward to other shows like "Katy! The Musical," "Noli Me Tangere Opera," "Dekada '70 The Musical," and "Himala: Isang Musikal." Of course, this list is yet to expand as new stage productions become available, but I'm always open for recos!
3. International Shows Staged in Manila
The same time with local theatre productions, I also still look forward to watching international theatre productions like "Once On This Island," "Lion King," "Phantom of the Opera," and "The Color Purple." These are the musicals I've listened the music to but haven't really seen the whole story behind (except maybe for Phantom because, let's be honest, if you're a theatre kid, you've probably watched Emmy Rossum as Christine Daaé for at least ten times). There are other stage productions I want to see like "Six" or "Little House of Horrors" but these might be a faraway reality.
For now, YouTube and Spotify might have to do...
Let's face it, the road to "post-pandemic normalcy" is easier said than done and, as of writing, there are more fish to fry especially in healthcare. So, streaming live and pre-recorded content might be the best way to go for now. But, I remain hopeful that I would once again feel the beat of the drums in my chest or hear the magic with every wish-wash of a conductor's baton.
Also, last but important note, after the pandemic, I hope live shows become more and more accessible to the public. I hope there is a conscientious effort (maybe from the government) to subsidize theatre groups and make shows free. I mean, I know there are some shows with cheap tickets but for the Filipino masses, a hundred peso-ticket is still a hundred pesos out of their pockets. It's wonderful to enrich everyone's perspective on our culture and arts but I think sharing with the greater majority the magic behind every live performance is an even better reason to make them accessible.
For you, what are the live shows you're looking forward to after the pandemic? Any theatre or band recommendations? Sound off in the comments below!
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