The Theatre

On Wednesday I saw “Love’s Labor’s Lost”, a Shakespeare comedy that was new to me. Although there were a few more sonnets than necessary, it was fantastic. To top it off, the audience was excellent. An audience will either make or break a live production, and this was an audience that loved and understood Shakespeare.

Let me take a moment to say that I love live productions; sitting in an audience watching people perform can be a magical experience. There is an ability to engage with art that is missing from television, movies, and recorded music. This week began what will be my fifth and final theatre season at Notre Dame, and it was a glorious commencement. Given my general tendency towards sarcasm when it comes to the Notre Dame institution, I feel it is important to mention that I love our performing arts center. All six venues in the center are small and well designed; each has a separate foundation so there are no sound issues regardless of the number of simultaneous productions at a given point in time (check it out at http://performingarts.nd.edu/). To top it off, as a student, tickets are inexpensive, and access is all of a five minute walk from my office or a five minute drive from home. When I move, this is one of the things I will miss.