Both actors and athletes
alike compete and perform, and for it to be less messy, they tend to compete
within their own circles. The disparity in the income earned between the two
professionals is staggering, and as I am much more of an actor than an athlete (click here for Part I),
I saw the difference from the financially inferior end. Until recently, I blindly
scoffed and shook my head over and over as ESPN reported on trade deals,
multi-million dollar contracts, and the poor attitude with which these business
negotiations and offers were regarded, but I’ve begun to realize where this
rift begins.
I have had the pleasure
of attending (and working on) a large variety of theatrical performances, from
free public school and community center performances to orchestra level seats
on Broadway, and the ticket price range extends much, much higher than those
I’ve been fortunate enough to afford. As for sporting events, tickets are not
even necessary for some community leagues either, but I would be sorely naïve
to omit the seats from this blog that I may never be able to afford—courtside
NBA or 50-yard line bowl game.
Yes, the events are much
different, and the venues are starkly different beasts, but the point is to
illustrate the fee-based similarity in two distinctly different events: one
where the audience watches athletes and the other to watch actors, and in both
cases, premium ticket prices can soar into the thousands.
Fact: Both plays and
games can get equally expensive, really quickly.
In any case, let’s get to
the performance aspect. John Stockton and Doc Rivers have offered some of the
best performances ever seen, but neither was nominated for a Tony. Conversely,
the third gazelle from the left in Julie Taymor’s The Lion King could possibly
outrun the average human, but they probably will not be invited to the NFL Combine. This should be no surprise, as Stockton and Rivers were NBA stars and
didn’t set foot anywhere on a Broadway stage (at least in a running
production), and dancers aren’t drafted on their ability to arabesque. However,
it would be remiss to allow passage of the fact that actors exert themselves
physically in addition to mentally, or that athletes are not challenged
mentally.
Fact: Both actors and
athletes exhibit levels of physical and mental prowess in their respective
vocations.
What are the four
requisites to qualify as a theatrical event?
- Performers
- Patrons
- Venue
- Content
| Criteria | Play/Musical | Sporting Event |
| Performers | Actors | Athletes |
| Patrons | Audience | Fans |
| Venue | House/Stage | Stadium/Field |
| Content | Script | Game |
What can we infer? That
both stage plays and sporting events are theatrical events.
Fact: Competition is a
major factor in both actors’ and athletes’ jobs.
BUT!
In the public’s eye, when
it comes to criticism, the athlete’s physical ability and the actor’s mental
ability are their respective primary targets, regardless of the fact that
physical and mental prowess are intertwined partners. Acknowledging society’s
point of view on the difference between the two professionals, it can still be
ascertained that both athletes and actors exert themselves physically and
mentally during their performances.
So…
Fact: Actors compete to
perform for a living. Athletes perform in competition for a living.
Broken down…
The exhibition of
(mainly) physical (but also mental) strength and prowess is the athlete’s art.
Competition is the medium through which athletes perform. At every level, athletes are competing
with peers to get to “the big show,” and when they get there, it’s another
competition. However, this terminal competition is viewed as entertainment to
non-participants.
The exhibition of
physical and mental strength and prowess (together) within a performance is the
actor’s art. Competition is the medium through which actors earn the chance to perform. At the
audition/callback level, actors compete with each other to get to “the big
show,” but when they get there, it is no longer a competition, but a
straight-forward performance purely for entertainment value.
But, if actors and
athletes are so similar in the skills they possess to execute their jobs, why
is there such a difference in the way they are viewed?
Fact: Physical
superiority has had mental/creative superiority in a headlock for thousands of
years.
In mind versus muscle,
muscle has been glorified time and time again. Not to say the excellence of the
mind is not regarded, but it’s just not as…dare I say—sexy.
As cliché as it is, let’s
go back to the times of Greeks and Romans…
There were physical
tournaments (think Olympics and the Colosseum with Gladiators) and theatrical
festivals (Festival of Dionysus). Many enjoyed both, but how do you measure
success?
When two athletes are
pitted against one another, one can easily be declared a victor by whoever is
still standing. When two actors (or playwrights) are pitted against one
another, the victor is a matter of opinion—literally.
Striving for superiority,
athletes and actors evolved and each pushed the boundaries of their craft.
Bodybuilders were just that, building upon their own bodies, while actors
were…building upon an intangible creative muscle. As athletes compete over
measurable factors, actors perform (after the competition) for entertainment
value. The theatre becomes a place of leisure and recreation while the stadium
becomes a battleground for physical warriors.
Fact: Comedy is more
criticized than fear.
As recreational theatre
becomes a staple of entertainment, it becomes commonplace that theatre is meant
to make the audience feel good. The apparent goal of this magical place where
you can escape your own life is joy.
As athletic games develop
around their measurable factors, it becomes a commonplace that games are about physical
superiority, denoting a winner and a loser. Physical strength and intimidation
result in the conquest of the opponent. The audience looks on, and the apparent
goal is to be on the side of the victor.
With these two
understandings, the presentation of the dramatic/though-provoking work faces
some friction from the public as they have been trained that theatre is a place
of laughter. Also, the physical conquest of the opponent (often resulting in
death) raises a champion to the crowd, and as self-preservation prescribes, you
side with the victor, because opposition may result in a fate similar to the
carcass being carted off the field.
As time went on, a value
was placed on the measurable art of athleticism, and the opinion-based success
of actors bred an opinion-based value. Money, power, respect. Lather, rinse,
repeat. Fast forward to 2012 and multi-million dollar contracts are flying
around the world for athletes from…around the world. Physical competition is
still being measured, pushed, and stretched, and the actors’ creative
competition/performance is still opinion-based.
Although that delved
further into the income disparity, it leaves one major factor out, and that
will be explored in the future. That factor?
Perfection.
