For 15 years, I went to a private, tuition based after school performance class. I grew up in this environment and it is single handedly responsible for shaping me into the person I am today; both the good, and the bad.
I could go on for hours about how growing up as a child actor shaped me; it shaped my professional attitude, my creativity, my collaboration skills and my ability to take direction and criticism. In those ways, theatre can offer structure and long term benefits that I cannot and would not ever deny, but those are not the focus of today.
Today we'll talk about the self hatred that is interwoven into generations of industry oppression and discrimination. I'll speak to the lifetime of rejections, and the social repercussions that has on me as an adult. We'll address the constant triggering of intense emotions during my formative years and the exploitation of that emotion and mold-ability. We will touch on the endless gaslighting and power manipulation of creative directors, the fear of judgement instilled in our hearts and minds, the child labor for the purpose of "entertainment", "educational opportunity", and "community service".
This is what happens to a child who was raised to believe that their worth was inherently tied to talent and castability.
This will be starting a new series of discussions on this podcast about theatre spaces, safety, mental health, consent, sexual repression, sex work, wealth inequality, and all the other behaviors associated with an industry/community that has gaslit itself into believing that it will change the world by playing pretend.
This is an open and ongoing discussion -- please reach out to me on instagram with questions, concerns, or if you have stories you'd like to share anything about your experience in live performance spaces.
Instagram: @BraelinAnd
#theatre #livetheater #performacespaces #safespaces #wealthinequality #sexeducation #childactors