Gamers and Theatre: Is There a Connection?

[Ahnehnois]

Took some theater and filmmaking in elementary school and a semester of theater in high school. I would have liked to make a movie during college, but that *really* didn't happen.

I suppose D&D is sort of the best wish fulfillment I can get, given that I've never had the chance to write books or direct movies as I'd like to have done.

I bet there is a higher incidence of engineer gamers than theatre gamers.

I'm not one, but I agree with that. New poll, someone...

 

[Desdichado]

Very, very little. I was tempted to vote "none" but that was just a tad too absolute for me. I have actually been on a stage once or twice... twenty some odd years ago, at least. And I occasionally spring for tickets to Les Mis or Phantom or something like that, but mostly because it's a cool date to go on with my wife.

While I see some correllations, particularly how I play, I tend to approach gaming from more of a writer's perspective; not an actor's.

 

[kenobi65]

Of the thirty or so people that I game with on a regular basis, I think 4 have (or have had) some involvement with theater:
- One is involved with his community theater, both acting and doing lighting
- One recently wrote a play
- One is a big-time fan of the theater, and has, in the past, worked on show crews
- One worked on show crews in high school and college

I think the poll here, however, doesn't get at your real question. The poll will get at: "how many gamers are theater people", and the answer looks to be: not many. I agree with some earlier posters; I see the computer and engineering fields far more represented among the gamers I know (and, in fact, two of the four people I listed above work in computer software as their day jobs).

It seems like your real question is: "how many theater people are gamers?" For that, you'd need to do this poll on a theater board.

 

[Deuce Traveler]

My best friend sometimes puts theater shows together and was very involved in dance and art during school, but I always had to initiate a game to get him to play. His other theater friends were more into drinking at the bar than playing games at home.

 

[evilbob]

I ran a game that lasted almost two years that started from a few guys hanging around after rehearsals suddenly realizing they all liked, played, or wanted to try D&D.

It's a good synergy.

 

[crazy_monkey1956]

I was a Theater Rat in high school, working backstage on most of the school plays, including Stage Manager for "Annie Get Your Gun", and on stage a couple of times: as a guard in "Man of La Mancha" and as the second hunter in "The Cave". I also have one semi-professional credit from those days.

 

[Mallus]

Personally, I haven't acted since junior high but I enjoy the theater, particularly playwrights like Stoppard and Caryl Churchill. My wife and I go from time to time since there's plenty of local theater in Philadelphia.

But I'm known a few very good DM's who had stage experience.

 

[Afrodyte]

I found my way to playwriting through being a frustrated roleplayer and DM. I was also an English major. My interests tend toward the arts and humanities, where I explore ideas and impressions rather than facts and data. Yes, it's lonely being the right-brain person in the group.

 

[Umbran]

I bet there is a higher incidence of engineer gamers than theatre gamers.

Well, it isn't like they're mutually exclusive.

I did a lot of theatre in college, and my wife and I both occasionally do various things for live performances - in front of the audience or behind the curtain.

 

[Night Watchman]

I'm a theater kid through and through. I'm not doing into theater for a living, but I've got the bug something fierce.