Went to see the Blueman Group on Wednesday. While I enjoyed the show, I couldn't help but wonder, when avant-garde/experimental theater becomes commercially successful is it still avant-garde?
What also struck me was the Charles Playhouse where they perform in Boston. I don't know a lot about the history of the building except that it was originally built as a Universalist church then was also used as a synagogue. Did those congregations move onto other buildings, or did they fade away? I don't know the answer to that question. But I am struck when a former church is having 300 people packed into it 9 times a week paying anywhere from $50-100 for the privilege while many churches can't get even 50 people once a week without charging a thing. What does that say about what we are doing? I am not making the claim that we should begin seeing ourselves solely as entertainment, but I do think that we sometimes forget that worship is also a performance and we don't spend enough time in analyzing that simple fact for what it would mean to attract people to church.
No comments:
Post a Comment