Since we run rehearsals for the next show concurrently with the performances of the current show, my home theatre has to rehearse somewhere offsite. We’re lucky enough to have a large church basement which we rent at a reasonable rate for this purpose. A local opera company also operates out of this space, though I’ve yet to have the opportunity to see one of their performances.
Part of my on-going research into the history and culture of the stage has to do with the connections both overt and esoteric between religious festival and theatrical spectacle. Since the stage is already a kind of analogue for the altar, it only makes sense that there would a natural cross-over between theatres and churches. More obvious, perhaps, is the fact that churches are already equipped to handle large groups of people gathering together for an event. They’ve got the facilities: kitchens, bathrooms, meeting spaces, etc.
Anyway, just wondering how many other theatres out there have or continue to rehearse in church basements. Might be an interesting item to collect anecdotes around…
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