Why We Love Theatre

By: Renee Norris, Artistic Director

At STAND, our mission has always been Created to Create, and that belief shapes the way we love theatre.

I don’t love theatre for the applause or accolades. I love it because of what it does to the human heart.

Theatre is psychology in motion. It asks an artist  to step into someone else’s shoes and ask, What do they want? Why do they hurt? What are they afraid of? That kind of work builds empathy, emotional intelligence, and courage. It gives language to feelings that teenagers sometimes don’t yet know how to name. It teaches them that every action has motivation, every moment has meaning, and every person carries a story.

But even more than that: theatre is shared experience.

There is something deeply human about gathering in one room with actors, technicians, parents, volunteers, and audience - breathing the same air and telling the same story at the same time. No screens. No filters. Just presence. And when you build something together, over so many months, learning harmonies and building characters you form friendships that aren’t surface-level. They’re forged in vulnerability and trust.

I prefer a “one for all and all for one” spirit over a competitive one.

Competition asks, Did I get the lead?

Community asks, Did we tell the story well?

When one friend lands a big note, we cheer.

When a parent organizes the lobby beautifully, we celebrate.

When a staff member solves a problem, we applaud.

When a student finally finds a truthful moment in rehearsal, we all feel it.

There is no need to feel less-than or left out because someone else had a successful moment. Their win becomes our win. That’s the culture. That’s the joy.

And something powerful happens in that environment.

Kids relax.

Parents exhale.

Staff collaborate instead of compete.

We become a company - in the truest sense of the word.

Belonging is not reserved for the stage. It lives in the wings. It lives in the tech booth. It lives in the lobby. It lives in the person who takes out the trash after rehearsal because they care about the space and the people in it.

Even that matters.

Especially that matters.

And when a young person learns that their contribution, big or small, has value- they carry that into the world. They become adults who know how to collaborate. Adults who celebrate others. Adults who understand that shared success feels better than personal victory.

Theatre gives us lasting memories and a sense of belonging. 

And there is something deeply healing about being part of something where:

You are needed.

You are seen.

You are valued.

You are not competing for worth.

You simply belong.

That’s why we love theatre.