Today my university closed its theatre program.
I mean, officially it was closed before this year started, no classes were offered, no department existed, but there was still the Theatre Room.
As you entered the building you couldn’t help but pass it, there on the left, the old cafeteria turned theatre classroom. A heavy curtain created a partition part-way across the room, hiding reams of props, set pieces, and random pieces of furniture. Further in was the costume room filled with a treasure trove of outfits from a range of eras. Though there was no department, there was still the Theatre Room. It represented the possibility of a resurgence, that theatre might yet make its underdog comeback just like in the movies.
But it didn’t.
This morning we arrived at school to find set pieces outside waiting to be thrown away. Fake palm trees huddled together, drooping over each other while they waited their turn to enter the dumpster. It was a sign of the end. Theatre would not return.
This afternoon the call went out, the costume room was being emptied. Everything was fair game. We rushed downstairs. Soon a dozen or so people were browsing the overflowing racks of costumes, filling garbages bags with their new found loot. First-come, first-serve.
The theatre program is gone now, ransacked and thrown away. It’s sad, but as always, parting is such sweet sorrow… because now I own some pretty epic costumes that I got for free. There’s always a silver lining.
The Quester's Tale 