SUSTAINABILITY IN THEATRE ESSAY

Sustainability in Theatre

Introduction

Theatre performances play a significant role in exposing individuals to a creative space where they can learn different aspects of their existence by objectifying characters in the play and other literary materials. Importantly, individuals are expected to recognize their line of interest and explore the modern world to identify platforms that meet their expectations. Broadway performances in the U.S. have taken over the years, with the operational performance of the facility evolving to adjust to the changing times. Many individuals have questioned the sustainability measures put in place by theatres around the globe because of the existence of an impending risk caused by technological advancements. Recently, theatrical production was found to have a significant environmental footprint, making it one of the aspects of the corporate world that must be configured to conform to global sustainability measures. Given the fact that some of the costumes used in certain scenes are not reusable, theatre production corporations must be held to account for their input towards the efforts to safeguard the environment. 

Different innovations in the world today are focusing on reducing the dependence of individuals on other people for existence. Instead, innovators are developing various changes and aligning them with Artificial Intelligence (AI), which seeks to replace the human role in the coming days. Evaluating the nature of theatre performances leads one to identify numerous loopholes that challenge the sustainability of theatres in the world today. In the wake of aspects such as global warming and climate change, corporations and public institutions are now expected to declare the sustainability measures that they have put in place to address the challenges associated with the adverse outcomes. By collaborating these practices in theatre performance, individuals understand the roles they should play to create a holistic environment where corporations are viewed as responsible entities that value human life and the state of the situation.

Can Theatres Prioritize Sustainability?

Challenges in Embracing Sustainability

Given the increased awareness of climate change and global warming, different countries have imposed stringent measures on the manufacturing sectors among other industries with the hope of controlling the matter that is discharged to the environment as output. Certain products have been ruled out because of their impact on the nature of outcomes that shapes conversations and inspires the implications of the consequences on the environment. Theatre production corporations are undergoing a phase of change where they are now expected to review their practices with the hope of overcoming challenges taking place in their surroundings (Beer, T. and Hes, D., 2017). One of the commonly used tactics is the imposition of legal reforms and policies, which act as guidelines to discourage individuals from defying the expectations outlined by the ruling authorities. However, one might wonder how theatres contribute to global warming and climate change compared to manufacturing corporations. Understanding this correlation requires people to monitor closely their electrical usage, non-reusable costumes, and lighting drawings that require large amounts of paper, among other items.

Altering the approaches used in theatre production might seem costly but have a significant impact on the outcomes of events recorded in the world today. For instance, the spectacular costumes that cannot be used in subsequent shows are dumped because of the inability of the characters to utilize the clothing in their following set. Likewise, the high-wattage lighting tools that set the mood in the performance halls have been mentioned to cause high electric usage, which could be saved and utilized during a time of need. From this observation, adjusting from the traditional theatre practices to the recommended policies might require the production companies to invest heavily in modern tools and instruments that are costly. Any business operating in the market anticipates increasing its profit margin by cutting down expenses that raise the cost of production. Even though the corporations might comply with the sustainability measures, remaining in the business environment might become difficult because of the expenses associated with the various theatre performances.

Recognizing that the world is in an environmental crisis encourages individuals to make informed decisions that resonate with the recommended policies being made by policymakers. While many of the proposed measures have been implemented in different parts of the world, relevant authorities should not be distracted from realizing that the change is taking place in large theatre production corporations. Even though implementing the measures has a significant impact on outcomes taking place in the world today, the varied issues indicate the differences that are influenced by micro and macro-environmental factors (Dalton, V.A., Cooksey, R.W. and Hunter, J., 2019). Importantly, regularly funded theatres will experience minimal difficulties in implementing the measures because of the smooth production transition that cushions the institutions from an economic shock. Compared to the established theatres, small production units will be edged out of business because of their overreliance in ticket sales and limited funding from institutions. Creating a balance in the theatre industry is essential because of its ability to promote sustainability by ensuring that all theatre production companies benefit from the measures while accomplishing their desired profit margins.

Viable Steps in Prioritizing Sustainability

Nevertheless, many production corporations are reviewing their theatre practices and aligning their interests with the environmental recommendations that have been proposed to safeguard the environment. Promoting a culture of recycling and reusing can drastically save costs and reduce the ecological footprint that contributes to climate change and global warming. Developing reusable costumes and using scenic elements that can be recycled enables theatre production corporations to overcome challenges associated with the renewed calls to embrace sustainability (Hassall, L. and Rowan, S., 2019). For instance, components such as lumber can be reused in several scenes and subsequent sets instead of purchasing a new one to cater to every performance. Scenic designs are one of the activities in theatre performance that compels production companies to diversify and buy different and unique items to satisfy the expectations of the audience. Based on the recommended sustainability approaches, individuals are not supposed to buy new items but reuse and recycle their existing tools to create a scenic environment that does not endanger society.

When assessing the damage imposed on the environment, individuals are supposed to review the different components that contribute to the shocking numbers associated with each of the aspects related to environmental degradation. According to a 2016 environmental report, leather and textile waste account for 10% of the solid waste that fills up different parts of the globe. In theatre production, leather and textile usage are significant because of the development of varying quality costumes that are non-reusable (Dalton, V. and Cooksey, R., 2019). Failing to recycle these products contribute to the percentage of the substantial waste percentage that ends up in a landfill. Controlling people’s perspectives presents an opportunity for individuals to evaluate their actions and how they can safeguard the environment from degradation inspired by human activities. Since theatre production companies have a dedicated textile center that develops their costumes and props, they should be advised to halt their plans to purchase new uniforms. Instead, they should embark on recycling and reusing a journey that allows them to overcome the problem attributed to issues affecting the environment.

Julie’s Bicycle (JB) is a non-profit corporation that works closely with the Arts Council of England (ACE) to facilitate the operational performance of corporations to reduce their environmental footprint and impact. The partnership between JB and ACE has had a significant impact on theatre performance because of its implications to streamline operations and balance the changing needs of individuals at a time when the world is on the brink of collapsing. Given the fact that the central focus has shifted to manufacturing, it is possible to forget about the environmental footprint of theatre production companies and their contribution to the piling of solid waste in the world today. While valid arguments have been raised against promoting sustainability in theatre production, corporations should be allowed to explore alternative sources of funding to accomplish their desired objectives. Theatre production relies heavily on finances, and a slight change in the cause of income might influence the operational performance of the corporation (Al-Qaysi, N., Mohamad-Nordin, N. and Al-Emran, M., 2020). Also, awareness should be directed towards the audience to understand the necessary measures that have been put in place to embrace environmental sustainability in theatre production. By balancing the expectations of the audience, it becomes easier for the production corporations to comply with the stipulated measures, which promote accountability in the theatre environment.

Conclusion

By collaborating these practices in theatre performance, individuals understand the roles they should play to create a holistic environment where corporations are viewed as responsible entities that value human life and the state of the situation. Observing the measures that have been put in place to enhance sustainability in a theatre production is an important aspect that demonstrates the level of concern among individuals in the modern world. Understanding the nature of issues that limit individuals from embracing sustainability measures is an essential aspect of production that should be handled carefully to prevent a case of overspilling to other elements of the environment. By recycling costumes and reusing some aspects of production, it becomes easier to comply with the environmental sustainability policies that have been recommended in the world today.

Research Notes

In exploring the issues that affect the sustainability of theatre productions, I first explored the entertainment scene to identify the different activities that hinder individuals from accomplishing their desired objectives. Understanding the concept of sustainability depicts the need for individuals to align their interests with the changing needs of consumers and corporations. In the age of information technology, various innovations targeting different population groups have emerged. Given the varied impact of these innovative solutions, measuring their longevity is an aspect that bars individuals from focusing on the long-term effects of these inventions. The world is fast evolving, and as such, individuals are expected to discover their potential to accomplish various objectives that meet their expectations. When trying to understand the issues that emerge in the world today, creating an enabling environment where options can be measure and evaluated offers opportunities for corporations to master their craft.

In this exercise, I analyzed the activities that take place in a theatre production corporation and its impact on the audience that has certain expectations from the different presentations highlighted in the business environment. Based on the need for individuals to discover their potential, overcoming these problems creates a problem that can be solved through developing sustainability measures. For instance, many of the costumes used in theatre production are not reusable and cannot be recycled. I dug deeper into existing research to identify the percentage of solid waste that is derived from textile and leather cosmetics. I discovered that ten percent of the solid waste in landfills is attributed to cosmetics used in theatre production, among other aspects of the community. In developing viable solutions, I witnessed many articles proposing a recycling culture that encourages individuals to reuse the costumes and evaluate their measures in embracing sustainability measures. Other aspects, such as lighting equipment used to create a positive mood for the audience who hold numerous expectations that connect with the presentation. When attempting to implement the relevant environmental sustainability measures, there is a need for corporations in the theatrical production setting to review their practices.

Even though there might be challenges in implementing the proposed environmental sustainability measures, corporations in the sector must evaluate their practices and develop a culture of responsibility that focuses on empowering individuals to make informed decisions. Notably, the introduction of reusable costumes that can be recycled is one of the practices that should be considered by theatre production companies in an attempt to overcome issues that threaten productivity in the business environment. Notably, the amount of solid waste in landfills around the globe is a crucial contributor to global warming and climate change. Given the inability of small theatre production companies to meet these stringent recommendations, relevant authorities should consider their appeals to create an even environment where everyone has a choice. For this reason, collaborating with corporations that promote environmental awareness is a crucial aspect that should be pursued around the globe.

References

Al-Qaysi, N., Mohamad-Nordin, N. and Al-Emran, M., 2020. A systematic review of social media acceptance from the perspective of educational and information systems theories and models. Journal of Educational Computing Research, 57(8), pp.2085-2109.

Beer, T. and Hes, D., 2017. Sustainability in production: Exploring eco-creativity within the parameters of conventional theatre. Behind the Scenes: Journal of theatre production practice, 1(1).

Dalton, V. and Cooksey, R., 2019. Becoming a Sustaining Organisation: The Case of Greening the Wharf at Sydney Theatre Company and Its Impacts. In Clean, Green and Responsible? (pp. 145-165). Springer, Cham.

Dalton, V.A., Cooksey, R.W. and Hunter, J., 2019. Greening the Wharfies: organisational learning for sustainability at Sydney Theatre Company.

Hassall, L. and Rowan, S., 2019. Greening Theatre Landscapes: Developing Sustainable Practice Futures in Theatre Graduates. In University Initiatives in Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation (pp. 143-158). Springer, Cham.