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Performance is hard work

To the editor,

I would like to address Zack Armstrong's article, "Superstar!" printed on Tuesday, January 25, 2000. In this article, Mr. Armstrong criticizes the Golden Globe Awards and the performers who received them. I would first like to say that I agree with Mr. Armstrong on his opinion that these awards have become too commercialized. I, too, think society places too much emphasis on the fashion and popularity of the performers, as they are later seen pictured in their award ceremony garb on the pages of numerous magazines and gossiped about on day time television programs.

What made me extremely upset about this article was that Mr. Armstrong describes the performers of today as "doing almost completely nothing," and that they are "performers and that's all." I must disagree with these statements. I am a musical theater major here at the UA and I definitely do not do "almost completely nothing." This semester I am taking 20 credit hours, I am in a musical revue with the theater department and I still try to maintain a social life. Tomorrow for instance, my day goes straight through from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with no break between classes. I have 15 minutes to attempt to get some nourishment as I have to prepare physically and mentally before a performance at 5 p.m. This is a typical day for a musical theater student. I am not complaining about this because I love and am dedicated to what I do; I am simply trying to illustrate that being a performer is not some sort of cop out. We do just as much as a doctor or lawyer to get where we want to be today, if not more. Therefore, I applaud those that even get nominated for a Golden Globe award because the performance field is a very difficult one to get recognized in.

Mr. Armstrong feels that these performers, who have 18 hour days of rehearsal, years without work, and sometimes (for the big performers) a life without privacy, are getting too much recognition for doing what they love the most, well. Realistically, recognition is what life is about, as much as we don't want it to be. Everyday, doctors, chemists, writers, etc. are being recognized for their good works; it is just the performers who are televised because that is what society demands. The performers today might not be "saving lives" like well, respected doctors, but they are definitely enriching them.

Natalie Rado

Musical theater freshman