“A moment of performance,” says the Canadian Encyclopaedia of
theatre. “A moment which exists in the art of creation and then
disappears.” Stories, music and movement are brought to life in front of
an audience. But show time is merely the culmination of months of
putting a production together. Long before the curtain rises, there are
those who are drawn into devoting their time and energy into making
sure the show goes on. And there’s more to their attraction than the smell
of the greasepaint and the roar of the crowd.
Leslie McCurdy is a Windsor-based actor who has been performing in
a multitude of productions for the past 18 years. McCurdy started out as a
dancer when she was in college, but eventually took on acting because it
allowed her more introspection and expression.
“It allows me to explore different aspects of my personality and my
reality and bring some of my person to other characters,” says McCurdy.
“In some ways it’s almost therapeutic, how you can sometimes work
through aspects of your life through your characters.” McCurdy finds
that theatre provides lessons on the human condition as well. “Theatre
also gives us a chance to deepen our understanding through one another.
Through the stories that can be told through theatre, we understand that
we are more alike than we are different in our humanity.”
McCurdy loves performing in theatre productions, including her own
one-woman shows, because it allows her to communicate ideas to the
audience. She gets to spread new ideas and sometimes change the
thinking of other people.
“I sort of think of myself as Johnny Appleseed (because) theatre
allows me the form through which to spread those seeds,” says McCurdy.
Story by Sean Previl
Photos by Sean Previl and Ruthmary Weiler