Candace Ross: "Why Read Plays" Response

I agree with the merits of reading a play rather than solely watching a theatrical performance of a play, but the author of this article downplays the benefits of seeing a play acted out. The author brings up the point that actors and directors may interpret a play differently, and that a play be manipulated by a director in ways that do not reflect the playwright’s intentions. However, I don’t find these facts to be deterrents in seeing a play. I agree that reading a play before you see it performed is very important, but seeing a play is just as important to me as reading it. After I read a play and form my own opinion or interpretation, I am often curious as to the perception of others who have read the play. One of the best ways to see how someone else has interpreted a play is to see it performed, which allows not only the director but also the actors to express their own interpretations. The fact that my imagination of what the play should look like or sound like and the imaginations of others who perform the play might not be the same doesn’t bother me. I find it interesting to compare and contrast what I thought the characters, setting, and voices should be with  what others envisioned. In that way it doesn’t matter if a play is “bad” or “good”, because it is still a chance to see a play through someone else’s eyes.