Copyright 2000 by Edward Willett

"Amateur" is a word with a split personality. Sometimes it's good, sometimes it's bad.

Many of the world's top athletes are "amateurs," and nobody suggests they're not as good as the "professionals." In fact, I've heard many people say they'd rather watch amateur figure skating than professional skating, because the amateurs put more into it and take more risks.

In the arts, however, the word "amateur" has an almost universally negative connotation. If we see a painting that we don't think is very well executed, we may call it "amateurish." The phrase "amateur film maker" conjures up images of wobbly, out-of-focus images (which also describes The Blair Witch Project, but never mind) and when it comes to theatre--well, "amateur theatre" is obviously inferior to "professional theatre," isn't it?

Or is it?

I don't believe it is, and I say that as someone who has been involved in both.

The fact is, while "one lacking in experience and competence in an art or science" is one definition of amateur, it isn't the only one. Higher on the list, according to Merriam-Webster's online dictionary, is "one who engages in a pursuit, study, science, or sport as a pastime rather than as a profession."

There is nothing in that definition that relates to quality in any way, and nor should there be in the definition of "amateur theatre," or, for that matter, "amateur artist," "amateur photographer" or "amateur singer."

Not everyone who has a talent, or even a passion, for a particular art form, can make a living at it. That would be nice, but it's never going to happen. That doesn't meant that that artist can't do work that is just as good or important as those who can.

Regina has an enormous number of extremely talented individuals in the arts. Some are making a living at it, some aren't--but they're still finding outlets for their artistic endeavors. What they don't always find is an audience.

Consider, for example, A Little Night Music, the Stephen Sondheim musical staged by Regina Lyric Light Opera last May. It was, beyond a doubt, one of the best local musical productions ever seen in this city. It featured an entirely local cast of actors and singers who have the ability to work professionally (and in many cases have--three cast members and the director were members of Canadian Actors' Equity Association), but who chose to be in this production simply for the love of performing. It was a visual and aural treat, all for a ticket price of $15--less than half of what I spent to fill my gas tank yesterday.

The audience? Less than 1,000 people.

In December, by way of contrast, more than 6,000 attended productions of The King and I and Showboat. They were touring professional productions--competent, but uninspired. Were they any better than A Little Night Music? Honestly, no. But people who would never dream of paying $15 to see a local amateur production were willing to shell out four to five times as much for them, just the same.

I performed in A Little Night Music, for free. I've also performed in operas and plays for pay. To the best of my ability, I give the same level of performance in both amateur and professional theatre, and that holds true for every other performer I know who has worked in both worlds.

Regina Little Theatre, Regina Summer Stage, tye productions, the Regina Philharmonic Chorus, the University of Regina Chamber Singers, Juventus--the list goes on and on of local arts organizations that full of talented individuals whose efforts deserve more attention and appreciation than they get from a society that too often equates "amateur" with "inferior."

On the contrary, I firmly believe "amateur" is sometimes superior to "professional," at least when the professional art form becomes staid and predictable. I'll put the freshness and excitement of an amateur performance limited to a run of five shows up against the here-we-go-again feel of a touring group that may be on its 150th performance any day.

So here's my plea, and my challenge. Give local amateur arts groups a chance. Don't write them off because they're not "professional." Don't save your money to go to the next Showboat by not going to see Regina Summer Stage's The Sound of Music this summer, or Regina Lyric Light Opera's Fiddler on the Roof in May, or Regina Little Theatre's Noises Off in February. Don't spend all your money on that Britney Spears CD when you could buy one by Juventus or the University of Regina Chamber Singers or some talented local band whose members all have day jobs.

After all, a community that believes that local talent equates to no talent, and only money determines worth, isn't much of a community at all.

Posted February 14, 2002