Have you ever left a theatre after seeing a show and thought, Wow, that was amazing! Or Holy cow that girl could sing! Or Ummm...what did I just waste my money on? Well, I think these kinds of thoughts every time a show ends. In fact, whoever I happen to be seeing the show with is (un?)lucky enough to hear all my thoughts after the show. But why stop at sharing my thoughts with only one or two people? My head is already about to explode with thoughts on every show I've ever seen, so why not put those thoughts out there for the world to see? Enter my theatre reviews.
As is the case with many blogs, reviews are a regular topic for Row L Seat 1. Whether you're interested in having me review a production or are just browsing for some info on a show you might want to see, here are four things to know about my theatre reviews.
1. They're honest. I love theatre and will see any show at least once; however, I realize that not everyone feels the same way about theatre. Not every person will enjoy every show. Even I don't enjoy every show that I see. My main goal when I review a show is to provide readers with information to decide whether or not they would enjoy the show. And if someone who wasn't planning to see a show reads my review of that show and thinks, "You know, that sounds like something I might like...I think I'll go see it," then my secondary goal is accomplished too! But if I'm not honest, I have no credibility. While there are definitely shows that I have nothing but great things to say about, one of the quickest ways to lose my readers' trust is for me to claim that everything in every show is wonderful. While I would love if this were true, it simply isn't. But please don't mistake honesty for negativity. I'm never mean in my reviews, and I always point out the great moments of the show. My reviews include honest information about what I liked, didn't like, and think other people would or wouldn't like about the show.
2. Every review is different. I don't have a set formula for writing a theatre review. I don't follow any rules or guidelines. After all, I'm a blogger, not a theatre reviewer for The New York Times (maybe someday?). Because every show is different, the way I approach a review is different for each show. Some of my reviews are longer, while others are shorter. Some have tons of pictures, while others have only one, or maybe even none. Some focus on the lead actor, while others focus on the supporting actor who should have been the lead actor. Sometimes I focus on the plot a lot, and other times I barely even mention it. Sometimes I tie my personal life into a review. I even had my 4-year-old son help me once with my review of Aladdin on Broadway. So really the sky is the limit. I'll make 100% sure readers know what I thought about a show...but switching up how I let readers know is part of what I enjoy about theatre blogging!
3. My reviews are my opinions. While I'm always honest with what I think about a show, I am expressing my opinions. And I realize that not everyone will agree with my opinions. Maybe the actor that I raved about in a review happens to be getting over a cold on the night that someone else sees the show, so maybe that actor doesn't perform quite as well that night. Or maybe some costumes that I thought were amazing, someone else thought were hideous. I always encourage readers to interact with me and share their own opinions, even if they disagree.
4. I want to help! I want to help people find shows that they will love. I want to help theatres connect with new and returning audience members. I want to help people discover how powerful and emotional theatre can be. I want to help outstanding actors receive more recognition for their talent and hard work. So how can I do this? In addition to writing the review itself, I share it on all of Row L Seat 1's social media sites as well. This includes the Row L Seat 1 Facebook page and the Row L Seat 1 Twitter page, and occasionally even my personal social media pages if it's a production I feel very strongly about.
I keep an updated list of all my past reviews on my Theatre Review page, so feel free to check them out to see if there's a show you might enjoy or to get a better sense of my reviewing style. And if you're gearing up for a big production and looking for a little extra help getting the word out about it, consider a Row L Seat 1 theatre review! To request a review, just shoot me an email at kim@rowLseat1.com.
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