The wikipedia definition of entertainment is: "... an activity designed to give people pleasure or relaxation. An audience may participate in the entertainment passively as in watching opera or a movie, or actively as in games."
As someone who is into the development of entertainment I always keep my radar tuned into innovative and new ideas. Some of my colleagues are interested in producing only plays, others only musicals. Me? I like anything that brings a burst of inspiration into someones day. Especially if it is through the medium of entertainment.
When I was in San Diego last week (Now one of my favorite US cities), I was eating at a diner that had one of those card racks in the lobby. You know, the type that has details on all the local attractions like zoos, shows, go carts, etc. Buried in the heaps of "to do" I found a neat little place that I wanted to share with readers of TrendErtainment. Here it is:
They even have a mobile unit. Imagine a Bar-Mitzvah with a bunch of 13 year old girls breaking glass. I tried to go myself but they were closed by the time I had some play time.
Any other interested forms of "Entertainment" you have come across lately?
I disagree with the idea of entertainment for 'Pleasure or Relaxation.' I feel that entertainment should be considered more of 'an activity designed to give people a diversion.' As some entertainment is neither pleasurable nor relaxing. (for example, a film on a dramatic serious or saddening subject, though entertaining, does not give pleasure, i.e. Schindler's List. Or, an amusement park roller-coaster, can be entertaining, but intentionally not relaxing.)
I feel that eight times a week I work to create a performance that takes a group of strangers away from their regular lives and bring them into the world of my show. For these two (or god-forbid three) hours, they do not have to think about what happens outside of the theatre. I want to create diversions.
For the next part of this rant, allow me to plagiarize a bit:
When I go to the theatre I just want a story, and a few good songs that will take me away. I just want to be entertained. I mean isn't that the point?... When the lights come up I want to be taken to another world, a world full of color and music and glamour. I want to have a treat! I want to disappear for a while into the decedent world of the 1920's. When the champagne flowed while the caviar chilled and all the world was a party - for the wealthy anyway.
For those who live under a rock, that was partially excerpted and adapted from the opening monologue of "The Drowsy Chaperone."
In the mean time, I have changed the Wikipedia definition of 'entertainment' to match my 'diversion' opinion. (dontcha just love the internet!)
--Krug
Posted by: Krug | May 02, 2009 at 02:31 PM