Hi! I’m Luna Crone-Barón, I’m a junior, and I’m in the ensemble in Hello, Dolly! As a member of this show’s ensemble I’ve been thinking, what does that word really mean and entail? Well, Oxford Languages defines it as:
A group of actors, musicians, or dancers who perform together.
a group of items viewed as a whole rather than individually.
The second definition is what I find most interesting. When we as actors are on stage, we discard ourselves and meld ourselves into the ever moving, very alive thing that is our show. The skill of moving as a whole, whilst retaining one's individual shine, is harder than it seems, yet essential to art. Any piece of art must have a vision, a coherent purpose in order to be effective. As actors in Hello, Dolly! It is our job to bring the piece to life, and still shine as individual Yonkers citizens. The balance of individuality and community is not only an essential part of theatrics but life in general as well. Learning to build community around the celebration of all the beautiful unique stories we carry is (in my not so humble opinion) essential to leading life with kindness. Practice makes progress, and a successful ensemble, or community, doesn’t take shape over night, but learning to celebrate yourself and those around you for what makes them shine is a fabulous first step.
