3 Conclusions from a Night of Theatre

So I went to see a play tonight. While I was sitting in my seat, pouring over the program materials for lack of something better to do, an old buddy of mine from undergrad spotted me. He waved hello and we both made to step over the seats to greet each other for a moment, that is until we realized this was not the sort of theater where that might be appropriate. So we resolved ourselves til the one-act was over. Two peppers in a sea of salt that is professional theatre audiences. We got to talking after the show and I realized 3 things.

1) He is still in school and overloaded, typical for him, I had this flush of reassurance. "He hasn't changed a bit," I thought to myself. But as I began to tell him what I was doing, I realized neither had I. Not a bit since college. I used to always have 3 or 4 projects going. Too many balls in the air, just barely keeping them all up. And I'm still doing the same thing. one job, starting another, plus rehearsals. And auditions of course. Not to mention the side projects I latch onto; be they moving out of my apartment, starting an herb garden, or making liquer.
Not one bit.

2) I am constantly reminded that I feel like Death is knocking on Theatre's door. Seeing all the various shades of white hair made me wonder what's going to happen when there's no more of that generation. There were some young people in the crowd tonight, but the startling gap of baby-boomer-aged folks is alarming. It makes me fear for the livelihood of the art.
We are a dying breed. Please go see some live theatre this next week.

3) Our discussion hiccupped only momentarily when he told me of the death of our dear friend's dad. I was in absolute shock. I had not even known that man well; met him just once I think, briefly after a show. And now he was dead.
As I was leaving the theater and driving home, I was struck with something about that death. Something about death's sheer chance. Or death's sheer certainty. The combination of randomness, inevitablity, and finality are all too much.

It brings me to a loss of words.