Student Zaden Gates Reflects on the 60 Shows the Group Saw and Theatre’s Ability to Explore Difficult Subject Matters
By the end of BYU's London Theatre Study Abroad, Zaden Gates had attended more than 60 productions across England. The volume of performances exposed him to a wide range of stories, artistic styles and perspectives. For Gates, each production offered something different to learn.
"I have been lucky enough to see over 60 productions while I have been here in England, and every single one has inspired me as an artist," Gates said.
The experience reinforced his belief that theatre serves a purpose beyond entertainment.
"It is so important that our art is heard and serves a greater community, and every single production here had a message," he said. "It inspires me to become a better actor, a better performer as a whole and a better human being."
One of the moments that stood out most came during a visit to Shakespeare's Globe Theatre.
"One moment I will never forget is when I stepped into Shakespeare's Globe for the very first time," Gates said. "It is where he intended his shows to be performed, and it was absolutely incredible to be immersed in the space."
Gates said stepping into the historic venue gave him a new appreciation for the playwright's work and the environment in which it was originally performed.
"The performers had audience participation. We were standing in the yard like we were groundlings, and it was so immersive," Gates said. "I just will never be able to forget how incredible it was."
Attending dozens of productions also came with challenges. Gates said many of the plays dealt with difficult subjects that required reflection and discussion.
"As silly as it sounds, the hardest part about this tour for me has been seeing so much theatre," Gates said. "I have seen 60 shows, and a lot of them have hard subject matters that we have to deal with. Seeing these live shows has taught me a lot about the world and why we need theatre as an art form. Theater invokes change in the world around us. It is imperative that we continue spreading these stories that need to be heard."
While theatre served as the centerpiece of the study abroad, Gates said the people he met became an equally important part of the experience.
"The part that is going to stick with me the most after the study abroad is going to be the friendships I have made here," Gates said. "I have met so many people that I would not have known if I was not on the study abroad."
The program brought together a small group of students who spent weeks traveling, studying and attending performances together. Gates said the size of the group helped create strong connections.
"Because there are only 30 of us, it became a really tight-knit community," Gates said. "You become so close to all of them because you really have to depend on everybody to get you through this trip. It has really been incredible, and I certainly will never take these friendships for granted."