Superstitions

As I write, Halloween is fast approaching, and though it will have passed by the time you read this, I felt theatre superstitions were the perfect topic for this month’s OffBook. If you search “theatre superstitions” on the web, plethora of articles will pop up, mostly touting Top Ten lists and all sharing similar structure, theme, and presentation. The numerous lists note specific superstitions and their origins. Repetitive lists, however, don’t tell the story behind the superstition. They don’t, for instance, explain why we indulge in and continue to give credence to superstitious behaviors. After some quiet contemplation, a chill snaked up my spine as I realized that what all those theatre superstitions have in common, that what the driving force behind them is, is FEAR.

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