10 Inspiring Videos About the Theatre to Get You Through the Week

Written by Ashleigh Gardner

April 24, 2018

If you’re looking for some incredible stories to get you through the week (or maybe just this afternoon), check out these ten amazing mini-docs from Great Big Story, an inspirational video company that focused on telling stories worldwide. Each of these mini-docs takes us to an amazing story about the performing world.

The Most Famous Actor You’ve Never Seen



From Great Big Story: “You might not know his face, but you’ve seen his work. With over 150 movie and TV credits to his name, Doug Jones has been every creature, monster and villain known to Hollywood. From the Amphibian Man in “The Shape of Water,” the Silver Surfer in “Fantastic Four” to the Thin Clown in “Batman Returns,” Jones has been spicing up your movie-watching experience for the past three decades.”

Then and Now With Thora Birch



From Great Big Story: “For the past 30 years, actress Thora Birch has grown up alongside us. Together, we explored Salem with a talking cat in Hocus Pocus, tried to avoid the Wormer brothers in Now and Then, and discovered the depths of our teenage malaise in American Beauty. Now, she’s taking a look back at some of her most iconic roles and sharing her secrets from the sets.”

The Voice of Animaniacs and Other 90s Cartoons



From Great Big Story: “You know his voice from your favorite ‘90s cartoons; he gave life to Pinky from “Pinky and the Brain,” Yakko from Animaniacs, and even Raphael in the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles series. His name? Rob Paulsen. Meet the voice actor who helped make the ‘90s zany to the max.”

Actor With Autism Takes Center Stage



From Great Big Story: As the star of a professional production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, Mickey Rowe is making history as the first actor with autism cast in the play’s lead. Steeped in an industry that undervalues actors with disabilities, Rowe faced hardships trying to find work in a professional production. Now, by taking on the role of Christopher Boone, a character who demonstrates autistic behaviors, Rowe is reclaiming the narrative of those on the spectrum while using his platform to forge a path forward for actors with autism.

The Film Camp Giving Disabled Talent a Chance to Shine



From Great Big Story: For those with disabilities, finding a place in the film industry can feel isolating. The dearth of opportunity for disabled talent inspired the Halby family to create Zeno Mountain Farm, a camp dedicated to finding and celebrating the talent in everyone. Every summer, the camp creates a movie using an integrated cast and crew of those with and without disabilities. This year, they’re taking on their most ambitious project yet: a high school musical. At Zeno, everyone deserves an equal shot at the spotlight.

Meet the Actor Who’s Played the Same Role for 60 Years



From Great Big Story: In a tiny theatre in Paris, the same play has been performed every single night (except Sundays!) since 1957. The Bald Soprano holds the current world record for the longest-running play staged in the same theatre. And one actor, Roger Defossez, has been performing the same role for nearly 60 years. Even after more than 6,000 shows, he continues to greet every performance with enthusiasm.

Losing His Hair Made Him a Better Actor



From Great Big Story: Actor Anthony Carrigan has been in some of your favorite T.V. shows, and it’s usually as a villain. Carrigan has alopecia, an autoimmune disorder that causes hair loss. Though he said losing his hair was terrifying, it’s taught him to accept himself and be authentic, and that’s what it takes to be a successful actor.

Playing Dead For a Living: What It Feels Like



From Great Big Story: Who’s got the most interesting job in the acting world? The award could well go to corpse actor Ali Merhi. To cut it in his field, you not only need to look dead, but also learn to hold your breath and act without emotion. Since dying on-screen is his job, Merhi has met countless horrific ends.

Acting with Tourette’s Syndrome



From Great Big Story: Acting is a discipline of discipline. Hit your marks, nail your lines — it’s all about control and timing. Gardiner Comfort is an actor who was diagnosed with Tourette’s syndrome as a child. For Comfort, it’s all about owning his disorder. ‘When I’m acting I don’t tic. It kind of just goes away and says, “Go ahead and take a break, do what you love, and I’ll be waiting for you when you come back.”’ ”

Meet the Voice of Ren, Stimpy, Zoidberg, and Fry



From Great Big Story: Remember Doug Funny? Roger Klotz? Ren and Stimpy? You can thank voice artist Billy West for so many of the sounds of your Saturdays growing-up — not to mention Futurama!


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Ashleigh Gardner received her MA in Literary, Cultural, and Textual Studies (with concentrations in Film, Gender Studies, and Psychoanalytic Theory) and her BA in English Literature (with concentrations in Victorian, Gothic, and Early American Literature and Gender Studies) from the University of Central Florida; she received her AA in Theatre/Drama/Dramatic Arts from Valencia College. She is a playwright, an actor, and PerformerStuff.com’s Editor.