Wednesday, December 17, 2003
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Wednesday, December 17, 2003 |
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In support of local theater By MICHAEL BOYLAN I’m not sure if you know this, but I was in a play. I know, there wasn’t a lot of press about it, but I’m not lying. I was George Bailey in Southside Theatre Guild’s production of “It’s a Wonderful Life.” It was a lot of fun and last weekend was the final weekend of the run. I thought there would be tears, like at the end of summer camp, when you’re afraid you won’t see any of your new friends ever again, but there weren’t. Mainly because we’ll all see each other again soon and partially because we were just too tired. Anyway, I want to use this space to give a shout out to the cast and crew that gave up their time and worked really hard to put on this show. It was a rewarding experience from start to finish and I’m glad I got to work with some old friends and make some new ones along the way. It is probably very evident to faithful readers of the Weekend section that I am a big supporter of local theater, both high school and community productions, and I think it deserves more support than it typically gets from the community; not necessarily financially, though that wouldn’t hurt, but both physically and mentally as well. Theater can be rewarding in many different ways and I just wish that more people knew that. One major positive is that it gives people a chance to come together. Many productions in this area feature family members both on stage and backstage, which is great at a time where many complain that parents and children don’t do enough things together. Theater also gives people of different backgrounds a place to meet new people. Sure, everybody there has an interest in theater, but their other interests are often quite diverse. I have made lots of friends through theater and those friendships are some of the richest and most rewarding that I have. Hey, I worked with my wife on a couple of shows in high school, so single guys take note. Another plus is being able to see something through from start to finish. I was at most of the work calls for the set building of “It’s a Wonderful Life.” I stink at construction but I was still able to contribute to the process. It was amazing to see a blank stage come to life over the course of a few weeks. This was also a great way to help the cast and crew come together. This past Sunday, once the show was over, we gathered to tear down the set and get the stage ready for the next show, which is “God’s Man in Texas.” There is lots of good theater in this area and I’ve used this space before to bemoan the fact that Fayette County doesn’t have a true theater space to call its own. I won’t go back into it too much and, allegedly, there are plans underway for a nice space to be built near the Fayette Family YMCA. This is great news, but it should have been done years ago. To put it into perspective, Coweta County has a performing arts center opening in February; they have Newnan Community Theatre, which has two great spaces; and then they have Manget-Brannon right across the stree, which doesn’t house much of anything anymore. Four spaces and we have none. That isn’t right. You may think the auditoriums at the schools are possibilities, but they aren’t. The cost of using these spaces has soared so high that it is no longer economically feasible for a theater company to use them, especially since many are not-for-profit organizations. Sorry. Anyway, that’s why I’ve gone outside the county to find myself a theater, and I’m not alone. I’m very glad I did, not because I got a lead and got my picture in all of the local papers, but because I feel like I’m a valuable member of something and I can contribute to something I believe in. If you are interested in getting involved with theater, there are lots of area groups that can always use your support. E-mail me here and I can help you find what you’re looking for.
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