One Thousand

According to the blogspot counter, this will be the 1,000th entry I’ve posted on this blog. Wow. That’s a lot of words thrown out into cyberspace over more than 5 years. I haven’t written all of them – Ms. Burruss had a short but lively tenure as a co-blogger and I’ve opened up the space to another commentator or two along the way. Regardless, it’s a lot of verbiage devoted to a fairly narrow subject: an art form that seems somewhat anachronistic in this world full of whiz bang virtual entertainments, in a town that, though beloved by many, still struggles to emerge from second (or third) tier status in the national scene. To some extent, I write this blog in defiance of those preconceptions and perhaps you read it for the same reason.

More important than the words I’ve written are the ones you have contributed to this enterprise. The comments I’ve received over the years – both posted on this site and delivered in person – generally reflect an intelligence and thoughtfulness about theater, theater criticism, the larger theater world, and the place of theater in society. Your responses have challenged me, entertained me, and sometimes enraged me. Whatever their subject or their tone, I’ve always welcomed them. Not because they mean I’ve said anything particularly astute or compelling but because they are proof that there are people out there who share my interest in and excitement for theater. And hopefully, the people who comment are also encouraging others to go see shows and to support the artists who work in this community.

I’m taking the opportunity of this 1,000th post to let you all in some things coming up. I’m planning to post something this Friday (to talk about “Monique” and “Boeing Boeing”) and then starting next Monday, I’m only going to post once a week. You’ll want to check out those weekly posts in the months ahead because the RTCC awards are coming up and the nominations will be announced here on August 15th. I’ll be filling in details about the annual gala event in the weeks ahead, as well as blathering on about the upcoming fall theater season. It’s shaping up to be an intriguing one.

As the post counter trips over into quadruple digits, let me thank everyone out there who reads this blog and, more importantly, who plays an active role in the local theater scene. The theater community here overflows with incredibly creative, dynamic, hard-working and just plain nice people. And while it’s my job to point out where I think a particular effort has come up short or when I think a choice has in some way been misguided, most of the time I am impressed by the level of effort, commitment, and artistry that local theater folks apply to their endeavors. The results are often exhilarating. As the summertime trudges on to a sweaty finish, I look forward to the gifts another theater season will offer with eager anticipation.