Dear Community Theaters, Inviting a Critic Does Not GUARANTEE Praise

by Chris Peterson

I got an email the other day from a local theatre critic. Nothing dramatic, just a note that made me sit back for a minute. They told me a community theatre will stop inviting them from coming to review future productions after they wrote one negative review. Not a hit piece. Not mean spirited. Not even close to cruel. Just honest. Just their reaction to the show they saw. And instead of engaging or reflecting or even disagreeing, the theatre decided to lock the doors and cut them off.

That stuck with me. Not because it shocked me. Anyone who has spent time in community theatre knows that egos grow like ivy on those cinder block backstage walls. It stuck with me because it highlights something we pretend not to know. We want critics in the seats. We want coverage, attention, the thrill of being talked about. We want the glowing pull quote to slap on a poster and the kind words to boost ticket sales. The unspoken part is that we also expect love. We think an invitation naturally comes with applause.

But inviting a critic means opening yourself up to the possibility that they might not like your show. And that does not make them wrong. It does not make them the bad guy. It does not even make them unkind. It just means they had an experience with the work you put into the world, and their job is to speak truthfully about it. Sometimes that truth feels great. Sometimes it stings. Both are valid.

I think the real charm of community theatre is that this is not Broadway. We are not chasing perfection. We are building something together. We are learning. We are experimenting. We are growing. The rough edges are part of the beauty. But growth stops the second we decide that only praise is acceptable. When we shut out criticism entirely, we are not protecting the theatre. We are protecting our pride.

A negative review will not close the doors or send audiences running. Honestly, sometimes the tough feedback is what helps a company get sharper. Sometimes it sparks conversation around rehearsal tables, casting decisions, or vocal work that has been overdue. Sometimes it reminds us that art is subjective. One person’s miss is another person’s revelation. That is the whole point.

If you invite a critic, let them speak freely. Let them see your work and respond without fear of punishment. Do not revoke the invitation because the review did not feel like a hug. We say theatre is about community. Community means praise and tension, cheers and conversation, the full spectrum. Growth rarely happens inside comfort.

The review you hope no one sees might be the one that makes the next show better. And the critic you choose to welcome back, even when you disagree with them, might become an ally you never expected.