“So, coming out of a shutdown, should local theatres be looking to do more of Suzan-Lori Parks’ work or Neil Simon’s? Is this the time to be bold and reinvent? Or should community theatres try to fill as many seats as possible by doing beloved “chestnuts” and worry about boldness for a later time?”

“I would like to say that for those of you who may have enjoyed being part of the theatre community, but now are refusing to do your part and protect that very community -I hope you enjoyed the work you did. You should not be allowed to do it anymore.”

“Throughout my years of both being involved in community theatre and covering it, I’ve seen constant examples of theatre groups tolerating and ignoring the bad behavior of their male talent. This practice has led to serious issues such as sexual misconduct which could have been prevented if theatre officials took real action.”

Dear Community Theatre,

Before I had become acquainted with you, I was a young child. A young, introverted, homeschooled, shy-as-hell child. My mother had said before then we should get to know each other, but I didn’t budge. I didn’t want a spotlight. I didn’t want a line. I wanted to stay in my room and be left alone. I didn’t see what you had to offer, what my potential with you was, and I didn’t care.

Now, I can’t thank you enough.

Although the world of musical theatre is slowly becoming more diverse and inclusive, our look still plays an important part in casting. In some cases, being in an industry that places so much focus on your body can lead you down a dangerous path. It took me years to love my short, slightly thicker body and to be perfectly honest; I'm still working on it.

“Even if you’ve directed a million times before, every production brings its own unique needs. These five questions can help keep you honest and on track for many aspects of your upcoming production.”

“An actor in Ocala, FL has been charged with sexual battery after admitting to molesting a young boy he had met during a play at the local theatre. The abuse happened over a dozen times over a period of six months. In the wake of the arrest, the theatre has barred the actor from their stage but has not confirmed or denied knowing about the allegations while allowing the actor to appear in productions with minors.”

“Virginia was excited to be cast in a one-act festival set to perform this past summer. But then COVID-19 arrived and the festival was canceled. Thus ending a 50 year run in community theatre.”

“While the Save Our Stages Act certainly provides relief to commercial theatre venues, it excludes community theatres that desperately need aid as well. Without eligibility in future legislation, tens of thousands of these stages will remain dark for good.”

In any part of life, doubting yourself is inevitable.

From working for a promotion to applying for colleges, there’s a point where you stop and ask yourself: Am I sure that I can do this? Even the most confident people have these moments of doubt, whether they realize it or not. Unfortunately, it’s one of the most common feelings in the world. And when you’re working in the arts? That feeling multiplies by ten at every email with an audition or job opening, thinking of the hundreds of others who probably received the exact same email. It may not help having the “starving artist” reputation that surrounds our decisions either.

It is a reality of our world that bringing creative work to life costs money. The training, whether private lessons or group classes or university studies, can become prohibitively expensive. What do we do when we, as individuals, simply don’t have the money?

“Here are my suggestions on how to maximize COVID performing for those days when you just gotta sing, gotta dance!”