Community Theatre: Fueling the Intellect, Imagination and Creative Spirit in Our Own Backyards

The actress Julie Harris once said, "God comes to us in theatre (in) the way we communicate with each other, whether it be a symphony orchestra, or a wonderful ballet, or a beautiful painting or a play.  It is a way of expressing our humanity".   Community theatre does just that, expressing our humanity in a way that allows more people to see and participate in live drama than any other form of American theatre.   It is vital to the cultural life of our communities. The American Association of Community Theatre, an organization that offers networking, resources and support to community theatres "...exists to enable community theatres across the country to become the cornerstones of the creative life of their communities..."  One such cornerstone is the Argenta Community Theater (ACT), committed to serving the Little Rock, Arkansas community through arts education and advancement of the performing arts.  On September 28th, ACT hosted a performance by the Tut'zanni Theater Company to raise money for scholarships for Arkansas students to attend Accademia dell'Arte, an international cultural center for the performing arts in Italy.

Have you ever heard the phrase " All the world's a stage...", by William Shakespeare? I have often thought of my canvas as a stage.  Just as the theatre is a place for exploration, storytelling, and imaginative journeys, so are my paintings.  And for both, there is the all important audience, where each person brings their own interpretation and meaning to our creative efforts.

A big applause for community theatre, fueling the intellect, imagination and creative spirit in our own backyards.