We've just received our third disk of a performance of the children's theater in Falls Village, CT. This is a tiny town in an almost completely rural part of a state so filled with wealth and variety it's a wonder there would be an audience for what they do there. Never mind any preconceptions. This group has done The Wizard of Oz, Cindarella, Annie with the extraordinary dedication not only of a small group of weekending professionals, but also of parents, friends, and performers drawn from the surrounding countryside. Two more productions are scheduled for this summer. Audiences pack the Housatonic Regional High School auditorium. Reviewers show up to put stories about the troop in their papers. City and country folk alike contribute money, time, expertise, and above all, enthusiasm. Here is an example of experiences for children that transcend any video game, compete with any sport, and entice every kind of talent. Believe me, their lives will always be colored by what they've done on and around this stage.
Unless you've been a part of an active amateur theater venture, you won't appreciate a word of this because you won't have a clue about how much it has cost in commitment, time, and money to put on a musical show with a cast of over thirty from about five to eighteen on the stage, and marshal all the crew and staff it takes to put a musical production on the stage.
If you think I'm exaggerating their success, think of the fact that after a single production, interest ran so high that the group has been formally organized as a non-profit, has acquired a building to be its permanent home (and production site after necessary alterations), and is making its name well beyond Connecticut's borders. Talk about "grass roots," this is the personification of real success. Check out their website: http://fvct.org
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