Mel Brooks' big year

I recently spent a week attending the American Association of Community Theatre’s biennial national festival. The main focus of the festival is performances by 12 shows selected through a series of state and regional festivals held around the country. But there’s much more to gatherings like this than just seeing shows. With workshops and exhibits, there’s always something new to learn—or something important to be reminded of. And of course, there are meetings—lots of meetings. I just wrapped up serving eight years on the organization’s board of directors. Most importantly, though, are the connections. In fact, that was one of the themes of the festival: “Theatre connects us all.” The hundreds of people in attendance represented the full range of community theatres, from small, all-volunteer organizations to multi-million-dollar institutions. Everyone shared the same connection—a passion for telling stories that strengthen our communities. Regardless of size or scope, we all face many of the same basic challenges. Whether in a formal workshop or a spontaneous conversation in the lobby, we came together to share, learn, and help each other thrive. You don’t have to attend a national festival to find that connection. You’ll feel it in the audience at events like our upcoming Penguin Project production of The Little Mermaid JR. , or with our Vintage Players and their reimagined annual showcase. We invite you to explore how you can become more involved at TL—perhaps by attending one of our upcoming volunteer open houses (details coming soon). It’s truly amazing what happens when we gather as a community to watch, play, and grow together. Theatre truly connects us all—and helps us all thrive—something we can all agree we need now more than ever. See you at the theatre, Jamie Ulmer Executive Director