Notes from the Director.
They say that all good things must come to an end one day, and this will be the final show of the final theatre season here in this theatre. Knowing this, it is incredibly humbling to be at the front of the ship steering us towards a new horizon.
And to make sure we send this space off in style.
There are hundreds upon hundreds of names and shows transcribed on the bricks in the shop, and in many more places throughout the theatre. Some of them have been painted over, others defaced, some so hidden that we may not find them.
But the history and the presence of those names remains. And they will remain even after the building comes down. Because the memories and legacy of theatre is not stored in the foundations of the space, or the brick and mortar of a wall, or the pigment of a pain.
The legacy of this space, of this theatre, of these musicians, technicians, and actors, lives on in our memories and the futures that were built and cultivated here. That were shaped here. That is the true legacy.
But it did not diminish my need and duty to make sure we send this theatre off with a wonderful final show. The enormity of this show sat at the forefront of my mind the entire planning and rehearsal process. This is a big show, with complex music, wacky and larger than life characters, and intense technical demands.
And these students did not balk. They stepped up time and time again. Filling this space with laughter, joy, passion, sometimes tears, but an overwhelming love of theatre and of telling stories. I could not be prouder of these young students, and the obstacles that they overcame in this space.
Thank you for attending this production of Matilda the Musical, and adding to the legacy of GJHS theatre. Thank you for supporting the arts and supporting these students in their performance.
The space will change, and it may change many more times throughout the years. But the legacy remains.
In the words of the bard William Shakespeare;
"All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players."
The show goes on.
-
Bryan Carlson
Thank you to all previous audiences, directors, actors, technicians, conductors, musicians. We stand here because of you.
