It was Audition Day at the Senior Center for the Falls Village Children's Theater Company's spring production of Annie Jr. The kids seemed appropriately nervous as they sang for director Lanny Mitchell (accompanied and encouraged by the inimitable Joshua Stone.) There will be callbacks and additional readings on Sunday before Mitchell makes his final selections, which will be emailed to the cast (and their parents) early next week. Then the Hard-Knock Life begins: Intensive rehearsals every Saturday and Sunday afternoon from now until the performances at HVRHS on March 28 and 29.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow...
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6 comments:
I'm glad to see such a full room of children auditioning for a role in FVCT's next show. But seeing this after observing a week of conflict in the local media, including this blog, I find myself thinking about the relative importance of emergency services and cultural endeavors. They share equal importance in my eyes, but for different reasons. I'm sitting in my house here that the FV Fire Company recently saved from sure ruin, so I know first hand about the value of fire company's services, and that the FV Fire Company is certainly a fine one. But life isn't all about emergency situations, and I can't help but think how, without cultural things like theater groups and the arts make our quality of life better, that fire companies would have less to save in a community without them. So if at all possible, both should be funded. They really go hand in hand helping to make FV the fine community that it is.
Mark,
Many people have told me that the best volunteers are parents with young children. Falls Village certainly needs to attract more young families whose members might join the fire department and the ambulance squad, and certainly the Falls Village Children's Theater makes raising a child in this town a more culturally rich experience. Indeed, there is already cooperation and synergy between the two groups. For instance, it was Assistant Fire Chief Tim Downs who worked the spotlights for all three productions of "Cinderella" last year.
Ultimately, it is Pat Mechare, Pete Lawson and Chuck Lewis who will say how much money each group can apply for to get a STEAP grant. It is these three people who have the control, anyone who wants to can write or call them or attend the Board of Selectmen meeting on Jan 14 at 7:30 PM (I am guessing that is the date because it is not listed on the Town Calendar on the website but the BOF meeting is listed that day and they usually happen one after the other)
And yes, the auditions were very moving. About 1/3 of the kids from Kellogg (plus some FV kids from Housy & Indian Mountain) were there and it's hard to imagine what they would do all winter without their commitment to this production, which is an incomparable educational experience.
I am glad to read your report that most of the players involved in FVCT are from FV, although unlike one local letter writer, I consider this fact of FVCT demographics as irrelevant ... what would be the harm if many neighboring town's kids were involved in FVCT productions as well? Obviously FV needs families with children to move here, but clearly FV also needs to attract families with children to visit regularly too. Clearly the decisions before the BoS are difficult. I know compromise is always necessary. I have a lot of faith in the BoS's ability to weigh the various needs and wants of FV with open minds and proper funding will be provided the fire company and ambulance squad as well as FVCC and other cultural gifts that together help make FV such a fabulous place to live. Dan, thanks for this blog ... which I know informs at least some of the BoS.
To clarify:
Only the FVCT's annual spring musical is limited to children who reside in Falls Village or who attend (or attended) the Lee Kellogg School. With about 35 kids participating, there is no more room on the Housy stage! If participation were not limited, the FVCT could not guarantee that every child in town could pariticpate, which makes this a true egalitarian, community production.
All of the other programs run by the FVCT are open to children from any town in the region, and the FVCT classes, camps and workshops have enrolled children from Berkshire Country, Duchess County, Fairfield County and Litchfield County.
Mark,
If I may, I'd like to point out (respectfully)that this question of what is more valuable or better , FVCT or FVVFD is silly. Who has suggested that they cannot and will not co-exist? No one is taking anything from anyone else. We are engaged in trying to determine who is most likely to get the most from the state via the STEAP grants and that is now up to the BOS. The fire department is functioning just fine- they served us all in the NW corner today at a big fire in West Cornwall. Both projects have (I hope) everyone's support. Both organizations, both visions- a new and modern firehouse with room for a growing town's growing needs and a community cultural center downtown that will attract people and enrich our community- are ways in which Falls Village will continue to be a vital and dynamic community. Not a retirement home, not a relic, but a place to build a life and raise a family without losing one's soul to the rat race.
Vance,
You're absolutely right. It is a silly issue... seriously silly. Perhaps I should have left it unsaid (my mother warned me I had a big mouth). I was responding because the fire company (and ambulance) and the FVCC (and by extension, FVCT) do NOT have everyone's equal support. There have been disheartening letters to the editor strongly indicating the short sighted view that the FVCC should not receive taxpayer support, and I guess I just get tired of the arts and culture so often taking a back seat or simply being left behind to make room for other necessities, when its the arts and culture that makes the destination worthwhile (granted, not a specifically FV issue). Again, I am encouraged by town support of both essential entities in town meetings, Toymakers and the dump. And I have faith that the BoS will make the right recommendations for the STEAP grant allotments, and further, that both entities will continue to find sufficient support from the community so they can continue to provide the warp and weft of the wonderful fabric of life here in FV. Enough said.
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