Often, the holidays inspire us to
take a look back at the year that's about to end, and remember our
experiences. At NC Stage, we are looking back at 2013 and the experiences that
happened here. At this point last year, we were in the last week of Jacob
Marley's Christmas Carol, (not unlike this year!) and planning the year ahead.
Since then, patrons had more than
10,000 experiences, in our intimate theatre, watching plays.
Hundreds of students have had the experience of using theatre to learn new
skills, from writing and performing in their own plays about North Carolina State history,
to a dozen students performing in The Seagull and Alice
in Wonderland in our classes. We had extensive renovations on
the lobby, backstage, and auditorium, so the artists and audiences can have an
even better experience. We produced a world
premiere play, Stalking the Bogeyman, which many audience
members described as the best theatre experience they have ever had.
Notice a theme?
The world is giving us all
more tools to create experiences. Our phones, tablets, and
computers give us a chance to have experiences with distant friends and
relatives. We can use interactive software to make choices that
help us achieve greater experiences by telling us where the best restaurants
are or how many stars does this or that movie have. We live in a moment
where we can watch a movie instantly on the couch, on the bus,
anywhere.
You know what you can't stream, download or tweet? The thrill of
the lights going dark. A performer stepping on stage and saying the first lines
that set the world of a play in motion. The excitement of the poetry,
drama, and humor unfolding right in front of you in the original High
Definition entertainment. The vicarious experience of the characters
that becomes your own experience.
Think of the experiences you've had
at NC Stage this past year. Does the memory of that experience tug at
you longer than the last episode of (insert name of reality TV show here)?
If those types of experiences are
meaningful to you, I hope you'll plan on helping to make those experiences a reality for you and
others in Asheville by donating to our annual fund. Because some things you just can't download! Click the link below to
donate online using our secure server. You can also make a donation by calling
us at (828) 239-0263 or you can mail your donation to 15 Stage Lane, Asheville,
NC 28801.
