Thank YOU for a great production of ’69 SEASONS here at the Turnage Theatre this past Saturday. I think you have a great show on your hands that will be a vital part of EbzB’s roster for a long time to come.
As the audience left the theatre, I heard lots of praise for the show. But what I really noticed were the visceral reactions – people who felt personally invested in that turbulent time and how your production brought a lot of those emotions back to the surface. I already told you about the one gentleman who left a few minutes early saying “That was a little too close to home. ” I didn’t really take that as a criticism though. It seemed to me that the show had struck a nerve, and depending on where you were in your life in 1969, the reactions will span accordingly. This person may have been a Vietnam Veteran, or had a relative who was in Vietnam.
I loved the show. It was heavy, without being heavy-handed. But it also had its lighter moments which were important to keep that proper balance. The show looked wonderful on our stage – your use of projections were able to really place the actors and the various narrative threads in context to a specific place and time. For those who were coming of age and/or lived through those times, it was a nostalgic show. For those who didn’t, it was a great history lesson.
Please give my regards to the entire company of ’69 SEASONS. We so enjoyed hosting you at the Turnage!
Joey
Joey Toler
Executive Director
Arts of the Pamlico/Turner Theatre
Washington, NC
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“In 1969, I was 21, a student, and a white female married to a black man. The decisions I made then have affected the rest of my life. Your show brought clarity and articulation to that time of turmoil. Thank you. It was wonderful.”
-Patron
Warren Performing Arts Center,
Indianapolis, IN.
http://www.ebzb.org