Cheer Up Charlies
Give Center Stage Its Due!
RECEIVED Thu., Nov. 8, 2007
Dear Editor,
As a former community theatre actor and former board member and president of Center Stage Theater, I was sad to see the pitiful little line in Marc Savlov's recent chronology of the history of the Ritz, depicting the five years that Center Stage Theater inhabited the space as "quickly wilting in the heat" [“Re-Re-Re-Re-Reopening Night,” Screens, Nov. 2].
I can only imagine Savlov's reference is to the lack of air conditioning prior to Center Stage moving in. While this is an accurate statement of its previous condition, we air-conditioned the theatre shortly thereafter and made many other improvements. That was not the main thing, however, that saddened me.
Although I admit to being a bit biased, what concerns me is that the chronology and main article "Re-Re-Re-Re-Reopening Night" do not accurately reflect the condition of the Ritz theatre or Center Stage's contributions to the Ritz or Sixth Street during its 10-year history there.
The Seventies were a difficult time for any community theatre to try to exist on Sixth Street, where the conditions were far different from today. Crime and personal safety were major concerns, and I can remember board meetings where we discussed how to get patrons safely from the theatre to their cars. Regardless, Center Stage rose to that challenge and many others, struggling financially the entire time. Regardless of these conditions, Ken Johnson produced some wonderful productions, and sets, with the likes of Austin actors such as Dock Jackson, Karen Kuykendall, Joe York, Scottie Wilkison, Mavourneen Dwyer, Ethel Little, Libby Winters, and John Benadoni. There were critically acclaimed productions of Godspell, Born Yesterday, Camelot (Joe York's first role outside of St. Edward's), and Man of La Mancha, to name just a few.
In addition to those productions in the Ritz, Center Stage occupied and produced admirable work in a small theatre off the alley in Sixth Street for four to five years prior to moving into the Ritz. Ken Johnson/Center Stage also presented West Side Story at the Paramount, which contributed greatly to Bernadoni's revitalization efforts.
Center Stage and Ken Johnson's contributions to Austin community theatre, Sixth Street, and the Paramount Theatre revitalization may seem small in retrospect, but I believe they were significant and deserve more recognition than was given.
As a former community theatre actor and former board member and president of Center Stage Theater, I was sad to see the pitiful little line in Marc Savlov's recent chronology of the history of the Ritz, depicting the five years that Center Stage Theater inhabited the space as "quickly wilting in the heat" [“Re-Re-Re-Re-Reopening Night,” Screens, Nov. 2].
I can only imagine Savlov's reference is to the lack of air conditioning prior to Center Stage moving in. While this is an accurate statement of its previous condition, we air-conditioned the theatre shortly thereafter and made many other improvements. That was not the main thing, however, that saddened me.
Although I admit to being a bit biased, what concerns me is that the chronology and main article "Re-Re-Re-Re-Reopening Night" do not accurately reflect the condition of the Ritz theatre or Center Stage's contributions to the Ritz or Sixth Street during its 10-year history there.
The Seventies were a difficult time for any community theatre to try to exist on Sixth Street, where the conditions were far different from today. Crime and personal safety were major concerns, and I can remember board meetings where we discussed how to get patrons safely from the theatre to their cars. Regardless, Center Stage rose to that challenge and many others, struggling financially the entire time. Regardless of these conditions, Ken Johnson produced some wonderful productions, and sets, with the likes of Austin actors such as Dock Jackson, Karen Kuykendall, Joe York, Scottie Wilkison, Mavourneen Dwyer, Ethel Little, Libby Winters, and John Benadoni. There were critically acclaimed productions of Godspell, Born Yesterday, Camelot (Joe York's first role outside of St. Edward's), and Man of La Mancha, to name just a few.
In addition to those productions in the Ritz, Center Stage occupied and produced admirable work in a small theatre off the alley in Sixth Street for four to five years prior to moving into the Ritz. Ken Johnson/Center Stage also presented West Side Story at the Paramount, which contributed greatly to Bernadoni's revitalization efforts.
Center Stage and Ken Johnson's contributions to Austin community theatre, Sixth Street, and the Paramount Theatre revitalization may seem small in retrospect, but I believe they were significant and deserve more recognition than was given.
Respectfully,
Karol Rice
Karol Rice
