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Summer Buzz
In the old days of these dog days of summer, movie theaters used to give air conditioning top billing over whatever the featured attraction was—they knew that it didn’t much matter what was playing as long as the theater was cold and the popcorn was hot and buttery. Or whatever that stuff is. And they knew you probably didn’t have conditioned air at home.
Even though AC is pervasive now, I think that’s still part of the charm of going to a show in a dark cool theater when it’s 110 in the shade outside. Oops, I gave away the punch line, but now that it’s out, let me recommend this summer’s Prince William Little Theatre musical with a vigorous nod. This charming show, based on Nash’s hit play The Rainmaker, is by the same team (Jones and Schmidt) that created that immortal icon of musical theater, The Fantasticks. While it’s a different animal entirely, it has their signature melodic beauty, lyrical genius, and warmth of feeling. Seeing it in the summertime is absolutely spot-on perfect.
The Hylton Center is buzzing with all kinds of other delights this summer. Pied Piper Theatre’s Anastasia, the Musical (Youth Edition) will also warm you up and chill you out with great music and a classic story. And all summer, all throughout the building, camps of many kinds will be offering immersive arts activities that build skills like creativity, cooperation, and concentration.
One final dog days thought, a nostalgic one. I got my start in theater (at about age 10) during a hot summer in a cool theater, running the light board for a community theater production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. I loved it so much that I signed on right away for the second summer show. I spent so much time working on the lighting that the director called my mom and said “do you think Ricky’s getting enough sunshine and fresh air?” Fortunately my mother seemed to know where I was headed, and she assured him that I was just fine. And I was, as it turned out. With the added bonus of having discovered my life’s work.
So when you come to the Hylton Center this summer to see a show, buy some tickets, take in a camp activity, or just to chill out, why don’t you look around and see if you can spot the kid who is trying this stuff out for the first time, or coming back to give it a second go, to see whether this cool place we call the theater might become a second home. They’re there, I promise.
Rick Davis
Dean and Executive Director