University of Virginia Library

Final Curtain?

There have, in the past, been several
attempts to bring live commercial theater to
Charlottesville on a permanent basis. These
attempts, however, met with failure for two
reasons: (1) most efforts were so amateurish as
to not deserve support, and (2) even when
they did deserve support, the public refused
to give it. The people of Charlottesville, it
seemed, simply were not interested in theater.

Then, last fall, a group of young theater
enthusiasts, all in their twenties and most
with impressive theatrical experience and
degrees in drama, established the Albemarle
Playhouse out on Rte. 250 West. During the
past year they have exhibited more talent
than one would expect from a resident
company in a small Virginia city, made the
Playhouse into a first-class dinner theater,
and-surprise or surprises- won the support
of the community.

It thus seems a perverse quirk of fate that,
having secured their artistic foundation, the
Playhouse should face a possible demise
because their theater is being sold out from
under them in a high-pressure business deal.
Yet, if the resident company is unable to find
a place in this area where they can
relocate-on either a permanent or temporary
basis-by the time the sale is finalized in
January, Charlottesville once again will lack
any form of semi-professional theater, this
time perhaps permanently.

We feel that too much has been
accomplished in the last year and too much
promised for the future to let the Playhouse
pass prematurely into oblivion. Managing
Director Patrick Stoner has vowed to do all
within his power to keep the Playhouse alive.
Its fate, however, ultimately rests, not with
Mr. Stoner, but with those of you who have
supported it in the past and who feel that it is
worth saving.

What we ask you to do is to let the
Playhouse know, in letters either to them
directly or through this newspaper, how
deeply you feel the need and/or want for the
Playhouse's survival. Any suggestions you
might be able to offer concerning possible
solutions, such as where to relocate, will be
most welcome. The main thing, at this point,
is to let your support be known.

Within a few months it will be clear
whether Charlottesville's recent awakening to
theater is the real thing-or just a passing
fancy.