It was 6 years ago today that I posted this journal entry.

6 years ago today, Williamston Theatre moved into our home at 122 South Putnam, in Williamston, Michigan.

Amazing. The last 6 years have been pretty amazing. The company has survived many challenges and, I am amazed to say, done quite well in the economic nightmare that the world is enduring. 32 productions, with a 33rd in rehearsals as of yesterday, 9 World Premieres, with our tenth set to open in a few weeks, roughly 40 Awards and, the most important of all – an audience that has continued to grow every single season.

It’s a humbling, amazing, thing to look back on. What we hoped would work, back when I wrote the above mentioned entry, has joined the ranks of successful theatres in the state. That’s due to the amazing family of folks we’ve been lucky enough to have gather there – the actors, the designers, stage managers, directors and writers. Our apprentices, box office staff, our board members and Signature Society, the volunteeers, the audience/patrons/supporters.

Has it all been perfect? Nope. We’ve done some things wrong, I personally have made some colossal blunders along the way. (“Sure, let’s start our first season out with 8 week performance runs, let’s see if that works!”). Lord knows we’re still, always, looking for a better handle on what our audiences want, and a good balance between that, what the artists want, what will pay the bills, what will feel like work that forwards the art form in the industry. The “voice” of the company is one that I think is A) still being shaped, and B) could be evolving for many more years.

But, as I look at this day, I’m proud of the work that the folks here have done, proud to be a part of it all, and excited about what the future holds.