A ‘Very Special’ Night
August 1987 ■ Q-Notes PAGE 5
FSOM PSEVIOUS PAGE
conscious about the issues. The tension
on opening night was nothing like the
tension on beneiit night.
"It was more than a performance for
them. And such a bond developed be
tween them and the audience — there
was an electricity. In the audience,
there was no fidgeting, no coughing.
And the ovation was the most spontane
ous of any of the nights. The audience
sprang to their feet even before the
lights went up for the curtain call.
"The whole night was very special."
Media coverage helped make the
ploy a financial success.
"About 10 days before we opened,"
Martin said, "it just kind of exploded:
National Public Radio called us, the
Associated Press, The Observer, WSOC
and WBT — doing it not as an entertain
ment story but os a news story. Then
newspapersin Raleigh, Greensboro, Wil
mington and Asheville picked it up."
Martin and Steve Umberger, the
play's director, convinced Little Theatre
board members to schedule a full sum
mer production after a reading of the
ploy at Spirit Square in April drew 150
people in a space that seats 110 with 53
others turned away at the door.
When the board met after the July
run, Martin related, one board member
said, "If I had known the extreme lan
guage and the intensity of the subject
matter, I might hove voted not to sched
ule it. But after having seen it. I'm very
pleased we did it."
"All the board members," Martin
said, "felt that doing 'As Is' in the long
run will enhance Little Theatre's image.
They felt we've now reached every
aspect of the community and we are a
community theatre."
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