Dedicated to our Clowners

To those who helped with the production of "A Thousand Clowns" by Herb Gardner, in Merritt, January 2010.

What a ride! It has been about seven months since the idea of performing this play came to mind, all because John Allison decided to download a copy of the movie for me last summer. I am siting here dead tired, many pounds lighter, with a ton of work still ahead, but
still...

I am so very very proud of all who participated and helped. Those words are blurring right now.

Somewhere in December we hit a wall and could not perform on schedule. At that point we needed help, the play proved such a large endeavour that we needed to mobilize more help and do so fast. This started with Mil Juricic's boundless energy and inspiration, Brian Sherwood's deep reach into his own network of friends, Jason Nyeste's sweat and knowledge of construction, Howard Baker's patient help and training of the technical crew, Judy Hatoum's self motivation and fund raising, Holly Obee's organizational strength, and Nedra McKay and her family's promotional efforts. Thank you, and thanks to all or your supporters when we really needed your help.

If your name is not on the list above it's because I'm afraid of making mistakes and omissions. Almost all of you worked with or for one or more of these individuals and have learned to "love them just as much as I do"

I might have given up in December but I saw that we had that "few, we happy few" of amazing actors with talent and dedication. You were impossible to let down. You tackled a play that has probably frightened away many small companies. You helped wake up the piece of Murray that is still inside me from when I was Alex's age. I hope you will all carry your talent forward to many other performances on stage and off.

WE did it, and we can do more and better yet. Keep that faith.

Jim