Opelika Observer Staff Editorial - 9/9: "25 years of exceptionality from Arts Association"

Next week’s performance of Hal Holbrook’s “Mark Twain Tonight!” marks not only a triumphant performance by one of America’s greatest living actors, but a prime example of the remarkable caliber of shows made available to the citizens of East Alabama through the Arts Association of East Alabama.

For 25 years, the Arts Association has brought Broadway-worthy musicals, the world’s finest dancers, symphony orchestras that have entertained the crown heads of Europe and even a few boys’ choirs – the noted Harlem Boys' Choir among them.

Opera divas, stars of stage and screens both large and small – all have tread the boards of the Opelika Center for the Performing Arts, all here to bless us all with their phenomenal gifts.

For a small town in Alabama, we’re doing pretty well.

We should also consider it a blessing that because these shows come for our Arts Association, our children almost always have opportunities to experience the events for themselves.

Actors and musicians need warmups; kids need to be exposed to culture and fine arts.

It’s a win-win situation.

In current economic times, it’s easy to overlook funding for items that can be seen as trivialities.

Sadly, the arts has always seemed to fall under that category.

It is through the mirror of music, dance and performance that we occasionally discover truths about ourselves.

We go to performances not just for the cultural cache of having seen this orchestra or that performer.

We go to have that performance, that offering from those players, speak to us, to have it resonate with something within ourselves.

Good art, the art provided continually by the Arts Association, should speak to us in such a fashion.

We may go to be entertained, to take a break from the worries and troubles of life for a short while and find a world devoid of problems that can be easily solved with a plucky attitude and few well-rehearsed musical numbers.

But, we eventually find some small way to learn something about ourselves, or we should hope to at least.

We hope to see a number of you present for the kickoff of the association’s season on Thursday. We’re trying to find tickets.

Here’s to the 25 exceptional years you have given us and to many more.