2022. The Year of Miracles.
What an incredible year it has been. There aren't enough adjectives to describe how miraculous our first season of Act Two has been. That could be the adjective . . . miraculous. A few weeks ago, one of our dear patrons, Gae, said, "Erika, what you all have done in one year is nothing short of a miracle." I agree with her.
As I reflect on all that has happened in 2022 at Legacy Theater Company many things have been nothing short of a miracle.
THE TEAM.
The miracle is a team huddled together in our little theater, working, planning, sweating, crying, building, designing, singing, choreographing, and working through hard times together until the wee hours of the morning.
For Steven, Kandee, Kati, Jim, Ma, and Myself, those late hours, talks about Jesus, prayers for our community, "therapy sessions," sweating, working, tea . . . so much tea . . . and creating have been the foundation for this miracle of our first year. I am so grateful for them and the team behind the scenes.
THE CAST & CREW.
The miracle is the stage and front of house team filled with members of our community who willingly and voluntarily give of their time, treasure, and talents to bring joy through song, healing through a story, rest through relationship, and love . . . . so much love . . . through their very presence.
To the casts and crews that have graced our theater this year . . . Thank you for coming home.
Thank you for your gifts. Thank you for your friendship, the laughter, the love, the sparkle, the deep talks, and the inside jokes. Thank you for days of not rehearsing and just chatting and healing together. Thank you for parking and clipboards, brooms, and vacuums. Thank you for the days of intense rehearsals, all the time, all the emotions, all the vulnerability, all the growth, and all the love. Thank you for the love you poured out to our community, the love and joy you gave them through your performances and presence, and the healing and rest you brought us all.
I can't wait to see what next year holds.
S.O.T.A.
The miracle is a group of students coming together and breaking off the masks that the world puts on them. School of the Arts is a miracle. It's Newsies reflection circles, crying in the comedy and tragedy room, finding a song, making a friend, discovering a passion, being mentored by incredible humans, and telling stories that can change a life. It has been a year of . . . as the Velveteen Rabbit taught us . . . becoming "real."
To the students of the School of the Arts . . . you know we love you to the moon and back. You are our sparkle and our joy. We are so proud of the millions of tiny little miracles we saw in you this year. We are so proud of the humans you are and how you show up so beautifully in the world. This is only the beginning, SOTA. Here's to discovering our true selves and continuing to break open those hard seed shells so we can grow. 😉
THE Legacy FAMILY.
The miracle is our patrons . . . our Legacy family . . . who came home. There are not enough words and more than enough tears to let you know how much it meant to me that you came home to Legacy after our "intermission." You gave of your time and treasure to help rebuild this year and bring us back to even better than before. You brought us our "Revival."
Thank you for your love and support for our opening of Act Two. For donating the chairs we needed to make our home more comfortable, buying a ticket to a show, becoming a donor, supporting a SOTA student, and donating costume pieces and materials. Thank you for your love, the stories you share with us, all the little ways you make us feel special , and the days you’ve come to chat and visit. Thank you doesn't say all my heart feels.
We do this for you.
We couldn't have done it without you.
I love the movie Bruce Almighty. Have you seen it? It is ridiculous Jim Carey fun. In it, Morgan Freeman plays "God." Bruce wants God to be a "genie in the sky" type of character, but God has different plans. He gives Bruce His powers, and at first, Bruce uses them for selfish gain. Bruce hits rock bottom, realizing he is not God and gives up all of his selfish plans. God, again, played by Freeman, says to him,
"Parting your soup is not a miracle, Bruce. It's a magic trick. A single mom who is working two jobs and still finds time to take her kid to soccer practice is a miracle. A teenager who says "no" to drugs and "yes" to an education, that's a miracle . . . You want to see a miracle, son? Be the miracle."
Be the miracle.
That's what happened at Legacy this year.
A team of people, a cast of characters, a group of students, and a community of beautiful patrons joined with God and brought a miracle. I believe God is a lot less "genie in the sky granting wishes" and more "let's work together to rebuild a beautiful community of love, joy, healing, and rest through music, theater, and the artists that create it."
This year, at Legacy, I believe we did that.
All of us together.
We became the miracle, and we are just getting started.
Thank you for our reopening year, it has been, in the words of our dear friend, Gae . . . a miracle.
With All My 💜,
ERIKA BAIN
president Legacy Theater Company.
Do you have a favorite moment or memory from this year?
Let us know in the comments! 👇
