A long long time ago...

...but I can still remember. It wasn't the day the music died, but that music just might die soon. It was when I worked at the Skylight Opera Theatre. I worked at the Skylight from August of 2004 thru June of 2005 and it was, with much hindsight in this statement, a most wonderful year of my life.

The Skylight was my very first theatre family. I graduated from college in March of that year and moved right away to NYC. Let's just say that, while I loved the city, the city did not love me and left me to find work elsewhere. After a summer in upstate New York at the fantastic Chautauqua Opera, I picked my bright eyes up and moved to Milwaukee. Can I tell you how much I LOVE Milwaukee, WI? I think I can't do it justice. All I can say is - go. Go to Milwaukee. Experience it yourself. It's more than cheese and beer (not that I don't love cheese and beer!!!!)

I was the Resident Assistant Stage Manager for the Skylight. I worked hard, made great friends, and loved my life. At the Skylight I worked with amazing singers and actors, award-winning directors, and a crew that did it for the love of it. I learned that heart and soul are the two most important ingredients in a stage production. That family comes first and they were my family. We took care of each other and worked as a team.

Since leaving the Skylight in 2005, I have kept in touch with various colleages and Skylight family members who have reported nothing but what I felt when I was there. We were family. That is, at least, until last week.

The Skylight Opera Theatre Board of Directors has made a graven mistake that may cost the company everything they have. They unsurriptiously fired the Artistic Director, Company Manager, Box Office Manager, another box office employee, and the Night Janitor. They did so saying it was to help recoup the over $100,000.00 they will be in debt this coming season. They said that it was the "last resort". Well, even in the most dire of times, my last resort would not be to put 5 family members out on the street and say "Thanks for what you've contibuted to this family but we just can't support you anymore!". The final straw was when they then fired their Music Director, Jamie Johns, for supporting those who were fired and peacefully protesting the actions of the Board. "Here's a swift kick in the pants, Little Brother. Hope it didn't hurt too much!".

There is a huge backlash from the community and I almost feel like flying to Milwaukee to help them protest these actions. Jonathan West has been keeping track of most every action on his well worded blog: Artsy Schmartsy. He's better at saying everything I want to say. There are videos of people protesting, a Milwaukee Journal write-up, and soooo much more being said on Facebook.

Bottom line is- as my good friend on SNL says, "Fix it!" Skylight Opera Theatre screwed up and the family will be homeless and eating out of dumpsters if this continues. And do we really want that? I don't want that for my family. Or any other family. Let's make peace and admit to being wrong. Let's move past this tiff and become one again. Please, for art's sake. Please.