The Hill is Alive…
…with the sound of music, as the song (almost) says. The singular Hill I’m speaking of is, of course, that gentle sloping greensward behind our building where, except for a couple of rain-outs, we have had wonderful experiences presenting a variety of great music in our Hylton on the Hill series. One of those rainouts (Ranky Tanky) turned into a brilliant webcast, giving our crack technical team a chance to immerse themselves in the tools and techniques of video production. The more recent one moved the Seán Heely Celtic Band into Merchant Hall and gave me the excuse for a little joke during the curtain speech, to the effect that “at least we have a halfway decent theater to use as a back-up plan.” Thank you for chuckling if you were there.
Weather hiccups aside, we’ve had a great experience with the series, learning more each time about patron logistics and comfort, sound and staging needs, and program choices. We are getting terrific (meaning very useful as well as overwhelmingly supportive) feedback from you each time, too, and I encourage you to keep the responses coming.
Back inside the Hylton Center, we are continuing to plan our return to full production and full, or fuller, houses. As I write this, there is still some uncertainty about the evolving guidance for providing the safest and most comfortable experience for audiences, staff, and artists; all I can say is “stay tuned” and remember that, as part of George Mason University, we have a formidable team of public health and other professionals working with us to ensure that both the relevant regulations and the best available information are factored into our policies.
Meanwhile, please accept my gratitude for your continued support of our work. If our little motto (“the arts create community”) is anywhere close to accurate, this past year-plus has been a great test. And it has also shown us that the converse is also true – the community creates the arts – which you have done by your steadfast interest, by showing up online and in-person for everything we’ve tried, and by keeping us going with your encouragement.
I hope this summer brings a change of tempo for all of us (and, if appropriate, let it be a decelerando). I wish you the very best for a safe, healthy, and restorative season, and I look forward to seeing you – really seeing you – in the coming months!
--- Rick Davis, Dean and Executive Director