Dreams and Promises
Twenty years ago, if someone had told me the Purple Rose would still be around, with tears in my eyes I’d have fallen to my knees, and said, “Is that a promise?!”
Happily, we are. Two decades ago, I dreamed of having a company of actors, playwrights, directors, and designers who understood our part of the country. A company that could take all that we are and turn it into theatre.
I dreamed of a place that would help this community sustain itself, create jobs, and put money into people’s pockets both in and outside the Purple Rose. I dreamed of gaining national recognition for developing and producing new American Plays. I dreamed of building a professional facility to house our professional company, one that would impress all who entered our doors. Especially, those from New York.
I dreamed of a creative home embraced by some of our best theatre artists, where playwrights would write great parts for actors who would turn around and give us performances we’ll remember forever. I dreamed of a place where today’s twenty one year old actor, the one I used to be, could learn all the things I wished I’d known before I left for New York.
Most of all, I dreamed of playing to an audience who wanted what we did. An audience who came to see what we were up to and left wanting to come back. I dreamed of an audience willing to take the creative adventure right along with us.
Twenty years later, happy to say, all those dreams have come true. The reason they did is because of you. Over the past two decades, your attendance, your generosity, and your commitment to the Purple Rose have made all those dreams, those jobs, those opportunities, the laughs, the tears, the learning, all those stories, our stories, come to life. All I know is someone somewhere kept their promise.
I take great pride in being part of the Purple Rose’s first twenty years. I hope you do, too.
Jeff Daniels, Executive Director