Letter to the Editor

Editor,Last Friday and Saturday evening, I attended Fairbury Jr-Sr High School’s production of the Wizard of Oz. It was beyond good! I heard Facebook was immediately blowing up with accolades; people in the community were using words like “fabulous, amazing, tremendous, shockingly well-done, kids were so cute and having fun.” As an old theater buff/director, it was hard to find much to criticize. The visuals were excellent—beautiful costumes; high energy, professional dancing; creative use of lighting and technology; effective staging, movement, timing, props. The audio aspects were good as well—singing was well-done, words were mostly clear in the songs and the dialogue; music was high energy and fun, and, along with the sound effects, added to the excitement. A highly enjoyable, A+ production was seen by all who attended!But, there was something more; something that is a bit more difficult to describe or define. The one component of every successful show that goes beyond the basic theatrical parts—the emotional sell, the feelings, the aspect of the show that draws you in, the trust among the characters, the personal investment–is what really stood out. This cast, this crew had each other’s backs; they were in it to win it; they were a motley, most unlikely group in many ways and yet they nailed it. They showed up on Friday evening and said, “We can do this!” And, in my opinion, they gave the show of a lifetime! Kudos to everyone involved, from the creative geniuses to the backbreaking cleanup crews, this was one of the best. . . . .But wait a minute, how did this happen? Fairbury is a struggling, small town with a struggling, small school district. The music department in general has had its share of issues. Our sports teams struggle to go much beyond mediocre. We lose a fair amount of teachers each year. We have veteran teachers retiring in their 50s. Teachers grumble about the kids and parents. Parents and kids grumble about the teachers. City workers grumble, businesses grumble, law enforcement grumbles, churches grumble. . . . . So how does a first class theatrical production rise out of the mire of that negativity? It’s the people! It’s the good, salt-of-the-earth people, and that includes young people, who know what it takes to succeed. They are driven by hope and energy and skills and positivity and endurance and resilience. They aren’t always at the top; more than likely somewhere near the bottom where they are teaching, coaching, helping, encouraging, pushing, pleading, praying. The Wizard of OZ cast and crew and anyone remotely involved with this production (right down to the intermission treats) are the best of the best! We need to thank God everyday for people like you. I do thank you and feel so blessed to live in Fairbury! There is no place like home! And it’s not Kansas!Gratefully,Barbara BedlanFairbury

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