Staff Editorial

Feb. 28, 2001 10 PM

We should be ashamed of ourselves.

Although Pike is a small, rural county, we have many opportunities for cultural experiences right here at home. But it seems that we would rather seek them out at the Shakespeare Festival and Davis Theater in Montgomery or the Opera House in Dothan or even at museums and concert halls three hours away in the Peach State.

For example, in the next five days, we have four opportunities to support the arts at our hometown university, which is no more than 25 minutes from any

point north, south, east or west of the campus.

On Friday and Saturday nights, the Troy State University Theater will present "You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown," in the Adams Center Theater.

The show is a tribute to Charles Schulz, creator of the comic strip, PEANUTS, which has been a part of Americana for 50 years. The cast of university students turns in an outstanding performance and deserves the support of the community in which they have chosen to pursue a higher education.

Tickets for "Charlie Brown" are only $5. That’s only slightly more than a home movie rental and a buck and change more than a movie ticket.

You can catch a movie another night, but you only have two opportunities to enjoy this fun-filled theater experience.

Monday, "Alabama Art," an award-winning show highlighting the work of internationally acclaimed artist, Nall, and 12 outstanding Alabama artists, will open at Malone Gallery with an artist lecture at 4 p.m. and a reception immediately following.

Several of the artists will join Nall at the opening including, Chip Cooper, Charlie Lucas, Yvonne Wells and Kathryn Tucker Windham, who will share a story or two.

This is a rare opportunity to see a show that premiered in Vence, France in August and was voted "best show" for summer 2000 by a French art association.

The show is free, but the opportunity is priceless.

Tuesday night, the world-renowned Russian choir Chorovaya Akademia will be in concert at the Claudia Crosby Theater.

Chorovaya Akademia, a 16-member men’s a cappella ensemble, is currently making its fourth tour of the United States, playing to rave reviews in New York, Los Angeles, Washington, D. C. and Atlanta. Should it play to less here in Pike County?

Tickets are $15, but just think what they would have cost in the Big Apple.

We owe a debt of gratitude to Troy State University, the Troy Council on the Arts and Humanities, the Alabama State Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts for providing these big city opportunities right here in Pike County.

And if we don’t take advantage of them – shame on us!  

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