Short definition:
The Green Room in theaters is a very lively gathering place during performances for actors/singers/insiders, before/during/after a performance. Doesn't always sport green furniture anymore. The article before you consists of 'Green Room Talk.'

My personal mission statement:
I love Community Theatre! And I would like nothing better than to conduct a musical for these wonderful singers and actors on a regular basis. I also despise the agents and other professionals who scolded and even punished me in the past for including Community Theatre productions on my resume. I choose gleefully to live with the (apparent) blemishes, because I'm proud of every single one of those shows!

About 25 years ago I started to offer my various musical services (singer, actor, pianist, guitarist, music director, conductor, ...) to a "Kellertheater" (translation: "basement theatre;" very similar to American Community Theatre) in Austria. 1988 I moved to North Carolina. You are hearing the opening of "Shenandoah," my first Community Theatre production in the US. Now as a Midwestener I'm conducting in Minnesota and Wisconsin. I found that there are a lot of similarities between all four states.

Everyone can get involved in Community Theatre as a volunteer! You can emulate your favorite celebrity by singing and acting. Even if you don't have the guts to perform on stage, you can help in many other ways: as an usher, with the sets and the costumes, in the orchestra. The whole family can participate! In the process you can improve your skills and self esteem. And you also learn to laugh at yourself. You practice teamwork. What elevates these productions above many professional ones is the enthusiasm of all people involved. It's not a job for them, it's mainly fun!
Besides having fun the bottom line is that everyone still wants to produce a quality show. And I noticed over and over that there is something I can only call "Community Theatre magic": every show I was involved in turned from chaos into being a huge success! And that was not because the audience wasn't critical enough of an "amateur" show -- I truly believe that they were all good shows in the end.

Here are the reasons it works so well:
In addition to the overwhelming enthusiasm there are many community theatre veterans out there who are the pillars of a production together with all the (once) hidden talents and great types. Second, the inclusion of professional or semi-professional directors who know how to balance good leadership with creative teamwork and are patient enough dealing with amateurs. The values of professional leaders are obvious: they are more reliable and consistent, they can teach theatre fundamentals, they are the glue that keeps everything together! But no joy without sorrow. We need to talk about the organizers of these theatre groups and how shortsighted some people can be...

Organizers are as important as actors and directors. It's a team after all! And the logistics of putting together a show are very complicated and expensive (music rights and rental fees, auditions, printing program notes). But two things should have priority: the bottom line (a successful show), and trust in each other's abilities. In other words, don't confuse teamwork with interference. Few organizers are professional musicians or actors, but they keep disrupting and doubting the rehearsal process.
Two examples: a successful show should count for 75%. After all, a happy audience is a guarantee for a flourishing company! No audience, no show. Second, many people are hesitant to pay the orchestra. You can't put instrumentalists in the same category as actors or singers. Everyone who has the guts can act. But it takes years of practice to become a pit orchestra player!

My advice: everyone should learn to make more compromises. Give peace a chance ;o) Try to understand that professional musicians are sometimes different and harder to work with. Don't judge them too fast, give them a chance to adjust and try to work things out. These people are most important assets for Community Theatre to work!

Community Theatre people: just treasure me half as much as I treasure you, and we'll get along just fine.