By Jane Alden

Tonight, (Tuesday, July 9), there was a performance at Doe Bay of “The Taming of the Shrew,” by the San Juan Island Stage Left Theatre Company, directed by Helen Machin-Smith. Every summer this company takes a production of a Shakespearean play on tour to all the islands and it is always by donation or free if you cannot pay. I thoroughly enjoyed the production, but this is not a review. What this is, is a query to the theatre community here on Orcas as to why they do not support this endeavor. These performers come here and perform Shakespeare for free and we are, to my mind, an embarrassment as a host. Not only are these performances poorly attended, (undeservedly so, as the quality of the productions rates much, much better), but not one representative of any of the theatre companies on this island was present. Nor, in my experience, have they ever been.

When I was a member of The San Juan County Arts Council, one of the issues that came up constantly was the lack of community between the artists of the separate islands and here it is again. Never mind that it would be gracious of our island theatre community to welcome and support these visiting artists. What is astonishing to me is the lack of interest or even curiosity on the part of our theatre practitioners to see what other artists are doing. Narcissistic. And foolish. Any artist worthy of the name knows that you learn and grow by, among other things, observing the work of other artists. Clearly that is not the goal of the representatives of this island’s theatres. And, if this is not a goal for them . . . well, I believe some serious reevaluation, not to say soul searching, should be in order.

If this sounds harshly critical, it is meant to be. It was embarrassing to me and to others who were at this performance to see not one person from any of the Orcas Island theatre companies present. It is ungracious, rude, and ultimately a sign of a mind- set that is turned only upon its own narrow interests with no regard for what exists beyond its own little sphere. This is a prescription for mediocrity and irrelevance. This creates, not vital, impactful theatre, but mindless, lifeless, pointless posturing. And it will not survive. It cannot, nor should it.

So, to return to my query . . . why, Orcas Island theatre personnel, do you not support this event? As a member of the community that you are pledged to serve in the area of the arts, I request that you take a look at this and reevaluate your position in the larger community of the San Juan Islands theatre arts and artists. And an apology to Helen Machin-Smith would not be at all out of order.

(Editor’s note: Orcas Issues received a press release about the event earlier this week, without indicating the time and place of the Orcas Island performance.  Theatre-lovers can see “The Taming of the Shrew”  by Stage Left on San Juan Island at Roche Harbor from July 11 – 28 at at Island Stage Left at 1062 Wold Road Aug 2 – 18. For further information, go to www.islandstageleft.org )

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