After more than a year of no theatre, it feels incredible to open a play at the Arvada Center! We recently opened Small Mouth Sounds, and it felt both wonderful and strange to be back working with my colleagues after such a long hiatus. I told a group of friends on opening night that I was feeling a bit feral. It seems like it’s been so long since I’ve been around a lot of people, but I’m excited that life is slowly returning to normal.

I look back now and muse over how hopeful we all were. Small Mouth Sounds was set to open on March 13, 2020. We naively thought COVID would shut us down temporarily, and we’d be back in a month or less. Little did we know it would be more than a year before we could safely remount this production in a larger venue to allow for social distancing. Not only did the arts industry suffer from the pandemic, but the actors were deeply impacted, losing not only their livelihood but their passion.

Nobody does live theatre to get rich. We do live theatre because we love storytelling and creating works of art on stage for you. Our first day of rehearsal was filled with tears from the entire cast – we grieved for the year we lost and we rejoiced for the year that’s ahead. With many safety protocols in place, we are once again able to share our work with you.

Small Mouth Sounds is about isolation and a yearning to find human connection. After the last year, I think we all have a new appreciation for how much we need human connection, so I hope this play resonates with you. If you’re not ready to venture out yet, please keep an eye out for our 2021-2022 Theatre Season announcement. We are planning a full theatre season next year with a strong lineup of uplifting and entertaining plays.

I just want to close this letter with a big thank you. Thank you for supporting the Center, for sticking with us through a very difficult year, and for coming back – now and in the future. If there is anything that will help us recover and reunite as a community, it’s our love for the arts. I can’t wait to see you at the theatre!

Sincerely,

Lynne Collins

Artistic Director of Plays

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