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Performing Arts in Fauquier
I have a confession to make. When it comes to art and entertainment, I’ve always been a bit of a snob. This is most likely a result of my years as a Washingtonian, when I was spoiled with outstanding performances at the Kennedy Center and other prestigious theatrical institutions. Fauquier county is also blessed with it’s own outstanding theater group, which I highly recommend.
Unfortunately, as a single mom, my entertainment budget has been drastically reduced. In fact, after the cost of a sitter, it’s pretty much non-existent.
But I am resourceful, and have recently discovered a whole new world of performing art, though perhaps it might better be described as an untapped source of local entertainment. And as luck would have it, these productions are free, so long as you are related to one of the performers. And I am.
Yes, I confess, this former Kennedy Center snob is now a Fauquier fan of – school performances!
At first, this change was challenging. While 5-year olds singing Christmas carols can be adorable, my tone-deaf son singing the National Anthem is just plain shocking. And while, my artistic tastes are quite diverse, I was totally unprepared for a rap version of “She’ll be Coming Round the Mountain.”
But I have adapted well. I didn’t blink an eye when my son warned me that the pending recorder concert might include a few mistakes. When I asked what students did if they missed a note, his best friend (also performing) gleefully reported, that “some people start the song over, but most just keep blowing.” Sadly, my video recorder wasn’t working that night, so I only have a few photos as a keepsake.
I’ve also discovered, that some of the best theatrical performances in Fauquier can be viewed at local cub scout events. Nowhere else can you see 6-year olds sitting on an invisible bench. I cried during a 7-year old’s rendition of a dead moose floating in a mud puddle. And I can’t describe the gut-wrenching drama of scouts pushing their den leader into a river – while he’s occupied in an outhouse!
Now I’m sure that Fauquier isn’t the only community blessed with such incredible artistic talent, but I consider myself privileged to have experienced these budding performers, before they’ve been discovered by the outside world. At the very least, I have broadened my horizons so far, that I can no longer see my previous view of perfection.
For those of you who crave artistic excellence, please visit The Fauquier Community Theatre website at http://www.fctstage.org/.
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