GRAND OPENING FOR GRAND HORIZONS

GRAND OPENING NIGHT FOR GRAND HORIZONS by Barbara Biddison

It was a good crowd , young adults to folks in their 80s, all ready
for this new experience with Hamilton-Gibson.  They listened
attentively and sometimes it was so quiet in the audience that you
could hear the figurative pin drop.  And often they laughed  heartily
too as this family tried to work its way through a situation that no
one had expected.  The play opens with some business, actors moving
about with clear purpose but no dialogue, and the audience immediately
understood that "you're supposed to pay attention to this."  I think they could tell that they were in for a good story, and they settled in to follow it.

This is some of the finest acting that I have seen on the Hamilton-Gibson stage, and in the past 30-some years I have seen some mighty good acting here.  It is easy to become involved with these real people in this story as it is revealed to us.  I've been with this play, drilling lines and then watching the whole thing come
together for about three months, and it still has my complete attention in its ready-for-the-stage form.  It's that rich.

For opening night we had a small but very interested crowd in the pre-show gathering.  I expect the crowd to be larger as the word spreads.  (And those people do get to keep the "really good seats" of
their choice for the show.)  It is fun to meet some of the actors before-hand.  There was no post-show opportunity  for Friday night because we had to party in the traditional opening-night fashion., but
there will be both pre- and post-show gatherings for the remaining shows in this run. I remember post-show opportunities for Thomas's one-person show EVERY BRILLIANT THING and it was such a memorable time
after every show.  I expect that to be true for GRAND HORIZONS as well.  I hope to see you all there!!! for this Saturday and next week Friday, Saturday, and Sunday matinee!!

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