In August 1995, my wife, Samantha, and I spent our honeymoon in and around Saranac Lake. We were drawn here by the usual things - the woods and waters - and if ample outdoor recreation was the extent of our visit, that would have been enough. But one night we decided to visit a little theater in Saranac Lake that we read about in a tourist guide. The show was Terra Nova, and I believe we sat somewhere toward the front of the house, not yet knowing about the relative luxury of Row G...

 

Although we were not theatre experts, by intermission we knew that Pendragon was something special. Saranac Lake was good enough as a quaint mountain town full of recreational opportunities, but home to an established performing arts venue, as well? The seed was planted: we left Saranac Lake with a desire to find a way to come back and be a part of this community.

 

In March of 1998, right after the historic ice storm, we did return, and we have lived full time in the area ever since. Over those years we have attended countless shows; in our twenties we were particularly fond of coming to pay-what-you-can nights with our friends. In 2018, our daughter Olivia took the Pendragon stage as the wind-up ballerina in The Velveteen Rabbit, Kent Streed’s holiday production that year. Since then, she has participated in countless shows at Pendragon and elsewhere around the area. This past summer she not only performed in the Camp Pendragon production of Frozen Jr., but was also able to work as an intern for the production of Circle Mirror Transformation. It is not possible to overemphasize how important Pendragon has been to her and how integral it has been to her education.

 

When I was asked to join the Pendragon Board of Directors this past winter, I was honored and frankly, a bit daunted. This would be the first Board I had ever served on; did I have any special skills to offer? I have since realized that it is my love of this theater and my dedication to its future that are of value to the Board. I know, personally, how important it is to our community, and to our children in particular, and that is why I am dedicated to seeing it thrive.

If you believe in the critical importance of the arts in rural places, as I do, I hope you consider supporting Pendragon. We need your help to ensure that the theatre remains a vital cultural and artistic cornerstone of the Saranac Lake community.