Englert Board, are you listening?

I meant to blog about this on Saturday, but I forgot! The Press Citizen comes out on the side of local arts in its battle with the Englert Theatre. Thanks, PC.

Looking at who's performed so far and at the coming lineup, it's increasingly clear that the Englert won't really be a place for locals to perform. Most of the shows, from the upcoming children's plays to musical and artistic performances, all are from out of town. Certainly some of that is expected, and use of the theater should be maximized. But the lack of locally produced performances reduces the Englert to a smaller Hancher. While Iowa City will benefit from such a venue, many who donated dollars and time to the Englert would say a place for locals to perform is a higher priority.

Yeah, no kidding.

In addition, the prices charged for some of the events aren't for everyone in the community. The $25 or plus shows outnumber the $5 to $10 ones. While the children's plays generally run $10 to $12 a ticket, most single parents living on tight incomes will have to opt for the less expensive movie matinee. That Wednesday's gala cost $60 for the performance and $100 for the performance and reception signals to many in the community that the Englert is now for the city's wealthy.

This is a great point that I wish more people were talking about. The Grand Opening was just for the wealthy of Iowa City. Very nice. How many of the middle and lower income people volunteered their time and effort to make the Englert what it is today?