Sanders Theater

We got tickets for a production of "Our Town" by the Stolen Shakespeare Guild. What a wonderful, thought provoking play! Well acted, you could clearly picture everything happening even with its minimal sets. A really lovely evening.This location was a little confusing to me at first, so let me make it easier for anyone else going. You are looking for the Fort Worth Community Arts Center building, inside is an art gallery (which you can peruse for free beforehand) and two theater spaces, the Sanders Theater and The Scott Theater. Parking was right across the street in the Will Rogers Coliseum parking lot. Hardly any walking required, it really is right across the street. It did say special event parking $10, but when we went the gates were up and it was free parking.The Sanders Theater is very small, about maybe 6 or seven rows of seats going up, so very close and personal performances here. There is just something wonderful about smaller live productions that people really put their time and heart into. No dress code here, come as you are and enjoy. Would be a wonderful night out with the girlfriends, drinks after to discuss. "Oh, earth, you're too wonderful for anybody to realize you." ― Thornton Wilder, Our Town

A wonderful establishment, one that makes a man feel humble in heart, as he tours modern art while waiting for entrance to the auditorium, an analogy that felt a bit like waiting for the Pearly Gates to open. The "Our Town" production was very well done, and I love the minimal sets approach; it certainly lent credence to the production of Thornton Wilder's script. Much like Lars Von Trier's Dogville it was a story larger than life, one that eschewed sets and props because of the blatant humanity that was on stage. Indeed, the very superfluous world melted away as the characters spoke; to add sets would have been meaningless. The fact that we arrived just as it was storming was a bit of serendipity, yes one might say, because instead of feeling afraid at the tentativeness of a passing storm and tornado, I was instead feeling afraid at the frailty of Life itself, coming from the demoralizing but beautiful play. I heard absolutely nothing going on outside, which speaks well to the soundproof walls of the theater. The staff was splendid and provided a nice compliment to the performers, which were nothing less than masterful. You, yes you reading this, ought to go see more small productions as wonderful as this. It is so much more interesting and valuable than a night out at the movies. The Earth itself, in the words of Wilder, give this a hearty recommendation.