Letter from the Spring to the HERO Cast

Dear All,

Thanks. Attached is a contact sheet.
After the set was struck
and we were having some beer and pizza,
I took a second to count
and realized we had just finished
the 25th Drilling Company
production over the last 8 years.

Each time we do a show,
it is the result of so much
effort and sacrifice that goes
unrecognized by any reasonable measure.
Even if we were obscenely financially successful or had
reams of reviews and television coverage
it would still fall short of capturing the small sacrifices
that are made so many times by so many people
in order for one of these projects to happen.

Everyone is guilty of having made some
unredeemable contribution, unredeemable
in the terms of trade our world is most
likely to recognize.

It begs the question why and
each of you I'm sure asks the
question on your own at some
point in some way.

For myself I can only refer to the
satisfaction of the opportunity to see several
performances grow, in worthwhile
plays, under the guidance
of thoughtful directors and with
support of memorably executed designs.

Moments of generosity and moments
of real quality.

So I wanted to thank everyone for
making those opportunities happen again.

I share your disappointments as well -
but as I tabulate the budget and
financials for this project
I am again stunned by the
wealth that is contributed that
does not appear on the ledger.
The amount that is given that cannot
be described or accounted for but is felt
in performance.

Thanks to each of you
for making it possible.
Without the singular contributions and sacrifices
you each made, and the standard of quality
you each hold yourselves to,
I couldn't answer the question of why.

I can.

In gratitude,

'Joe' Hamilton Clancy