TCR’s downtown return is just the beginning

It is easy to get a standing ovation in the Cedar Rapids metro area, even following the most mediocre of productions. The gesture has lost much of its honor.

But rising enthusiastically to our feet at the March 5 Theatre Cedar Rapids performance of “The Producers” was not only easy but extremely satisfying and honest. What an exhilarating synergy of theatrical, musical and technical prowess. What a sense of pride for all of us who still do daily battle the flood of 2008. We've come home to the Iowa Theatre!

Such a collection of some of the metro area's greatest talents - both seen and unseen - gathered our community to celebrate the arts coming back downtown. To those naysayers who think that Cedar Rapids is stagnating or dead, even going backward, I urge you to run, clamor, fight to get to see this grand production, housed in the elegantly refurbished Iowa Theatre Building.

You've achieved “the impossible dream” and this theater patron is “glad to see you back where you belong.” May you get many more of those well-deserved standing ovations!

Rich Hoffman

Marion