The Future of BEST and Community Theater

Dear Town of Barrington,

BEST and Community Theater are a very important part of our lives. There we are accepted for who we are and what we do. We are not judged on what we wear, who our friends are, what kind of Sweet 16 party we had. We are judged on character and actions. It is this reason above all else that the group which we are a part of is more than just a series of friendships, it is a family. We love each other for who we are, and we accept any and all people.

The main reason that BEST and Community Theater have worked as well as they have, and this family has been allowed to grow and become even closer over time is the way that Joel runs the program. It is Joel who has created this family, and he is a patriarch of sorts. This family can live on without Joel, but it could never be the same.

"Why is it Joel?" one might wonder. "What makes him and his program so special?" That question can only be asked by someone who has never been a part of the program. The program works something like this: Joel is the overseer of everything, he chooses directors, makes the schedule, hires the staff, figures out who will do what and when they will do it. Every once in a while he will direct a show of his own. However, it is not these shows that take center stage. It is the shows that we direct. Not every one of us has had the chance to do so, and not every one of us will get the chance (or even desire it). But those who do direct their peers and those peers who are directed understand what a difference it is to be told what to do, to be helped by their friends. It brings us closer together, and that above all is what makes BEST and Community Theater special.

This is why we, as parents or students or members or former members of the program, request that the town simply understand why we are so loyal to Joel and to the program in general. We request that the kids, the ones who are a part of the program, the ones who the program was made for, be a deciding factor in the final decision, or the parents who are paying for the program.

The way BEST and Community Theater are set up work, and what isn't broken should not be fixed. We understand that it is not as simple as we want it to be. We understand that Mr. DeAngelis is doing his best to work out all of the issues. Finally, we understand that many of the issues (particularly those with the school) are not under the control of the schools.

On the other hand, we realize that the town does have control over several issues, and there is one issue that we would like the town to address above all: We want Joel to have a fair contract.

The liability clause in Joel's past contracts have been an unfair burden on Joel, and will become an even greater issue now that he has a daughter in college. No one should be financially responsible for buying equipment that should be made available in the first place. No one should be made financially responsible for a small incident which could have incredibly large financial repercussions, such as the tearing of the high school curtain (which, it should be noted, already has several tears in it).

We believe that Joel is the best, if not the only candidate to run BEST and Community Theater, and it is clear that, if given an acceptable contract, he will take the reigns once again, where he belongs.

We, as both children and adults, implore you to understand why this program is special, and why it cannot become something foreign. This program has inspired many people. It has given us short and long-term goals. This program has changed lives.

And that is why we hope you understand our plea, and thank you for taking the time to read this. We want everything to be worked out for the best, and we know you do too.