Lee Brock: Value

The Barrow Group’s production of John Yearley’s Triptych closed this week.

For sixteen performances I greeted people as they entered the theater and hugged them as they left. Several times after the show’s curtain call I watched people so moved by the experience that they couldn’t get out of their seats – sitting silently in tears, sometimes clinging to another audience member.  I repeatedly had people break down in my arms. Occasionally I witnessed audience members hugging complete strangers.

This is theater’s power: The chance to sit together in the dark and have a shared experience and, if all goes well, a transcendent one.

In these uncertain times, we have the opportunity to lead with our values of love, kindness, and deeper understanding. Stories can give us the opportunity to connect with one another on a deep level. In short, art heals the world, and I think we need healing now more than ever.

During the pandemic, over four hundred and fifty arts organizations shut down and, in New York, the healing that we all need has become a rarer commodity.  And like all beautiful things, scarcity adds value.  The few arts organizations that have survived over the last ten years need us as much as we need them.

In this holiday season, I invite you to give generously to the arts.  I believe what goes around comes around, and your generosity will be returned tenfold in future meaningful experiences. If you value your experiences at The Barrow Group or any arts organization, please donate to them in any way you can.

I wish you the best in this upcoming year and hope you have the happiest of holidays!

Love,
Lee

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