Last Friday night we took our grandchildren to the Marion Ross Performing Arts Center to see their uncle in the current Albert Lea Community Theatre production “Alone Together.” The attendance of that performance was minimal. In the curtain speech, the president of ACT dedicated this season to Geri McShane. As a director for ACT, I have many great memories of Geri. She was a true friend to theater in this community as well as a wonderful writer and critic. Geri would run a feature, with pictures, of each new show, the Sunday before it opened. Then she faithfully watched the last dress rehearsal and printed her review for opening night. Geri told me she viewed our productions as a community event, and often the high point for a long winter weekend. Our ticket sales always benefited from her articles. I believe Geri’s last published article was a wonderful review of “The Music Man” produced by ACT.

ACT is a nonprofit organization that lost money last year. We are not about to go out of business just yet, but our expenses are usually just covered by our ticket sales. Geri’s articles and reviews were a vital resource in our limited ability to inform the public about our productions. Our current play has been largely ignored by the Tribune. We have and will continue to spend some of our limited publicity budget with the Tribune and other local media, even though it appears the Tribune no longer views us as a community event.

I am aware of at least two patrons who called the Tribune, asking about the reviews. One was told that our coverage was based on our advertising dollar. If this is the case, I know Geri would be very disappointed. We miss you Geri, more than we can say.

Rory Mattson

Albert Lea

Editor’s note: The Tribune has and always will support ACT. We would love to have been advised by an ACT representative of the fact that the season was dedicated to Geri (Murtaugh) McShane as well as of the dates and times of all the productions and rehearsals. The Tribune did not “ignore” the play. The simple fact of the matter is the reporter who now covers the arts is new — and busy — and an ACT representative didn’t call her until the day before the play. Also, ACT and the new reporter already have agreed to meet further in advance of upcoming plays to benefit both the community and our readers.