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Friday, July 8, 2011 The Shepherdstown Chronicle 7 Jefferso n Co u n ty’s B est K ept Secret JUST GOT BIGGER! DEALER W eJustExpanded OurFacility! SHEPHERDSTOWN SPECIALTY STORAGE 304-876-8686 1744 Shepherd Grade Road •Shepherdstown,W V M o n -Fri 8a m -5pm Saturday 9am -1pm MOVE-IN SPECIAL: All Units Now 40% OFF! Tem perature & Non Tem perature Controlled Units Available ALL INDOOR STORE SECURE FACILITY A t W illiam sport R etirem ent V illage,w e offer short-term rehabilitation to im prove m obility w eakened from injury, cognitive d etrim ent,disease or age-related factors. W ith encouragem ent and support,our residents explore their fullpotentialw hile enhancing their quality of life. (301)-223-7971 w w w .w rv-bgf.org M D Relay 1-800-735-2258 154 N orth A rtizan Street W illiam sport,M D 21795 By Ed Herendeen Special to The Chronicle When you are in your 20s, you don’t imagine anything lasting 20-plus years. In 1991, the stars aligned perfectly over Shepherdstown, W.Va. Those of us in theater know that the stars almost never align, let alone perfectly. There is always something that’s off; something you wish you’d done better; some- thing that went wildly off-track. But in 1991, everything shifted into place, and the Contemporary American Theater Festival pro- duced its first season. That was only 21 years ago. And let me tell you: place matters. Twenty-one years ago my theater friends were in disbelief when I announced that I was going to West Virginia to start a professional the- ater dedicated to produc- ing and developing new work. They said, “…Seriously?” In fact, our geography — Shepherdstown in West Virginia’s Eastern Panhandle and on the campus of Shepherd University — plays an essential role in the suc- cess of the Contemporary American Theater Festival. For the past 21 years we have created an artistic haven for profes- sional theater artists to operate outside the glare of the urban spotlight. This historic hamlet nestled along the banks of the Potomac River provides the ideal envi- ronment for innovation and creative risk-taking. Shepherdstown offers artists an intense interac- tion with a vibrant and eclectic community that engages — from business to private citizen — in the creative flow of mak- ing theater. Shepherdstown is sim- ply the perfect communi- ty for what we do. Some people possess the commonly held belief that Broadway is the cen- ter of the American the- ater.Yet every summer, playwrights and theater artists from around America converge here to nurture, develop and produce five new American plays in rotat- ing repertory. Shepherdstown virtually becomes the summer home for the future of the American theater. Since 1991, Shepherdstown has been an incubator for 90 new American plays. Place matters! Richard Florida writes in his bestseller “Who’s InYour City,” “It is true that where we live and work does matter. Where we live affects every aspect of our lives … It can determine the income we earn, the peo- ple we meet, the friends we make, the partners we choose, and the options available to our children and families.” The power of place has everything to do with our happiness. Aristotle observed that human beings seek hap- piness above all else. Most who study happi- ness say that true well- being comes from social relationships—close and loving connections with family and friends and from doing work that has purpose and about which you are passion- ate. Place is essential to fulfilling these basic needs. In his captivating best- seller “Stumbling On Happiness,” Harvard psychologist Daniel Gilbert writes that “most of us make at least three important decisions in our lives: where to live, what to do, and with whom to do it.” Note that he lists the “where” question first. It is clear that “place” plays a fun- damental role in our endeavors to be happy. Choosing the right place to live can make all the difference in our quest for happiness. Twenty-one years ago, when Dow Benedict was recruiting me to move to Shepherdstown to start a professional theater, he and my wife Sue were sitting on a bench at the Frank Center overlook- ing the Shepherd cam- pus. Sue remarked, “Wouldn’t it be nice to grow old in Shepherdstown?” Decades later we feel so very fortunate that we chose to live, raise three children and create art here in a community that values open-mindedness, tolerance and self expres- sion. Place matters. For me, the work never gets old. Every summer is a new begin- ning. This week we put into motion the 21st sea- son of the Contemporary American Theater Festival. And I share with you a profound belief that this repertory of new American writing is important and necessary. It demonstrates what I care about most in my For CATF, location makes a difference See Location page 8
