The Power of Theater
Dallas Theater Center surprises faraway fan with trip to see Les Miserables
Dallas Theater Center's modern take on Les Miserables has garnered a lot of fans since it started back in June, including those who haven't even seen it. One such girl is about to have her dreams fulfilled thanks to an impassioned letter and the generosity of the local theater community.
Anna Lance, a 16-year-old from Eagle Flats, Alaska, had been following DTC's production all summer thanks to the updates posted on the company's Facebook page. She was enthralled by the pictures and video previews she found there, so she decided to show her appreciation for DTC's work by sending them a letter.
In that two-page letter, written in purple ink, Lance tells how her participation in an online Les Mis community led to her discovery of DTC's production. She is effusive in her thanks to DTC merely for the opportunity to follow their version from afar, saying that they are "keeping the legacy and impact of Les Mis alive." She also notes that by modernizing the musical, DTC has made its story more relevant than ever.
Blown away by the impact they had on someone 4,000 miles away, Dallas Theater Center officials conspired to bring Lance and her mom Carrie to town to see the musical in person. The DTC board donated airline miles for the transportation and the Fairmont Dallas offered hotel accommodations, setting in motion the surprise plan.
DTC gave Lance the good news on August 13, and she and her mom arrived in Dallas just two days later. They will be the guests of DTC at the final performance of Les Miserables on Sunday, August 17, giving Lance an opportunity she never thought she'd have.