Jean Valjean

June 10, 2014
jshartman

Folks regularly ask me, “Are you having fun doing Les Misérables?” The answer is, “No, but in a good way.” It’s intense and requires a tremendous amount of focus and energy. It’s physically and emotionally demanding. Do I thank God, …

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Never the Less

January 14, 2014
jshartman

Never the Less

So many thoughts went into “Never the Less.” It’s still hard to put into words, which is the point. How do you write an anti-song about God? In other words, how do you speak to what’s speechless? How do you …

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Grandpa Moose

January 7, 2014
jshartman

I grew up next door to my grandparents. How cool is that? Grandpa Moose was the most patient, good-sportin’, fun-loving Grandpa a grandson could ask for. I knew him as a cop and although he was my step-grandfather, I never …

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Voltron

July 6, 2013
jshartman

As we move our production of “The Last Five Years” into The Firemen’s Kitchen space, today, I can’t help nerding out and thinking about “Voltron.” Voltron is the name of a giant robot in an anime television series I grew …

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My Something Beautiful

June 1, 2013
jshartman

Dad & Cobie

It never ceases to amaze me the impact my father had on his grandsons in the short time they had together. So grateful. Cobie recently wrote this for school. “My something beautiful is my grandpa. He is fun and funny! …

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Failure IS an Option

May 5, 2013
jshartman

The definition between a pessimist and an optimist is that the pessimist has more information! A pessimist is one who is almost always right, but doesn’t enjoy it.Chuck Missler Dustin Ousely, a well-known educator and artist from the area recently …

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Feelin’ Gruvey

February 25, 2013
jshartman

Every once in a while something or someone comes along that overwhelmingly reminds you you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be, doing exactly what you’re supposed to. This, from everything artist, Julia Gruver. “Dear Jeff, I must confess I have …

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