[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 50 (Thursday, April 24, 1997)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E757]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




               TRIBUTE TO NATIONAL COMMUNITY THEATER WEEK

                                 ______
                                 

                       HON. GEORGE E. BROWN, JR.

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, April 24, 1997

  Mr. BROWN of California. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to bring National 
Community Theater Week, which is being celebrated April 19 to 26, to 
the attention of my colleagues.
  The year 1997 marks the second annual National Community Theater 
Week. This very special celebration, sponsored by the American 
Association of Community Theater [AACT] in cooperation with Stage 
Directions magazine, is being held to recognize the contributions of 
countless volunteers in thousands of community theaters across the 
country.
  Local events are the core of National Community Theater Week because 
they bring the most recognition to the performing arts. For this 
reason, Mr. Speaker, I want to express my sincere appreciation to the 
staff and volunteers of the Bilingual Center for the Performing Arts 
for their contributions to the Inland Empire. Without their effort and 
work, performing arts programs would be affordable to only the wealthy 
in their community.
  Arts and culture are a vital part of human existence and the 
opportunity to enjoy and appreciate the arts should be open to all of 
our citizens. As a member of AACT, the Bilingual Center for the 
Performing Arts strives to raise the level of public consciousness and 
the value and importance of performing arts to the people of the Inland 
Empire.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me in recognizing the hard 
work that performing artists, not only in the Inland Empire, but across 
the country have put into National Community Theater Week. Let us help 
them celebrate the contributions performing arts provide to our 
society. Congratulations and best wishes to all for a most successful 
week and a most successful year of performing arts.

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