Well, the Dress Circle Benefit concert is tomorrow night, and I really wish I could attend, but true to the story of my life as an American fan of British theatre, I’m stuck on the wrong side of the ocean. Still, I wanted to address the “charity vs. business” issue again quickly because I’m still seeing a lot of those arguments online. This will be short, because I’ve said most of what I wanted to say on this issue already, but here goes:
A lot of people seem to be questioning why all the artists involved in this benefit are putting so much time and effort into helping out a business when they could be putting that same time into helping various charitable causes. I already mentioned in “Save Dress Circle 2” that many of these artists already do a lot to support charities and it’s not a case of “either/or”, but I thought of an analogy that I think might explain why a lot of these artists are doing this, and why I and many other theatre fans are supporting this cause. The bottom line for me is that it’s not about helping a business vs. helping a charity. It’s about helping a friend. If someone has a good friend who owns a business that is struggling, would they just say “tough luck. That’s the way things go these days, with this economy, and you should have worked harder to save it yourself. “ I don’t think most people would do that. They would help their friend in whatever ways they could—they would patronize their business and tell other friends about it. They might even donate their time and/or money to help their friend find ways to keep their business afloat. If that friend has been there for them in hard times as well as in good times, they would want to return the favor. This, I think, is what is happening with Dress Circle. I can’t read minds, but what I see from the words and actions of the performers, fans and others involved is that they don’t see Dress Circle as just some shop. They see it as a friend, and they want to do whatever they can to help their friend.
What has Dress Circle done, you may ask, to have all these people want to help them like this, as if they are an old friend? Dress Circle has supported them when they needed support, in terms of selling and promoting performers’ solo CD’s when the big chain stores wouldn’t. They’ve also been there to hold signings to help promote West End shows as well as the individual performers. Also, they are there as a place to go for theatre fans and creatives to meet and promote whatever is going on in the industry, from small fringe venues to the West End and everything in between. They see Dress Circle as a place with people who understand them and will work to promote them and the industry that they love. It’s not just about someplace to buy CDs or books. That is an important aspect of it, but there is a lot more to it than that. These people—artists, creatives, fans and whoever else—seem to feel that this particular shop is more than just a shop. Dress Circle has been there for them when they needed support in their careers, and they want to return the favor. They love Dress Circle, and see it as a friend, and they would like to see their friend stick around.
That, to my mind, is why this effort is going on. It is not about making a business into a charity or taking away funds and/or time that can be devoted to charities. It is about real, genuine affection for an institution that has come to be seen as a dear old friend, and these people want to help their friend. I see nothing wrong with that, and indeed I share the sentiment. I have been to Dress Circle, the actual shop, only twice, but I’ve long been a member of their online message board, and I have seen all the efforts they have made to support and promote theatre and individual artists. I feel like this organization has been a real friend to the theatre industry and it would be a shame to see them go under, so I support this cause. I really wish I could attend the concert, but there has been talk of a CD of the event and if there is one, I will gladly buy it. I send my best wishes to all who are involved in this benefit and to Dress Circle itself. This shop has been a true friend to the theatre community, especially in London but also around the world, and I hope it stays around for a very long time.
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