culture, high and low

we now have tickets for three of four chamber concerts the DSO is performing this season. the orchestra must be doing something right, since the first one sold out, and the others are close to selling out. i've never seen that happen before. sure, some marquee full-orchestra works have sold out (nearly any of The Nine will) but there simply aren't that many people who properly appreciate chamber works. still, the DSO probably make money on these.

i also bought tickets to the one show paula poundstone has in delaware for ... a long while. it's not like wilmington is that big a city for stand-up comedy, with philly and nyc being so close.

to complete our culture season, we're waiting to see what the DSO comes up with for full-orchestral works -- they're still a bit disorganized -- and what any of the local theater groups come up with. all the arts groups are in headless-chicken mode because money is so tight, and UDel is still recovering from its hasty decision to ditch the professional theater training program (PTTP) and then the need to restart it because of popular and legislative displeasure. the PTTP trains actors, you see, and a bunch have already become famous on stage or screen. as a result, it was one of the best theater companies in delaware, and famous actors bring the state reflected glory.