By Adam Pulchinski, Marketing Coordinator Austin Area Commission For the Arts

Believe it or not, there was a time that I took this pretty face to the stage and acted.  Yes, I threw on as little makeup as I could stomach in a manly way at a young age and sweat under the bright, unforgiving lights of a live production.  Of the many lessons I learned, one of the biggest was that every person involved in a play or musical was integral to making the whole thing work.

There was a line in one of the productions, “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever,” that basically said there are no small parts, only small actors. This line could be applied to just about everything under the sun. We live in a world where more importance is placed on one position or another, but if someone didn’t do their job we’d sure take notice.  In life, there are no small job roles, just people of different backgrounds, shapes, and sizes filling them.

So it goes with the Austin Area Commission for the Arts. If you have ever been to a function at the Paramount, a gallery opening or shopping at the ArtWorks Center, or attended that wonderful ArtWorks Festival (the fifth annual of which is only two months away), you’ve more than likely seen people selling or taking tickets, handing out programs, directing foot traffic, or any number of other activities.

Want to know a secret?  A lot of those people are volunteers. I won’t even venture a guess at how many people sacrifice their spare time to help the AACA put on any of the events that take place throughout the year. I don’t know the number, and probably never could. What I do know is that they are indispensable cogs in this giant machine of moving parts. And every volunteer I’ve run into is extremely dedicated.

So it’s no wonder we’d like to shine a light on all they do, and to provide an evening that shows how much they are appreciated. The best part is the public can get in on the action too. On Wednesday, July 20, the Historic Paramount Theatre welcomes The Krar Collective as part of the World Music Series, but the hour before belongs to our volunteers. We’re going to have snacks, beverages, and a whole lot of socializing.

That part before the show is just for our volunteers, but if you happen to come to the Paramount a wee bit early that night, and happen to have some money for a beverage, and maybe want to shake the hands of some wonderful people and thank them for all they do … well, I bet a great many of them will stay for the show and I’m just not sure you’ll be turned down (also, the musical performance is free, can’t beat that).

If you don’t come but stop by any other events, say “Way to go” to those people with the programs or answering questions.  They don’t do it for the recognition, but boy do they deserve it.