Editor,

My wife and I had a recent opportunity to attend Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Whidbey Playhouse.

The play is directed by Stephen James Anderson and produced by Allenda Jenkins, and I can’t say enough about the event.

As we left with our friends, I thought I would write a letter to congratulate the cast and crew on an awe-inspiring performance; but I also thought that this would be an opportunity to remind the readers about how great our community is.

Aside from a performance that would rival anything on 5th Avenue in Seattle, most particularly to note, Katie Fisher as Puck, and Jim Reynolds as Nick Bottom, it was a chance to discover the talents that we on the island are so blessed with.

It was also a reminder that aside from our different points of view, we are, nonetheless, a community made of a unique demographic that truly represents this wonderful country.

We can agree to disagree on a variety of issues, and that’s OK. It means we are engaged and concerned about where we live.

The point is this, at the end of the day, we have this wonderful island rich in beauty, culture and talent. It is in this, that we should remember that we are all “islanders,” maybe some longer than others, and we want what every community wants — safety, security, and a place to call home. I can only speak for myself when I say that I found all that here when I first arrived as a young sailor in 1984.

Hats off cast and crew, you not only out did yourselves, but you and the Whidbey Playhouse allow for an escape from the every-day trials and tribulations that befall each of us. Thanks for a great evening.

Darin Hand

Oak Harbor