The community takes the stage

For every person who'd rather watch a show, there's another around here itching to be the show. The performing-arts corner of the calendar is bigger and bolder than you'd guess, full of people who decided that retirement was exactly the right time to finally get up on stage. We counted the spotlight crowd.

The boards are busy

Leading the marquee is good old Theater, with 124 sessions of rehearsals, readings, and performances on the calendar - a genuine little drama scene with its own troupes, including a band of Off-Broadway Players treading the boards. Add Acting workshops (28) and the quick-thinking chaos of Improv (17), and there's a clear pipeline from "I've always wanted to try it" to opening night.

Raise your voice

The singers turn out in force too. Between general Singing groups (41 sessions), formal Choral ensembles (17), and the brave, beloved institution of Karaoke (35), there's no shortage of rooms where the main activity is simply lifting your voice with other people. It's one of the oldest joys there is, and the calendar keeps it in heavy rotation.

The unexpected encore

Here's the detail that made us grin: the Twirlers log 42 sessions on the calendar - yes, baton twirling, alive and spinning. There's also a Step-on-a-Stage group (20) for the variety-show set and a steady run of Shows (37) of every stripe. Whatever your particular brand of ham, the community has a venue and an audience for it.

Why we perform

There's real evidence that performing - memorizing lines, singing in a group, thinking on your feet in an improv scene - is about the best cross-training a brain can get. But that's not why these rooms are full. They're full because there is nothing quite like the nerve and thrill of stepping into the light, and because it turns out you are never one bit too old to hear an audience clap. The curtain's up. Somebody around here is taking a bow tonight.