To the editor:

As Pendragon Theatre prepares to open the doors of its new home on Woodruff Street in just a few months, I’m feeling incredibly grateful and excited.

When I think of our village, three words rise to the surface: community, resilience and possibility. These values have guided my work in community development and downtown revitalization for many years. Again and again, I’ve witnessed how investing in the fabric of a place — its people, its spaces, and its passions — can transform not only our surroundings but also our sense of belonging.

Pendragon Theatre is one of those transformative forces.

My path to Pendragon wasn’t driven by a lifelong love of theatre. It was driven by a love of community. Before I sat on the board, I supported Pendragon’s role in downtown revitalization because I knew what a thriving cultural anchor could mean for our village — new energy, new visitors, new opportunities and a stronger, more vibrant downtown. At that time, I believed in Pendragon as a concept … but it hadn’t yet become personal.

That changed when I got to know the people behind the work.

The actors, crew, staff, volunteers — every single one of them showed me what passion looks like in motion. I saw the way a performance can lift a room, how a workshop can unlock confidence in a child, how a community theatre becomes a gathering place where we don’t just tell stories … we share our lives.

As a mother, the meaning of that isn’t lost on me. I want my daughters to grow up in a village that celebrates creativity, nurtures talent and believes in the power of imagination. A place where young people see that art, expression and community aren’t extras — they’re essentials.

What I’ve learned is this:

Theatre has a power to inspire, to challenge and to bring people together. And when a community invests in the arts, it invests in its soul.

Being part of Pendragon’s next chapter — and witnessing the new theatre take shape — is so meaningful. I can’t wait to open the doors and welcome this community into a space built not just for performances, but for connection, joy and possibility.

Kelly Brunette

Saranac Lake