At first, to Penelope Baxter Ragotzy, Barn Theatre was just a name on a T-shirt. Ragotzy was a student at San Jose State University, where she studied under Donnamarie “Dusty” Reeds. Reeds wore the shirt, which advertised a theater near Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Gene Wolfe wrote that an exaggerated solemnity always indicates a lack of faith. Such solemnity can often be found among pilgrims traveling to the highest slopes of Mount Art. 

My sainted mother has advised that, when her time to die comes, she will wander off into the woods in order to spare us distress. Never mind that we won’t know where she is until a bear is found holding aloft the remains of her head.

There are a few jukebox musicals that actually improve upon the songs that make up the score. Rock of Ages transforms the hits of ‘80s rock with delightful cleverness, stringing them together with a silly story and terrific arrangements.