To the editor:

I wonder about the credentials of theater critic Emily Criqui and her review (Dec. 1) of the Lawrence Community Theatre’s production of “It’s a Wonderful Life.”

While some comments could be valid, a theater critic should concentrate more on directorial aspects of a show and performances by the actors than the stage crew. Community theater, in any form, often makes use of actors to lend a hand with transitions from scene to scene. Criticism of their hard work was certainly unnecessary.

If Ms. Criqui were familiar with productions by the Lawrence Community Theatre, she would know that LCT has produced many successful musicals with the musicians positioned above the audience in the sound booth and never before was there an issue of “lack of communication between the instrumentalists and the singers.”

The review is misleading in stating the show glossed over essential plot developments and leads one to believe that this is the fault of the theater instead of an inefficient script. The statement, “The secondary parts were played stronger than the leads and the transitions lacked fluidity,” really could be traced back to how the script is written.

In the future, it would be nice to see a critique of theater in your publication that focuses on the appropriate aspects of a show, rather than a lot of lines written to fill space.

Kerri McCoy,

Kansas City, Mo.