The Lure of Small-Town Theaters

On Saturday April 6, my doughty jazz band,Chaise Lounge, will head out to Washington, Virginia, a tiny town with a population of 127 at last count. Despite its size, this village in Virginia’s horse country has a wonderful music venue: The Little Washington Theatre. Somehow the theater’s owner, Nancy Raines, always manages to attract a discerning, sophisticated audience to fill this gem of a performance space. (Even the children, who get cut-rate tickets, are sophisticated!) For the band, there is a Brigadoon-like quality to playing there, since the crowd tends to outnumber the townsfolk. Where do they come from? Where do they go? If you’re in the region this weekend and up for helping me solve this mystery, come out and see us—and make sure to say hello.