Last Wednesday, my husband and I went to Chanhassen Dinner Theatres to see "Swing," a jazz musical. It was terrific with its great singing and superb dancing. We'd not been there for awhile but the 10,000,000 guests who have keep the place going strong.

Why does Chanhassen thrive when so many theater operations fail? Being in business for 40+ years is quite an achievement, so how does Chanhassen do it? I looked through the program which listed all the shows performed there since its opening in 1968. The answer becomes obvious: At all times, regardless of theatre, there is an offering that is upbeat and positive and often, comical. This overall positive theme is a key component of each production on the main stage or in one of the smaller theatres.

We're tired of the doom and gloomers, the "nothing is ever right" and "America is all wrong" crowds. This negative attitude of far too many people who claim to be our artists and show-biz personalities results in a negative mindset. For entertainment, most of us want escape, fun, laughter, and the ability to watch extremely talented people do their thing in a very positive way.

Chanhassen understands this desire and they deliver.

Labels: entertainment