Comments on: The Rise of the House of Usher http://dctheatrescene.com/2006/03/29/the-rise-of-the-house-of-usher/ DC's Liveliest Theatre Website Thu, 04 Dec 2008 05:09:29 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Kat Brais http://dctheatrescene.com/2006/03/29/the-rise-of-the-house-of-usher/#comment-679 Kat Brais Wed, 23 May 2007 17:50:28 +0000 http://dctheatrescene.com/2006/03/29/the-rise-of-the-house-of-usher/#comment-679 Great article! Congrats Joel and gang. I've said it once and I'll say it again, you're the best!!! Looking forward to seeing you all at Side Show at Elden Street this summer! Great article! Congrats Joel and gang. I’ve said it once and I’ll say it again, you’re the best!!! Looking forward to seeing you all at Side Show at Elden Street this summer!

]]> By: Lee Levine http://dctheatrescene.com/2006/03/29/the-rise-of-the-house-of-usher/#comment-678 Lee Levine Sun, 16 Apr 2006 20:22:44 +0000 http://dctheatrescene.com/2006/03/29/the-rise-of-the-house-of-usher/#comment-678 I joined "The Ushers" quite by accident in (can it be?) 1994. But apart from the enjoyment of it, here, and on infrequent theater trips to New York, I marvel at the people who would have been unmet and the plays otherwise unseen. And for all the subscribers and all the people who "would have gone anyway," I never would have ventured to some of these shows and so, I suspect, would the majority of people Joel brings into the theater. The sheer boost given to the theater community is in economic terms incalculable. Imagine trying to figure it out. Add this to the moral support and you have a story that begs for documentation. Lee Levine I joined “The Ushers” quite by accident in (can it be?) 1994. But apart from the enjoyment of it, here, and on infrequent theater trips to New York, I marvel at the people who would have been unmet and the plays otherwise unseen. And for all the subscribers and all the people who “would have gone anyway,” I never would have ventured to some of these shows and so, I suspect, would the majority of people Joel brings into the theater. The sheer boost given to the theater community is in economic terms incalculable. Imagine trying to figure it out. Add this to the moral support and you have a story that begs for documentation. Lee Levine

]]> By: Barbara Bear http://dctheatrescene.com/2006/03/29/the-rise-of-the-house-of-usher/#comment-677 Barbara Bear Fri, 14 Apr 2006 17:38:05 +0000 http://dctheatrescene.com/2006/03/29/the-rise-of-the-house-of-usher/#comment-677 Congrats - Joel - well deserved....Barbara Congrats - Joel - well deserved….Barbara

]]> By: Matt Baughman http://dctheatrescene.com/2006/03/29/the-rise-of-the-house-of-usher/#comment-676 Matt Baughman Wed, 12 Apr 2006 17:18:48 +0000 http://dctheatrescene.com/2006/03/29/the-rise-of-the-house-of-usher/#comment-676 Congratulations for a job well done Joel. What an amazing article! I especially liked the part when you chewed out Chevy Chase! :) I am the Group Sales Manager at The Studio Theatre and I have to say that The Ushers make my job easy. They purchased over 50 tickets for "Fat Pig" and the upcoming, "Caroline, Or Change” I was really impressed with Joel’s ability to organize such a group. He worked really hard and the best part of all, he paid on time! Congratulations again and lets here it for another 15 years! Congratulations for a job well done Joel. What an amazing article! I especially liked the part when you chewed out Chevy Chase! :)
I am the Group Sales Manager at The Studio Theatre and I have to say that The Ushers make my job easy. They purchased over 50 tickets for “Fat Pig” and the upcoming, “Caroline, Or Change” I was really impressed with Joel’s ability to organize such a group. He worked really hard and the best part of all, he paid on time!

Congratulations again and lets here it for another 15 years!

]]> By: Michael http://dctheatrescene.com/2006/03/29/the-rise-of-the-house-of-usher/#comment-675 Michael Tue, 11 Apr 2006 21:54:56 +0000 http://dctheatrescene.com/2006/03/29/the-rise-of-the-house-of-usher/#comment-675 Congratulations on your fine work Joel. You provide a wonderful service by informing theatre lovers about all the gems out there in the area (and elsewhere) and offering to get tickets. Thanks again. Congratulations on your fine work Joel. You provide a wonderful service by informing theatre lovers about all the gems out there in the area (and elsewhere) and offering to get tickets. Thanks again.

]]> By: John Wiggins http://dctheatrescene.com/2006/03/29/the-rise-of-the-house-of-usher/#comment-674 John Wiggins Tue, 11 Apr 2006 18:30:22 +0000 http://dctheatrescene.com/2006/03/29/the-rise-of-the-house-of-usher/#comment-674 Congrats to this fine group. I visited DC 2 years ago and called Joel and he invited me to see "Forum" at Signature Theatre. Although I called the theatre several times trying to buy a ticket and was told it was sold out for the entire weekend, Joel somehow managed to get me a ticket. Everyone in the group greeted me and we had such a pleasant dinner before the show. At dessert, after the show, some of the cast stopped by to say hello. What a thrill that was! Thanks Joel for making me feel at home and congrats on your 15th anniversary. John Congrats to this fine group. I visited DC 2 years ago and called Joel and he invited me to see “Forum” at Signature Theatre. Although I called the theatre several times trying to buy a ticket and was told it was sold out for the entire weekend, Joel somehow managed to get me a ticket. Everyone in the group greeted me and we had such a pleasant dinner before the show. At dessert, after the show, some of the cast stopped by to say hello. What a thrill that was! Thanks Joel for making me feel at home and congrats on your 15th anniversary. John

]]> By: Judy Johnson http://dctheatrescene.com/2006/03/29/the-rise-of-the-house-of-usher/#comment-673 Judy Johnson Thu, 06 Apr 2006 19:11:51 +0000 http://dctheatrescene.com/2006/03/29/the-rise-of-the-house-of-usher/#comment-673 Congrats Joel and The Ushers. 12 years ago, I was a young actress from N. Carolina, and had just moved to the DC area. I called Joel up and asked him if he knew where I could audition and/or find work. He treated me to lunch and spent two hours going over all the theatres in the area and gave me contacts and their phone numbers. I couldn't believe the amount of time he spent putting this together for me-a total stranger. He also sent me to a friend of his who helped me get some temp work until I got on my feet. What a generous man! Congrats Joel. Congrats Joel and The Ushers. 12 years ago, I was a young actress from N. Carolina, and had just moved to the DC area. I called Joel up and asked him if he knew where I could audition and/or find work. He treated me to lunch and spent two hours going over all the theatres in the area and gave me contacts and their phone numbers. I couldn’t believe the amount of time he spent putting this together for me-a total stranger. He also sent me to a friend of his who helped me get some temp work until I got on my feet. What a generous man! Congrats Joel.

]]> By: John Harding http://dctheatrescene.com/2006/03/29/the-rise-of-the-house-of-usher/#comment-672 John Harding Wed, 05 Apr 2006 16:25:20 +0000 http://dctheatrescene.com/2006/03/29/the-rise-of-the-house-of-usher/#comment-672 How this man does all he does is remarkable. I ran a group for 6 months and couldn't handle all the work and complaining. Joel is always pleasant and has the best organizational skills I've ever seen. He arranged a ride for me to an Ushers' event, made sure I was introduced to everyone who attended, arranged a ride home for me, and called me the next day to see if I liked the event. The respect the cast showed him after the show was so impressive. I had a great time, and I hope you will join him for future events. Congrats Joel and The Ushers. Keep up the good work. How this man does all he does is remarkable. I ran a group for 6 months and couldn’t handle all the work and complaining. Joel is always pleasant and has the best organizational skills I’ve ever seen. He arranged a ride for me to an Ushers’ event, made sure I was introduced to everyone who attended, arranged a ride home for me, and called me the next day to see if I liked the event. The respect the cast showed him after the show was so impressive. I had a great time, and I hope you will join him for future events. Congrats Joel and The Ushers. Keep up the good work.

]]> By: steve timlin http://dctheatrescene.com/2006/03/29/the-rise-of-the-house-of-usher/#comment-671 steve timlin Sun, 02 Apr 2006 15:18:40 +0000 http://dctheatrescene.com/2006/03/29/the-rise-of-the-house-of-usher/#comment-671 Joel Markowitz is a man on a mission: to further the enjoyment of theater with other theater buffs and to encourage theater owners, theater managers and performers to provide continuing high quality entertainment. I met Joel Markowitz soon after he started the Ushers. When I was President of another social group interested in arts, history and cultural events, we heard of the rapid success of the Ushers. I invited Joel to a board meeting at my home so that we could learn how he achieved such rapid success with his group. He told us to work the phones: call people to invite, remind and encourage them to attend up-coming events. His friendly manner, theater knowledge and, yes, persistance, have brought about a successful social group for theater lovers like himself. It is remarkable to me how tolerant he has been over the years, trying to accommodate the needs and whims of those attending his scheduled events. He has spent many, many hours arranging events, obtaining tickets for great seats, arranging transportation for those without cars, leasing buses for trips to NY, making hotel and restaurant reservations, arranging for his group to have after-performance meetings with performers at theaters or in restaurants and inviting Ushers members to attend play readings, special TV nights and social gatherings at his home. He deserves our everlasting thanks for continuing to pursue his mission: great theater for everyone. Joel Markowitz is a man on a mission: to further the enjoyment of theater with other theater buffs and to encourage theater owners, theater managers and performers to provide continuing high quality entertainment.

I met Joel Markowitz soon after he started the Ushers. When I was President of another social group interested in arts, history and cultural events, we heard of the rapid success of the Ushers. I invited Joel to a board meeting at my home so that we could learn how he achieved such rapid success with his group. He told us to work the phones: call people to invite, remind and encourage them to attend up-coming events.

His friendly manner, theater knowledge and, yes, persistance, have brought about a successful social group for theater lovers like himself. It is remarkable to me how tolerant he has been over the years, trying to accommodate the needs and whims of those attending his scheduled events.

He has spent many, many hours arranging events, obtaining tickets for great seats, arranging transportation for those without cars, leasing buses for trips to NY, making hotel and restaurant reservations, arranging for his group to have after-performance meetings with performers at theaters or in restaurants and inviting Ushers members to attend play readings, special TV nights and social gatherings at his home.

He deserves our everlasting thanks for continuing to pursue his mission: great theater for everyone.

]]> By: Carolyn Griffin http://dctheatrescene.com/2006/03/29/the-rise-of-the-house-of-usher/#comment-670 Carolyn Griffin Fri, 31 Mar 2006 15:05:57 +0000 http://dctheatrescene.com/2006/03/29/the-rise-of-the-house-of-usher/#comment-670 Joel, Congrats on the article. You are the best. Your love and enthusiasm for theatre is infectious. Your support and recognition of the pioneering, courageous, taking risks without a safety net productions that the small theatres do in this town is most appreciated. Keep spreading the good word. Fondly, Carolyn Joel,
Congrats on the article. You are the best. Your love and enthusiasm for theatre is infectious. Your support and recognition of the pioneering, courageous, taking risks without a safety net productions that the small theatres do in this town is most appreciated. Keep spreading the good word.
Fondly, Carolyn

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