Save the drama for the stage—age brings patience, perspective and service At 55, Mitchel Sommers, the Executive Director of the Community Theatre of Greensboro, stands firmly in his status as a Baby Boomer, even if he is unsure of everything that that label entails. “Personally, I still struggle with it,” said Sommers. “When I first got the call about being interviewed, my first reaction is why? I really haven’t settled into it.” Sommers said that he’s happy where he is, settled into a good career and feels like he is 55 going on 35. And in a sense, like many boomers, he maintains a close involvement with those much younger and older than himself, whether at work in the theater, which has programs for preschoolers and the elderly; in his role as a cantor at Temple Emanuel; or in his work as a teacher of drama at Elon University. From a personal standpoint, he has an aging mother, who at 80 is still healthy and requires no care other than visits, when she cooks for Sommers, the years peel away and he becomes a child again. Sommers’ own children are college-aged; and are requiring no help other than a gentle push from Dad to the beginning of their own adult lives. “The thing that jumps out to me the most, that I am finding out as I am getting older, I am rolling with the punches,” said Sommers. “The things that used to wear me out – I just don’t sweat over those things. I have gained the wisdom that things work out and if they don’t, then you will survive and you will get through it.” That’s part of what Sommers tries to pass along as he teaches a drama course at Elon University. “There are some things that they get so worked up over,” said Sommers. “I have a different perspective, and that’s something that’s nice about getting older.” It’s a perspective he sharpens working with seniors in a unique theatrical program that he developed with Community Theatre of Greensboro, “Seniors Reaching Out.” The program gives seniors the opportunity to explore and showcase their creativity, while addressing their critical needs and issues. At their weekly rehearsals, SRO participants develop ideas and rehearse songs, short scenes, monologues and one-act plays from published or original materials, some of which is written by SRO participants themselves. Sommers said his kids at Elon are different in their technology but have the same hopes and dreams that his generation had 30 years ago. “Everybody wants the same thing – they want to be loved, cared for and to have a career,” said Sommers. “I think that the difference is that in my generation, I knew that if I worked hard and applied myself, the opportunities were out there. I think that they are frightened on whether there really are opportunities out there.” As for Sommers, he’s planning to put ‘getting old’ on his to-do list, when he gets time. In addition to the Community Theater, his teaching and his duties at Temple Emanuel, he is in Moon Over Buffalo at the Broach Theater; is directing the next show at the Barn Dinner Theater and starting auditions soon for the Wizard of Oz. “As long as I am healthy, everything will be just fine,” said Sommers. “If I am not healthy, I just pray that God will supply me with faith and drugs and whatever it takes to get by. As long as I am feeling okay, everything is great.”