Interesting juxtaposition: The Press-Citizen runs this guest opinion today on whether Iowa City is the "Athens of the Midwest."



They also feature this jazzy little teaser:

A new GO! • Coming Thursday, Iowa City's favorite entertain-ment weekly gets a major makeover. Your guide to the hip, fun and cool gets bigger and better, on newsstands April 15!

Well, we've just been told that the Press-Citizen will no longer run articles about local and community theater events in the "Go" section. All we will receive is a listing in the calendar. I guess we don't rate up there with the latest garage band to play the local bars?



As a friend said: "Cultural corridor, my ass!"



I mean, seriously. The only reviews we ever get are from the Quad City Times. Now the Press Citizen doesn't want to carry any articles at all? What tremendous support for local theater there is in this "Athens of the Midwest." I guess we'd better build a fake rainforest in the lobby if we're going to need any coverage.



If anyone out there attends live theater and would like to actually see a review/article/photo or something other than just a blurb on a calendar to know what's playing and when, let them know:



Mike Beck, Publisher

Jim Lewers, Managing Editor

Tricia DeWall, Assistant Managing Editor, Life Editor



Quite seriously, the local theaters need publicity to survive. Most of them are barely hanging on financially as it is. To yank all the press coverage could have immense consequences.