A little bit about me and this blog

Hello, readers.

Some of you may know me already. Others are new to the site. For the benefit of the latter, here’s just a bit about myself, my background and why I’m doing what I’m doing.

For 33 years, I was a reporter for The Birmingham News and, later, AL.com. Most of that time was spent in the features department in a variety of roles — TV writer, theater writer, assistant features editor, features editor. Along the way, I won some local, regional and national awards, and I’m a former president of the Society for Features Journalism (formerly the American Association of Sunday and Feature Editors).

I loved covering performers in Birmingham and around the state, but in 2015, my alma mater, Auburn University, came calling, and I spent five years there in student media and as an adjunct journalism teacher.

Again, I loved being in Auburn and what I was doing there, but a great opportunity brought me back to Birmingham. I am executive editor of Business Alabama magazine, the only statewide business publication in Alabama.

Yet again, I’m loving what I do, but I do miss covering the local stages.

That leads me to this blog. Here you’ll read reviews, previews, audition notices, season announcements — pretty much anything you need to keep up with the theater community in Birmingham. You’ll also read about performers who’ve left here and gone on to other things, some statewide entities such as the Alabama Shakespeare Festival, and really whatever strikes my fancy. I’ll get to as much as I can, but please remember that this is a freelance endeavor and not my day job.

I hope you’ll enjoy what you read here. Feel free to let me know if you disagree with me (or agree with me, for that matter), and please don’t hesitate to comment or email me with questions or concerns.

It’s good to be back, and I can’t wait to get started.

Alec Harvey