In March, 1991 Bravo Newspaper was founded,
serving the local arts community as a free monthly publication. Twenty-five
years later, Bravo has become In the Spotlight, a website primarily promoting
the arts in Greater Springfield. Many from the former Bravo staff and current
In the Spotlight staff will get together on December 14, 2016 at 235 State Street,
Springfield at 7:30pm to celebrate this anniversary.
Equally important is formal acknowledgement to the
Springfield Cultural Council for its initial grant which launched Bravo. That
successful application for $6450 provided financial support, along with at
least 50 grants from throughout Pioneer Valley, for the next 25 years.
Shera Cohen, of Springfield, and Lauren Grossman, of
Longmeadow (now Arizona) ended their work for the Chicopee Centennial in
December, 1990. “What to do now?” Both women had theatre backgrounds. “Let’s
start a theatre newspaper,” Grossman said. Cohen followed with, “I don’t even
know how to use a computer.” They both learned the mechanics; the subject
matter grew from theatre to all the performing and visual arts; and office space
moved from Grossman’s pool table, to Cohen’s living room floor, to a tiny
office with stained glass windows, to one larger office on State Street,
finally to three different spaces on Main Street, with each location larger
than the one before.
The Springfield Cultural Council grant paid for production
and printing of 1,000 papers monthly with distribution only in Springfield.
Cohen and Grossman were the entire “staff” of Bravo which included writing
articles, selling ads, design and paste up (computers didn’t perform as they do
now), and delivery. Year #2 of Bravo increased distribution city-wide and to
five cities/towns – each due to receiving more grants from as many cities. A
few writers and a salesperson were added to the team. At its 12-year mark,
Bravo delivered boasted 50,000 readers in 48 cities with a staff of
approximately 50 at its high point.
Radio media came next, when Cohen and Grossman approached
WMAS for a weekly arts program, hosted by themselves. Did either have radio
experience? No. But staff at WMAS offered free air-time on its AM station on
Sundays – first for 15 minutes at 6:15am, then at 6:30am when more listeners
might be awake, eventually to a half-hour at 9am. Thirteen years later, the
show ended with a huge thank you to the five additional hosts subbing for Cohen
and Grossman and the many, many listeners who said, “I heard you on the radio.”
Looking toward the 21st century here, Bravo printed its last
publication in 2003, at the same time morphing Bravo to In the Spotlight
electronic media. Many writers from the newspaper continued with Spotlight,
even those who joined in 1992.
In the Spotlight continues as a local source of reviews,
previews, interviews, and “on the road” features on community and professional
performing arts in the region.
