“Not often does an expat come to Beijing who has influenced numerous lives in the way that Chris Verrill did with his founding of the Beijing Playhouse (2006) and the Charity Readers Theater (2013). Along with introducing English language community theater to Beijing, he sparked an interest in many actors and other participants involved in these stage shows that they may have otherwise never knew existed. We at beijingkids have featured Verrill in our magazine and blog on numerous occasions because we have always appreciated the hard work he has put into his stage shows and the strong connections he has made with the greater community. When we heard about his upcoming departure we couldn’t let him go without asking him about his plans for the future and what he will miss most about life in Beijing. Though it is always sad to say goodbye, the good he has done outweighs this sorrow and will hopefully create a new generation of stage show enthusiasts that will continue building this art form with the same vigor and passion as Verrill.”