The lights may dim momentarily Friday signaling it’s time to take your seat. The show is about to begin.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Natchez!

Beginning today, more than 700 members of the Mississippi Theatre Association will take the stage in Natchez — literally.

The MTA’s annual conference will kick off today and continue through Sunday at several locations throughout the city, including a number of free performances open to the public.

But the MTA folks are not the only ones on stage. Natchez is on stage, too.

Convention tourism such as what our city will see this week is a bit viral in that a great experience for these people could easily prompt them to tell two friends about their trip to Natchez. Then those folks might come and do the same. The power of word of mouth can be staggering.

But it all begins by providing a great time for groups such as the MTA so that their first trip to Natchez won’t be their last.

Accomplishing that only takes a little hard work and some communication by everyone involved, and “everyone” means, you.

Even if you don’t think of yourself as part of the hospitality industry, you are. Your actions and reactions in public affect the way others see us. Whether that view is a positive one or a negative one is often swayed by the smallest of items.

A tourist who sees a local tossing a cigarette butt or gum down on the sidewalk sees a lack of respect for his town.

Let’s make a big deal out of this weekend’s guests and let’s hope they come back more often.

Break a leg MTA!