Theatre Charlotte Hosts MTA in February
MTA will meet on February 13, 1998 at 5:30pm. Our host will be Theatre Charlotte. Please
RSVP by February 6 by calling 376-3777 before 5:00pm. The show for this meeting will be
Oscar Wilde's An Ideal Husband. The regional spotlight will be on the Rock Hill Community
Theatre. (See related article on page 2.) Originally Matthews Community Theatre was to be
our host, but had to cancel due to casting problems with Leader of the Pack . We have
rescheduled Matthews to host the MTA in April. Thanks to Theatre Charlotte and MCT for
kindly exchanging dates.
The MTA will host a regional meeting for NCTC at its February meeting. A follow-up to last
Spring's meeting, this session will concentrate on the following questions: What can we do
on a grassroots level--person by person, theatre by theatre, to activate the people we
have influence over to speak up / advocate for theatre and the arts? How are recent
changes in education (particularly the ABC plan) affecting theatre arts curriculum and
staffing in the schools? How can we work together to secure a place for theatre in the
schools? Speak out MTA!
First, thanks to Jon Hartness and Barbizon for hosting the October meeting. Thanks to John
Coffey and the Green Room,Inc. for an excellent Regional spotlight. Second, thanks to
Candace Sorensen and Daina Giesler at Theatre Charlotte for hosting a wonderful Christmas
party. A grand time was had by all.
Tom Vance of CPCC Theatre has announced his candidacy for District # 6 of the Mecklenburg
County Commission. He will face Bill James in the Republican primary on May 5th.
NCTC met in Asheville on November 6-9,1997 with more than 600 attendees. A new Board of Directors was elected. Members include three of MTA's own: Chip Caldwell, C.Jane Johnson of Key Players and Doug Robinson. Congratulations all! Nominees are now being solicited for next year's board. Ballots will be mailed to NCTC members in April., Ballots will be returned postmarked by May 15., The new board will be annouced June 1 to take office July 1. Nominees must be willing to attend at least six full day board meetings each year, to work on projects between board meetings, and to work toward NCTC's mission of improving and enhancing the environment for quality theatre in NC. Contact any board member with suggestions for nominees, questions or comments.
Rock Hill Community Theatre won the South Carolina Theatre Association's community
theatre festival in November with their production of Agnes of God. They will represent
SCT at the regional festival at SETC in March in Birgminham. The cast includes Susan L. D.
Smith as Dr. Livingston, Ginger Heath as Mother Superior and Whitney Nifong as Agnes.
Whitney attends Northwest School of the Arts and is a member of the Ensemble at Children's
Theatre. Break a Leg!
At the NCTC board meeting on November 8, past presidents of the organization suggested
that the Undergraduate Scholarship be renamed in memory of Bill Rackley, NCTC's long-time
member and volunteer. The first William E. Rackley Scholarship for Undergraduate Studies
was presented on Saturday night to Dana Friedman of Greensboro College. Contributions can
be made in Bill's name to the Endowment Fund; send checks to the NCTC central office.
Children's Theatre of Charlotte was one of four winners of the Constance Welch Theatre for Youth Award at NCTC convention in Asheville. NCTC recognized Children's Theatre's fifty year history of quality programming through outreach, "inreach" activities, and for hosting the 1997 the American Alliance for Theatre & Education conference. The other winners were Children's Theatre Board of Winston-Salem, Silent Partners, Asheville and West Rowan High School. The Constance Welch Theatre for Youth Award recognizes organizations for outstanding contribution to theatre-for-youth programming in NC.
If you don't see your season listed in the 1998 calendar, then you haven't sent it to Tom Hollis. Get this info in fast so that it will appear in the next Callboard as well as on the MTA website. Also remember to send a copy to Keith Martin at Charlotte Rep for inclusion in the season conflict resolution database. Keith reports several conflicts have already been resolved for next year.
Canadian writer, Barbara Smith wants to hear your theatre's ghost story. She has been commissioned to write a book about haunted theatres and the ghosts of actors. Her geographic scope includes, Canada, the US and the United Kingdom. Got a tale to share? Contact her via email at (ghost@planet.eon.net) or write to 7645 91 Ave., Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T6C 1P7.
