Albemarle Tradewinds March 2016 Final Web

Encore Theatre Company and the Community
By Lamar Phillips
Space sponsored by: George and Co
Hello. I have the honor of sharing with you my viewpoint of what this organization is all about and why I think it is worthy of your support. As president, I
have been active in both the business and production areas of our theatre company. I have found working with this organization an enjoyable experience whether
on-stage or behind the scenes. This community is a great place to meet people who share your interest in live theatre, and have a whole lot of fun at the same
time. Anyone who has been involved with Encore plays over the past 24 years will tell you that it was a lot of work but no one is likely to tell you that it was not
worth every minute.
One of the most valuable commodities today is our time. Encore Theatre Company is honored that not only our volunteers share their time with us but that also
you, our audience members, do the same. For in today’s world of competing forms of entertainment, our live productions play a special role in our community.
The economic impact of Encore productions has a trickle-down effect on the rest of the local economy. Encore purchases all production materials from
community businesses, if possible. This spins-off economically beneficial activity to our local businesses. The AOA benefits from Encore renting the Maguire
Theatre, sharing our audience seating, opening the gallery to our audiences, and from drawing attention to the downtown theater. Our activity with AOA helps
build a thriving cultural scene. Also, Encore is grateful for our relationship with this valuable downtown arts community organization. We would like to thank
Arts of the Albemarle for their support and for providing a Maguire Theatre rental agreement for its live performance venue.
The entertainment for our all volunteer non-profit community theatre company is an interactive art form that creates a conversation between the audience and
the actors on stage, so as audience members we become a part of the production ourselves. The live performance not only entertains but also challenges and
provokes us. It often forces us to explore thoughts and ideas that differ from our own. We leave the theatre talking about what we just experienced — laughing
over funny moments, questioning the playwright’s intention, disagreeing with the play’s conclusions — all of which fosters a sense of enlightenment. Encore is
fortunate to have dedicated volunteer production cast and crew members that have spend countless hours rehearsing to create an evening of magic for our live
plays and it has been well worth their efforts, we thank them.
Yet our community non-profit organization can only do so much. We want to sincerely thank the back bone of our organization; all our loyal membership, Dress
Circle members, businesses and advertisers who help make our programs possible and the patrons who have supported us on the years in so many different ways.
Most of all, YOU by just being present in one of our audiences, Encore could not have existed for the past 24 years.
If we have made you laugh, brought a tear
to your eye, gone home humming a tune
or just made you think about something in
a new way or maybe even a bad way, then
the actors have done their job.
We hope that you enjoy our next live
production, downtown, at the Maguire
as we continue to cherish our tradition of
theatrical live storytelling.
Thank you so much for reading about and
I hope you have a wonderful experience at
one of our plays this season at the Arts of
the Albemarle Maguire Theatre.
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