Celebrate Fayetteville: Exploring the Greater Fayetteville Region

to lights was borrowed. The group, under
the leadership of Bo Thorp, formed the
Fayetteville Little Theatre. Funds were raised
to renovate a building and incorporate two
adjacent buildings to become a three-story
complex with a 327-seat main stage. Today,
Cape Fear Regional Theatre is one of the finest
theatres in the state.
Cape Fear Regional Theatre is the recipient
of numerous awards. It is the first theatre
most Cumberland County children come in
contact with. Each holiday season, excited
children see The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.
The theatre partners with Cumberland County
Schools. It has been proven that the arts
improve academic performance, such as
grades, test scores, reading and math, as well
as self-discipline and self-efficacy. Thus, the
theatre invites young performers of all racial
and cultural backgrounds to practice and
hone their theatrical skills.
The theatre receives funding from the Arts
Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County,
Cumberland Community Foundation, Inc.
and the North Carolina Arts Council.
G I L B E R T
T H E A T E R
Founded in the basement of Lynn Pryer’s
home in 1994, the Gilbert Theater provides
quality contemporary and classical productions
while giving local and guest artists a place
to showcase their talents. The Gilbert Theater
is named after Fayetteville namesake, the
Marquis de Lafayette (Gilbert du Motier) and
is now located on the second floor of the
Fascinate-U Children’s Museum building on
Green Street.
The Gilbert has produced theater classics
and contemporary works, as well as the work
of local up and coming writers. The community’s
diversity has been highlighted through
projects and productions like the Gilbert Glee,
the Guild, the Gilbert Conservatory, a special
performance for a blind/non-sighted audience,
the REP, a children’s puppet show, staged
readings, theater production workshops, a
statewide original playwriting competition
and recognition of original local/regional
plays and outstanding new writers.
Since June of 2012, when Robyne Parrish
replaced Lynn Pryer as Gilbert Artistic
Director, the theater has graduated to a
new level as a semi-professional company
with the community in mind. The Gilbert
hopes to continue to give local talent a
venue to practice their craft and allow
guest professionals to work and share
their expertise to achieve a great creative
process. Parrish is working hard to build
a stronger company on an already firmly
established foundation.
✧
The Gilbert Theater was founded in 1994
by Lynn Pryer.
C H A P T E R 2
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