A Cloverdale Playhouse Thanksgiving
“Thanksgiving has wings and goes where it must go. Your prayer knows much more about it than you do.” – Victor Hugo
We have been busy this year creating a community theater. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I offer a personal litany of gratitude: To Morris Dees and Susan Starr, to Dorman Walker and the Playhouse Board of Directors, to Elizabeth Crump and all of the folks who made the Montgomery Little Theatre a vibrant and memorable place. To our inspired Advisory Council.
I offer unending thanks to our donors and patrons, and a strong embrace to John Hunter Foshee and the amazing Foshee Construction crew, especially Joe Pierce, Schuyler, and Jasper. To the great and large-hearted folks of Dixie Electric, John and Noble Yelverton, and to Steve King, our great master electrician, who coined the phrase: “This is a pearl of a place.”
To Adam Stuart and the Special Events Lighting guys who fill us with brightness and sound. To Blakley Buck and to every carpenter and framer and plumber, painter, and technician who are making the Playhouse hum and buzz and flow and thrive and look so beautiful. To the creative team of Bill Wallace and Scott Steen of Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood. To Kenny Dobbs and the Phone Store of Millbrook who keep us connected and in touch. To Heather Steen for her creative touch, to Mark and Margaret Dauber for guidance and the gift of their daughter.
Hands are clapping for Danny Davidson, Scott Page, Marshall St.Clair, James Treadway,Trey Flowers, and the growing team of volunteers who are the main ingredient to a successful Playhouse. To the Junior League, to Wynn Dee Allen, to Le Hook, Andrew Bailey, Val Winkelman, to Julia Oliver, to the administration and staff at Huntingdon College, to James McLaughlin at Supreme Roi for the great website and to Matt for his guidance.
To Carolyn Hutcheson and Joanne Jacobs at Troy University Public Radio and to Ronny and Kawaski at CCC-TV, what a treat to get to spend time with you. To Teri Greene and Mickey Welsh at The Montgomery Advertiser, to the great crew at WSFA, to Jack Galassini, to Ben Flanagan and Christine Kneidinger at al.com.
To Camille and Lani and all at LWT who created a classy, potent, and effective brochure and media campaign that is reaping benefits already.
To Rep. Joe Hubbard, to Mayor Todd Strange, to Deputy Mayor Jeff Downs for their guidance and support on all levels. To all of the people at the Alabama State Council on the Arts, led by the wonderful Al Head, your gift and your guidance have been essential.
To Russell Estes, to Richelle Meyers, to Henry … and to the amazing Judy Bruno, who is the best and the most patient and there aren’t enough adjectives to describe the support and help she gives us. To Daniel Teale and the Starbucks Arts Initiative, to Becky Taylor and the Montgomery Chorale, to the administration and dear friends at ASF, to the library staff at AUM.
To the people of Cloverdale whose excitement about this dream has been contagious and heart-warming, especially Sandra Nickel and the Hat Team, to Martin and the Capri Theatre, to the great folks at Sinclair’s, El Rey, Bud’s, Café Louisa’s, Tomatino’s, and many thanks to Tom, Cheryl, and Eleanor at Capitol Books and to all the fine businesses and friends and neighbors around the block. May our Playhouse be a home for you and your patrons. And to Emily Flowers, who goes beyond beyond and is the wearer of many hats.
I bow my head in respect and at this table I give thanks.
Greg Thornton is the Artistic Director of the Cloverdale Playhouse.
Inevitably, in the dead of night, you realize the names and the generosity of those not mentioned but surely need to be acknowledged, every day: Henrietta MacGuire and the great people at River Region Living Magazine,to Beth Lambert at the Limelight Theatre of Saint Augustine, FL, to Christy Meanor at the Depot and to all of the talented artists of ACT, to the wonderful actors and writers who have come through our doors and we trust will continue to stay with the Playhouse….there are more to thank…and we will…
I think I can speak for all of the people that you mentioned when I say that we are most thankful for you Greg.Your leadership and enthusiasm is not only contagious,but the main ingredient in what is going to be an incredibly successful community theatre. Thank you my friend!