Highlights of 2022
Give yourself a hand!
Because of you, Theatre Bristol accomplishments in 2022 included:
- Bringing back a full season of shows;
- Reviving the Cathy DeCaterina School of Theatre Arts;
- Introducing new programs like PLAYtime and a workshop series, River’s Way volunteering and Virginia High programs – students and workforce development;
- Growing our audiences;
- Significantly improving the theatre space; and
- Welcoming new actors, audiences, volunteers, students, and donors!
This past year, Theatre Bristol engaged with more than 10,000 actors, crew, audiences, students, volunteers, sponsors, and partners.
In total, we presented 6 productions to more than 8,000 people. We welcomed a new board member and a new advisory board member, 2 new youth service board members, 42 new actors, 24 new crew members, and dozens of new volunteers.
We opened the season with Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, a Youth Service Board production, for Valentine’s weekend. In March, we partnered with River’s Way to present Three Times Three. Giant items took the stage for Jack and the Giant Beanstalk in April. Summer was filled with The Sound of Music. We took The Legend of Sleepy Hollow radio drama out for a spooky evening in the park. We laughed and sang all the way to the end of the year with Elf The Musical sold-out performances and 17 Mrs. Clauses!
We reinstituted the Catherine F. DeCaterina School of Theatre Arts with weekly classes and workshops, as well as continued our beloved StART of Adventure Summer Camp.
We held more than 60 work days, taught 2 semesters of theatre classes for 3 age group levels, and hosted 12 workshops.
More than 20 schools, plus Boys and Girls Club, Girls Inc, and Food City families attended Theatre Bristol shows. We supported 7 schools and community theatres with their shows, including King University Theatre’s world premiere of Good King Wenceslas.
New programs were added like the weekly kids morning program, PLAYtime in the ARTspace, in partnership with Bristol Bagel & Bakery and Bristol’s Promise. We created Arts Registration Day and partnered with Bristol Ballet, Mountain Empire Children’s Choral Academy, the Birthplace of Country Music, Bristol Music Academy, and the Bristol Public Library.
We took Theatre Bristol to Kid Power in Elizabethton, the morning Rotary Club meeting, Bristol Area Ministerial Association meeting, Bristol Slater Center, Anderson Park, and the Bristol Virginia Housing Authority. We hosted 11 bands for the Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion Festival. We engaged in more than 31 partnerships.
We went from lighting shows to lighting our entire building thanks to Lighthouse Supply Company. New LED lights eliminated all the dark spaces on all three floors of the building, as well as gave us all the benefits of new lighting.
We added two stage lights that can be programmed to move and a working sound board, as well as much-needed stage curtains. We expanded our stage and made upgrades to the restrooms, including a baby changing table donated by Appalachian Highlands Healthy Babies.
PROCIM and Burwil Construction helped us make repairs to the kitchen flooring, and Summit BSR roofing fixed up our chimneys. Stateline Services/HVAC Inc made it possible to have heat in the office and repaired the air conditioning in the performance space. We recycled more than 10,000 pounds of metal, as well as plastic and glass.
We attended the national community theatre conference and Arts Advocacy Day. All of our eligible Tennessee Board members and staff, as well as some volunteers, have specialty license plates in support of the arts.
We appreciated vital financial contributions, as well as in-kind donations of clothing, furniture, hangers, tools, more.
Our work was on billboards, radio, public television, our local stations, in newspapers, on windows, and online with great season and show designs by Haley White.
We were recognized as a 2022 Great Nonprofits Top Nonprofit and a 2022 Candid/Guidestar Platinum-level organization. We have 4 past and current Board members and a donor who are Arts Alliance of the Mountain Empire Arts Achievement Awardees. This year alone we had 2 students who were A! Magazine for the Arts Spotlight students, and a feature on Board Member Ann Vance in the magazine.
We were pleased to be awarded funding by the City of Bristol TN, the Small Business Administration, The James W. and Francis G. McGlothlin Foundation, The United Company, and 3 grants by the Tennessee Arts Commission. We had 2 dozen sponsors and added new sponsors.
With the increasing demands of a downtown theatre, the Board of Directors made the Executive Director a full-time position. A steady team works in support of the School of Theatre Arts and productions, tech, lighting and sound, and bookkeeping. More volunteers than can be counted pitch in nearly daily to advance efforts.
Two long-serving Board members stepped down and we are grateful for the years of service and dedication of Suzanne Hill and Steve Baskett. Leticia Peltzer joined the Board and Lisa White joined the Advisory Board.
The research that demonstrates the value of community theatre on a community and for individuals is extensive. Taking this treasure for granted risks losing too much. We know it takes dedication and more people getting involved on stage and as patrons and volunteers to ensure our Theatre continues.
We thank you for being a part and invite you to continue to be a part–whether on stage, behind the scenes, applauding in the house, sharing our news, or being a financial patron of our community theatre, because your participation is deeply appreciated.
We look forward to the 58th season of shows, classes and activities, and hope you help keep live performing arts thriving in our community.
Thank you for helping us keep drama on stage,
The Theatre Bristol Board of Directors
Cindi Brooks, President
Ann Vance, Vice President
Nicole Intagliata, Treasurer/Secretary
Dottie Havlik
Leticia Peltzer
Mary Beth Rainero
Valtina Turner
Advisory Board
David Browning
Rick McVey
Lisa White
Samantha Gray, Executive Director
At Theatre Bristol we create, we imagine and design.
We create everything needed to bring live performance to the stage all while fostering healthy lives through important stories, opportunities, and programming year round.
Please support Theatre Bristol with an online donation and help create with us.