Past Recipients

July 2024 Donnalynn Davis "The Message From Jacob Marley" 246 The Main, Brookneal, VA "I can't wait to bring this classic tale to life - it's a different slant as seen through the warning narrative of Scrooge's partner in business, Jacob Marley. This adaptation was written by Dave Trouten of Sussex, New Brunswick, Canada, and it leans heavily into the original spirit of the Dickens story. Funding will augment our small budget to create better special effects, purchase much needed supplies for the graveyard set, and create a few dynamic costumes. We rely heavily on creativity to make the most of every dollar!"

February 2024 Libby Gatzke "Winnie the Pooh: Kanga Rules" Commerce Street Theater "This production is the beginning of providing children’s theater, performed by adults, at Commerce Street Theater. The five scripts, to be produced over five years are the brilliant work of our dear friend Jim Myers, whom we all miss... All the costumes for this production will be life-size characters within Pooh’s Hundred Acre Woods, and we need to build ALL of those costumes. This grant will provide us with the means to fund building these costumes, which will continue to be used each year as we produce the next Pooh production."

September 2023 Adam Hughes "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" Little Town Players "[The show] remains a poignant reminder that racism and prejudice can hide behind the facade of the most genteel families. I want to introduce the audience to the best and most diverse cast available to me and showcase the range, emotion, and talent of our local actors... There are many very talented persons of color in the area theater community. However, sometimes the theaters on the outskirts struggle to get that talent to make the drive. I intend to use some of the grant funds to bring talent from Lynchburg or surrounding areas to Bedford, offering gas money or small stipends to ensure the cast is diverse and the best it can possibly be."

June 2023 William Kershner "Steel Magnolias" Commerce Street Theater "This play does best with selective realism - everything the actors touch is real. Since it is in a hair salon, I want real hairstyling chairs, blow driers, all the instruments and products that would be found in a hair salon - so lots of props, many of them period... I also want to do a sound score, and to do floor treatment - perhaps an actual period vinyl. We also need high quality wigs for that period southern look. The grant if we should be fortunate to receive it, would help greatly with these things."