By Jeff Ophime

Arts Center Director

The headline of the Moultrie Observer would read something like this, “COUNTY EXPLODES WITH PRIDE WHEN PACKERS WIN STATE CHAMPIONSHIP.” The first paragraph of the article would most likely carry the time and details of the planned parade that would circle the courthouse grounds packed with cheering fans. The football team is having a great year, so I guess that this could very well be the case sometime in the future.

What did really happen is that a group of extremely talented people from Colquitt County recently returned for the Georgia Theatre Conference in Columbus as STATE CHAMPIONS. ACT (Arts Center Theatre) members practically swept the Community Theatre One-Act Play Competition, winning every award but one. Adelia Ladson was honored with the award of Best Director for “The Lion in Winter.” She told me, “This is such a validation of all that ACT is trying to accomplish at the Colquitt County Arts Center, which is to provide quality entertainment to this community and to have fun while doing it.” Also taking home honors was Mary Norman for Best Lead Actress. Larry Sims won Best Lead Actor. Best Supporting Actress went to Leah Lane and the play won Best Show.

I was extremely frustrated earlier this month with the dismal attendance for the performances of “The Lion in Winter.” I went twice because the acting and casting was phenomenal. The impressive number of awards bestowed upon ACT proves that I was right. The show dates appeared in all of the Arts Center’s printed materials; the Observer featured a great photo and editorial about the play; and the Chamber of Commerce kindly included similar information on their community calendar and members e-mail blast. I can safely say that just about 10,000 people had this information in front of them at one time or another. So why did so many people not come to see this awarding winning production? I wish I knew. My favorite form of entertainment is live theatre. Going out for a nice dinner prior to the show, seeing a great performance and then drinks after, life doesn’t get any better than that.

The play, “The Lion in Winter,” has a long history of receiving great honors. This Tony Award winning play was adapted to film, winning three Academy Awards including Best Actress for Katharine Hepburn. By my definition it’s certainly not an obscure play that no one has ever heard of.

A play from our community travels to another city and we learn that it’s an awarding production worthy of great honors. If only more people would be convinced that we have a treasure filled with bounty for the taking right here at the Arts Center. I have often mentioned that it is the people from out of town that are most impressed with our Arts Center. The quilt and hooked rug exhibit (that will close Oct. 31) is a good example of this. The bulk of the visitors that have come to see these works of art have been from outside of Colquitt County. They have all commented on what an amazing art center we have here. I routinely give tours to visiting doctors that are considering a practice here and I hear the same comments. “I wish that my community had something half as nice as this arts center” is something that I have heard several times by people coming from much larger cities.

I have made it my personal goal to increase attendance at the Colquitt County Arts Center. To do so, I have to make people aware of what the Arts Center offers and the great value it can bring to their lives. I will continue to keep plugging away at increasing attendance by singing the praises of the Colquitt County Arts Center. I have been encouraged by the steadily rising number of bluegrass concert attendees and student enrollment continues to expand. New people continue to take part in gallery openings along with the great local artists that have shared their talents to make such openings happen. The loyal patrons of the Arts Center continue to provide a strong base of support that makes everything possible. Even though I still find myself exasperated at times, I know that our Arts Center is continuing to grow and I can honestly say that every month seems better than the last. My mantra continues to be, “We value what we use and support what we value.” Participation is the key to future growth and success. I need your help to make this happen. For the next event that you attend here at the Arts Center, I would appreciate it if you would invite some friends to join you. There’s strength in numbers!

Members of ACT are planning an encore performance of “The Lion in Winter” possibly in late January of next year. This means that everyone will have another chance to see what thoroughly impressed the judges in Columbus. They will also represent the Colquitt County Arts Center and the state of Georgia next March in Lexington, Ky., at the Southeastern Theatre Conference, which is made up of ten states from Florida up to West Virginia and over to Mississippi.

Congratulations to all of the winners at the Georgia Theatre Conference. I’m very proud of each and everyone one of you. The parade in my head was fantastic!