Submitted by Gerry Clare
Roving Reporter
November 16, 2014 9:03 p.m.
We are so fortunate to have a choice of three theaters in our small community of Fernandina Beach. This past week I met with three fabulously devoted and talented women who made their dreams come true and, in doing so, have blessed us with year round entertainment and live theater at its best.
Linda McClane became involved with the Amelia Community Theatre or ACT in a little building behind the Amelia Island Museum of History when it was founded in 1981 by Ed and Ellen Green. She and her husband, John, joined the charter members and worked with about 80 others in the community to help the theatre become what it is today. In fact, Linda was involved in the very first show.
The mission of the theatre is to “produce high quality theater, to have outreach into our schools, and to provide artistic and educational activities for all ages, so that the quality of life is enriched for those who live here and those who visit.”
The theatre grew from the original 86 seats at 209 Cedar Street when a modern new building was added with 170 seats next to the original one. Studio 209 at 209 Cedar Street Is still used for small events or plays. Both theaters can be rented out by the community for events, parties, meetings or benefits and rental rates appear on their website. The new building is at 207 Cedar Street.
Besides the full selection of productions during the year, ACT puts on community events such as the Decorated “Festival of Trees” in the lobby of the Main Stage theatre and a visit with Santa on December 6th. The ACT Guild was created over 10 years ago to raise money for the theater and to aid, support and supplement activities of ACT.
Coming up next at ACT is “Sherlock Holmes and the Case of the Christmas Carol” from December 4th through December 20th. The ACTeen Troupe will be presenting “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe” in March 2015.
Although ACT has grown tremendously as it approaches 35 years, McClane still sees room for growth and envisions “expanding classes and programs for youth, and finding the perfect balance between classics and new works.” She also hopes the theatre will enter a play into competition with the American Association of Community’s Theater’s Festival as well as do more original works at Studio 209. For more information go to www.ameliacommunitytheatre.org.
Founded in 1993, Fernandina Little Theatre performed in several different venues including restaurant courtyards, the back room of the Palace Saloon and the upstairs in the Post Office, before ending up at 1014 Beech Street. The productions here are “modeled after the Black Box and Equity-Waiver theater spaces in Los Angeles and New York” with which, Kate Hart, the Managing Artistic Director, and others at FLT are very familiar. These are small intimate venues with black walls, seats and stage backdrops. This tends to draw in audiences without the distraction of elaborate sets and decorations. This is popular with big city professional actors’ venues. As Hart puts it, “we want to emphasize engaging and diverse” productions, that leave the audiences talking about them after they leave the theater.”
As a non-profit, FLT uses an ensemble of about 50 volunteers and started as an alternative theater to the already established ACT. However, as it grew, other activities have been added, such as special festivals like the Creative Kids Festival (in January), the Oscar-Nominated Shorts Festival, and the Second DOCtober Festival with doubled attendance this year. Also in addition to the regular season’s productions are poetry readings, dinner groups, conventions, improvs and musical concerts.
Hart is concerned with reaching youth and has had her own school…also “little” as it is known as Miss Kate’s Pre-school and has been teaching here since 1997. Now the school is located next to the new improved Barnabas location on Amelia Island. FLT reaches to the community’s youth with the Rising Stars group where teens meet on Wednesday afternoon after school to learn and participate in all aspects of theater.
The Poetry Canteen meets monthly on the second Tuesday from 6:30 to 7:30, with participants bringing a poem to discuss and share.
This brightly colored building outside certainly reaches for a different audience and the current production of “I Am My Own Wife,” a Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning play by Doug Wright, brings together a truly professional-type star, Frank O’Donnell, directed by our own “professional” director, Ron Kurtz. O’Donnell plays 30 diverse characters, certainly a large task. It is running from November 15th to November 18, 20, 21, 22.
Check www.ameliaflt.org for more information.
New to the scene in Fernandina Beach, the Amelia Musical Playhouse opened last October using the Peck Center and other venues, before their current location at 1955 Island Walkway. This octagonal building used to be Schooner’s and later the Midtown. After renovation this gem of a playhouse has become a new and charming theatre with a piano bar and chandelier in the lobby.
Owner and one of the directors, Jill Dillingham retired as a music teacher in Key West after 30 years. In 2008 she moved here with her husband, Gregg, and acted and directed at ACT before they bought the building. Gregg did much of the remodeling and still works on the sets. She also acted and directed in Key West as well. She grew up near New York City with all of the excitement of the arts scene there and the wonderful musicals, where she developed her love of the theater.
Their first production in the building was “A Funny Thing Happened to Me on the Way to the Forum” in February. With a core cast of about 50 singers and several directors, AMP has produced six musicals, seven revues and seven non-musicals. Their season starts in September and runs all year unlike the other theaters.
Dillingham is very proud of the fact that AMP has only live music accompanying their musicals. She also invites everyone to attend their production of Peter Pan from December 4th to December 14th. There is an upcoming Holiday Review with the Nassau Community Band on one night only, December 19th. She mentioned that other groups have worked with AMP for special events and presentations. She and her husband are excited to be a part of this theatrical and artistic community. For more information on the Amelia Playhouse Theatre see www.ameliamusicalplayhouse.com
Editor’s Note: Gerry began free lance writing for fun and is the author of a published book (available on Amazon and at Books Plus) about funny real estate experiences. Gerry is a longtime member of our local American Business Women’s Chapter, a volunteer cancer driver and church deacon who loves to read, travel and meet interesting people.
Very nice article. Enjoyed the history!
Gerry,
Great article. Our community is truly fortunate to have such a variety of talent and so many different venues where it can be displayed.
Nice article. My husband and I are season ticket holders for both FLT and ACT and we are so grateful that our community has these wonderful resources. We welcome the addition of AMP.
BEING A NEW YORKER…….I HAD THE ADVANTAGE TO GET TO BROADWAY OFTEN……..AND GREW TO LOVE THE THEATRE.
I BECAME INVOLVED WITH A.C.T. BACK IN 1985. NOW…..IN 2014……..I AM PROUD TO SAY ……….I HAVE APPEARED ON STAGE IN ALL THREE THEATRES HERE ON THE ISLAND AND DIRECTED SEVERAL AT A.C.T AS WELL.. I LOVE WHAT EACH THEATRE HAS TO OFFER AND SUPPORT ALL OF THEM. HOW LUCKY WE ARE !!!!!!! CHAR BACHMAN