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The Lynchburg Community
Theatre Festival
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On January 18, 2025, the first Lynchburg Community Theatre Festival was held at the Aviary in Miller Park. The event was a rousing success with representatives from all seven local theaters present! With Bill Bodine as the emcee and music provided by DJ Josh Quintero, there was dancing and socializing among friends with a commonality: a love of theater.
The inspiration for this event comes from Mark Foreman himself. Throughout his years in theater, Mark would often speak of his desire to get together with his friends outside of a show. With all the performances occurring throughout the year at various theaters, it was difficult to get a group together for even a single evening. After his death, a cabaret was held in his honor at Little Town Players where members of the theater community performed musical theatre songs that had some meaning for Mark. At this event, members of Mark's family realized so many of the theater community were present in one location. It was everything Mark ever wanted: all his friends together in one place.
Almost exactly two years later, the Mark W. Foreman Foundation hosted the (first) Lynchburg Community Theatre Festival. This wasn't a fundraiser or a publicity event; the entire purpose was just to celebrate this community. There were directors, actors, backstage personnel, and audience members present, and many were meeting each other for the first time. People who only knew each other by name left the event as friends.
The theme for this event was a "Show Tunes Prom Night." Guests were dressed in their best and DJ Quintero selected music from classic and contemporary Broadway shows for people to dance (and sing) along with. Photographer Misty Vinson-Spitzer was on hand to commemorate the occasion.
Perhaps the biggest highlight of the evening was the awarding of the fifth Director's Grant. As a reminder, this grant of $1,000 is given twice a year to applicants who are directing a show in a local community theater. The grant can be used toward any production cost that may not be possible with the limited community theater budget. Chris Evans was awarded the January 2025 grant, which was presented to him during the festival. As the upcoming director of The Color Purple at Little Town Players this spring, Evans hopes to use this grant to hire live musicians for this show being produced for the first time in this area. Evans was given a standing ovation by his peers and could barely speak through his tears of elation. This moment was particularly touching to all who were witness to it.
Each theater had at least two representatives present to discuss their respective seasons and theater information. If anyone learned anything here, it's that there are an incredible amount of shows being produced in the coming months. Lynchburg and its surrounding counties never ceases to amaze in how much theater is available in a relatively small geographical area. Many guests were able to make contact with these representatives and discover ways they can be more involved. The support between theaters will continue to grow so long as these connections are fostered and carried on.
The Foundation would not have been able to successfully sponsor this event without the help of its affectionately titled "prom committee." Special thanks goes to Shelbie Filson, Justin and Sharon Carter, Erin Rierson, Desiree Baughmann, and Neal Tosi. There were numerous other individuals who assisted with setting up and cleaning up, plus those who donated their services and finances. The theater community is one of the most supportive groups one can be a part of, and for that we are indebted to all of you.
The question we are already being asked is whether this will become an annual event. The only answer we are prepared to give at this time is: stay tuned.
