PTP sets season, elects new officers

From left, Andi Phipps, Immediate Past President, Board Members Lisa Cathcart, Hunter Garner, Sammi Scott with incoming officers Shane Moody (president), Becky Koeller (treasurer), Nancy Smith (VP), Dori Ross (treasurer) and Board Member J.T. Crossland. | photo: Brian Garner

WINNSBORO – The Pine Tree Playhouse held their annual meeting on Dec. 13 and began the process of setting a new 2023 season. The membership of the Playhouse that attended the meeting also elected the new officers for the Board of Directors.

Current Board President Andi Phipps welcomed the membership and thanked them for being a part of the Playhouse and for being a part of the theater’s 50th year.

She gave an overview of the season just passed, which began with a Chris Reed Bad Kids band fundraiser, an opera night presented by Playhouse member Sammi Scott, and performances of “Oz!” and “The Addams Family Musical”’ capping off the year with “A Pine Tree Christmas”.

During the year the theater underwent some much needed renovations to the backstage spaces.

“There is more work that needs to be done (as far as repairs and such) but I think this has been an absolutely remarkable year. I want to applaud all of the membership for all of their hard work and for putting the Pine Tree Playhouse back on the map and making the theater a huge success this year,” Phipps said.

The current officers of the board roll off every two years, so those officers elected in 2021 were giving up their positions to make way for the new officers elected. These officers are Andi Phipps, President, Shane Moody, Vice President, Diane Swanson, Treasurer and due to the resignation of the Secretary, that post was vacant (but was filled on an interim basis by PTP member Dori Brandenburg).

Phipps expressed appreciation for outgoing Treasurer Diane Swanson for holding the post for many years.

“You have served as Treasurer for many years so wonderfully, faithfully and beautifully. Thank you so much,” she told Swanson.

The new officers elected by the membership are President Shane Moody; Vice President, Nancy Smith; Treasurer Becky Koeller and Secretary Dori Ross.

Matt Swanson rolls off the board as Immediate Past President as Andi Phipps takes up that post.

The membership applauded Phipps for her years of hard work on behalf of the theater.

The membership then talked about the plans for the upcoming year.

In addition to the planned shows for the season, the theater will hold a Gallery Night for artist Ashley Bevensee on Sunday, March 5, 2023. Bevensee will display her works and offer them for sale. Her artistry was most recently seen in the set design for “The Addams Family Musical” (she played the part of Grand-Mama in that show).

In other ideas, the membership discussed replacing some of the theater’s older lighting instruments, and conducting some repairs and cleanups and improvements to the theater’s infrastructure.

The membership also discussed holding periodic karaoke nights. Andy McKinney volunteered to act as “KJ” for those karaoke nights and said he has some professional karaoke equipment to contribute to the effort.

The theater also discussed holding periodic improvisation performances as well.

 In the Pine Tree Playhouse Board meeting, the board members heard performance proposals and set the upcoming season.

The board approved Treasurer Becky Koeller to put together a Valentine-themed fundraiser in February, dates to be determined and she will also present to the board her suggestion for a dramatic play in the spring, dates and production to be determined.

In the fall, Dori Ross will direct a musical adaptation of Victor Hugo’s “The Hunchback of Notre Dame”. This is a musical version of the original story, not the one with singing and dancing gargoyles. Dates will be determined at a later date.

To cap off the season, Hunter Garner will direct and Shane Moody will assistant direct the musical “Oliver!”, a rollicking, tuneful version of the well-known Broadway production. Check the Pine Tree Playhouse website (https://www.pinetreeplayhouse.com/) and Facebook page for more definite dates as these productions develop.

Contact us: (803) 767-5711 | P.O. Box 675, Blythewood, SC 29016 | [email protected]