Dr. Thomas and Sylvia Wade

are well-known names among those who keep up with local

theater.

Five years ago the Wade

family moved from the Northside of Atlanta to Tyrone to

"enjoy a better way of life." Another

compelling reason was the proximity to Tom's office near

the airport.

The Wades had a longtime

love and appreciation of the theater and frequently

attended shows. Therefore, it is easy to understand why

one of the couple's first moves after settling in was to

join the local Endowment for the Cultural Arts Committee.

Their daughter, Leslie, was

somewhat instrumental in propelling her parents into a

stronger involvement in local theater. As a sixth grader

she had a role in a local Fayette Community Theater play.

The Wades volunteered to help and have been helping in

some form every since.

When Fayette Community

Theater decided to form a board, Sylvia was asked to

serve. Shortly after the FCT board formed, the Endowment

for the Cultural Arts (ECCA) and FCT became

"partners in art."

While Sylvia laughs when

asked is she has acted in any of the plays, husband Tom

has taken the plunge. He had a role in recent FCT

production, "Voices from the Titanic."

"I had a good

time," he said. "But it's time consuming."

He's not sure if he will act again, but he is open to the

possibility.

He said, "Fortunately

I played an American character so I didn't have to speak

with an English accent."

Sylvia is chairman of the

board for the Theater group. All of the board members

pitch in during a production. Sylvia has worked the

concession stand, helped with costumes, taken tickets,

handed out programs and many other jobs. She says,

"We're a very hands-on board."

The theater group is always

looking for volunteers to help in many capacities. Sylvia

said, "We're always interested in people interested

in the arts."

She has even recruited her

mother to help hand out programs. She says, "She

loves to help out."

While many local seniors

attend the plays, there are also numerous volunteer

opportunities for those who would like to get behind the

scenes. There are even opportunities for those interested

in being in a scene!

The productions are all

family-oriented and the plays range from children's

productions to adult. The theater group is hoping to do

its first Broadway production, "The Music Man,"

sometime next summer.

They are currently working

on a number of children's productions and another adult

"dessert" theater, which has been very

successful.

Theater Box Inset

Fayette Community Theater,

Sylvia Wade, 770-486-9302 Offshoot Productions,

770-631-2362

Endowment Committee for the

Cultural Arts, 770-486-9302 or 770-487-8330 Acting

Classes, 770-599-0051

Southside Theater Guild

(Fairburn), 770-969-0956 Newnan Community Theatre

Company, 770-251-1276

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