Mission, Vision, and Recognitions

Mission and Vision

Mission

The mission of the Florence Little Theatre is to provide excellence in theatrical entertainment and education in a safe and respectful environment while encouraging community involvement and support.

Vision

Our vision is to encourage community involvement by providing volunteer opportunities and education for all ages thereby ensuring a diverse volunteer group. We will maintain good stewardship of resources to protect the integrity of the theatre. Florence Little Theatre is committed to celebrating the diversity and talents of the community.

Awards and Recognitions

2020 Florence Regional Arts Alliance Outstanding Arts Organization Award,

Children's Workshop Lisa Sims

2014 South Carolina Theatre of Distinction Award

2014, 2012 Best Costumes SCTA

2014, 2012 Best Actress SCTA

2014 Best Solo Musical Theatre Performance SCTA

2014 Best Cameo Performance SCTA

2013 South Carolina Arts Alliance Award

2005 Elizabeth O'Neill Verner Award

2000 Lifetime Service Award- Jeff Corbin, Jr.

History of FLT

The lights dimmed and the curtain rose for the premier event marking the centennial celebration of the Florence Little Theatre. Hearts were blessed as The Sound of Music filled every inch of the performance venue with professional quality voices, acting, music, lights and sets. Playing to sold out audiences each night, this show not only delighted our incredibly supportive community, but it paid tribute to those who paved the way to make it all possible. What they started 100 years ago remains an inspiration today and certainly for generations to come.

It all began in 1923 when Margaret Wright formed a group called The Community Players. Their first show, in August of 1923, was staged on the lawn of Mr. James Lynch’s home on West Palmetto Street. After the inaugural performance, the impassioned players would      perform outside, in homes, garages or any place they were allowed. While the initial audiences were coaxed into attending, before long they came willingly and in great numbers.

With the onset of winter that year, coupled with their need for a larger performance space, the Pinewood Club offered their building for productions. This lead to the renaming of the group to The Pinewood Players. They would retain this name for many years.

A fire ravaged the Pinewood Club, but it did not extinguish the desire to perform. From 1929 to 1940, they performed at various venues including the YMCA, Florence High School, and a storage building behind the Sanborn Hotel. In 1940, the group changed their name to The Little Theatre Guild and opened auditions to the general public.

1947 brought about several changes. The players adopted the name Florence Little Theatre Guild, created bi-laws and elected officers for the first time. Headed by Sylvia Stein, Mary King, and George Glass, the guild was instrumental in obtaining rights to the old Army Air Base movie house as their new home. In an effort to raise funds for much needed repairs to the facility, the first Junior Players production was added. The show was so successful, it not only made the needed repairs, it kept the Little Theatre out of bankruptcy. However, additional challenges, including lack of adequate dressing rooms, plumbing issues, sparse bathroom facilities, and limited sound and lighting features, led the theatre into action.

In 1966, a full Board of Trustees was formed to oversee a capital campaign intended to raise money for a new permanent home. Within one year, the committee had raised $160,000 in pledges and contributions. An anonymous donor gifted land on South Cashua Drive.

Four men Ronald Sopkin, Jeff Corbin, Joe Baroody, and Phil Stephensen were instrumental in bringing this dream to fruition. They, along with a dedicated board, channeled their love for the theatre into a vision of building one of the finest state of the art facilities in South Carolina.

The new Florence Little Theatre held it’s grand opening on November 14, 1968 with a production of The King and I. It was a resounding success. During the next 40 seasons, FLT continued striving for excellence and garnered greater support from the community and local businesses than ever before.

FLT hosted an impressive and extensive list of musicals and plays over the years at the South Cashua location, which was affectionately referred to as “The Grey Lady”. Having earned a reputation throughout the Carolinas, FLT received the 2005 Elizabeth O’Neill Verner Award from the S.C Arts Commission, in recognition of their dedication to the performing arts. A delegation from the theatre accepted the award at a ceremony held at the State House in Columbia. This honor is still proudly displayed today.

Because of the number of productions, as well as community events, taking place in the facility, the theatre quickly began to realize they were again faced with severe limitations. FLT had to rent or barter for space outside of the performance venue to meet their obligations. In addition to requiring more space for rehearsals, the need for larger bathrooms and storage for costumes, props, and sets became a major concern.

Dreams began to look like possibilities when Encore Theatre Company approached the board. They were in the process of dissolution and wanted to bestow upon FLT the remainder of their assets. It was a sizable donation that set the wheels in motion. This gift, along with a grant from the Drs. Bruce and Lee Foundation, established a Capital Improvement Building Fund. In 1999, FLT launched a successful capital campaign with hundreds of individuals, local businesses, and financial institutions donating generously.

With funding starting to take shape, discussions for expansions and renovations were a hot topic. It was during this time that the Drs. Bruce and Lee Foundation presented an interesting and unexpected proposal. They offered an astounding $10 million toward building a new theatre on South Dargan as part of the downtown revitalization. The City of Florence and McLeod Health also made significant contributions toward making this dream a reality.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held on October 19, 2006. The building committee, spearheaded by Patsy S. Stone, worked with the Foundation and architects Goforth Brown and Associates to finalize plans. The new theatre would feature multi-tier seating incorporating side galleries, a large backstage and scene shop area, bathrooms with numerous stalls, and a spacious lobby and rehearsal hall. Empty office space adjacent to the planned theatre would be renovated and adjoined to the new facility, creating much needed storage, multiple dressing rooms, and staff offices.

In summer of 2008, the last show was cast at South Cashua. The excitement for this show extended beyond the production team, musicians, and actors. The entire community of theatre supporters was anxiously awaiting the opening, as they knew it would be at the new South Dargan location. On September 12, 2008, Jesus Christ Superstar opened to a packed house. Many dressed in formal wear, reminiscent of earlier times when opening shows, and the accompanying gala, looked like a red carpet event.

The theatre thrived with this renewed enthusiasm from devoted patrons. Memberships grew as new supporters, some who never even realized there was a community theatre in Florence, soon became season regulars. This renewal also brought about a period of growth for the volunteer base.

2013-2014 season marked FLT’s 90th year. In recognition of the long-standing history and reputation of the theatre, FLT was the first community theatre in South Carolina granted the rights to perform Les Miserables. As the opening show in September of 2013, Les Mis made theatre history by being the first show to sell out all shows before the first performance. It was so well received, a concert version of the show was reprised for a two-night celebration of the 90th Anniversary.

On the other end of the season, The Wizard of Oz, opened in April 2014. All nine performances were sold out before opening night, prompting the board to add a 10th show to accommodate the ever growing waiting list. This incredible season was not only rewarded by eager theatregoers, but the theatre was recognized with two special awards the 2013 South Carolina Arts Alliance Award and the 2014 South Carolina Theatre of Distinction Award.

While FLT has continued its unceasing effort to present professional level productions, the educational programs developed over the years are paramount to its ongoing success. These provide essential revenue for operational costs, and their outreach extends to many different groups. These efforts have made a huge impact on the children in Florence and the surrounding areas.

The Schoolhouse Players has been a highly successful venture. This dedicated group of talented performers presents plays to school age children. These students often have never experienced live theatre and may not have an opportunity otherwise. The shows are educational, inspirational, entertaining, and interactive. Students and teachers alike become very involved as the actors teach the lessons of the stories while involving their audiences. Local schools consistently attend these events with rave reviews.

The highly popular summer camps, Children’s Workshop, and Rising Stars programs are designed for a wide variety of ages. These curriculums foster a child’s love of learning and help develop their talents in a safe, supportive, and professional environment. They are taught skills and presented with knowledge involving all areas of theatre.

These programs teach teamwork, focus, public speaking, and creativity. Not only are they having fun, they are learning life lessons that promote better social skills, self-confidence, and self-expression. In 2020, Lisa Sims, FLT’s Education Director, was presented the Outstanding Arts Organization Award for her tireless contributions to arts education in Florence County.

FLT is so blessed and grateful for their incredible theatre in the center of the arts and education district, talented volunteers, generous patrons, underwriters, and benefactors. However, for many, FLT is more than a building. It is a home away from home. It is a haven and sanctuary where people from all walks of life gather as equals.

FLT is a family, literally and figuratively. Generations of some families have volunteered and continue to have ties back to before FLT ever had a permanent home. However, some families are not related by blood at all. They come together with a common goal to enhance the lives of their friends, families, and community by creating the magic that we call live theatre. One hundred years have come and gone, but FLT enters this new century stronger than ever before, with a deeper passion to honor the contributions of the past, and the dedication to carry the traditions forward.

Written by Arlene Boyd