Archives for November 2015

As a child, I had the fortune of participating in activity at the Lynchburg Fine Arts Center. This experience was important to me on a number of levels. One, it was an opportunity to for me to spend quality time with my father who was also involved. Two, it was during this time that I really discovered my love for theatre. Three, I became a part of a community and I felt like I belonged and this was very important to an awkward adolescent who had not found a strong community in his county school. The Lynchburg Fine Arts Center was a center for community building for so many. In my opinion, when the Academy of Music Theatre and the Lynchburg Fine Arts Center merged over a decade ago and formed a new hybrid name, the most important word was lost. I want to bring the word “center “back and I believe it should be at the heart of how the Academy identifies itself moving forward. We are the center of arts activity in our community and we are a center for public gathering and most importantly, community building. Moving forward, we are the Academy Center of the Arts. Part […]

A community is oftentimes defined as a group of people with a particular characteristic in common; a fellowship, and a common set of goals or interests. Community has a deep meaning and defining purpose to the Academy. “The arts are a community builder,” said Executive Director Geoffrey Kershner. “The arts gather people together to share in an experience in real space and in real time. Very often these experiences involve powerful emotions or the exchange of meaningful ideas. When this happens, the boundaries that divide a community are broken down and people find common ground. This common ground is the basis of any healthy community. A community that shares experiences and finds commonality can grow.” As community is a foundational driver in Academy programming, you’ll see a mass of programming surrounding it moving forward. Last weekend, the Academy was host to our local high school theatre community in our High School Theatre Showcase. Over 90 students from 6 area high schools participated in two days of theatrical training and performance. Day 1 of the showcase comprised workshops led by our region’s top collegiate theatrical professors. From singing to improv, and technical training in scenery work to lighting software, thespians had their pick of workshops. Day […]

For years, the Academy’s Kids Out Loud program has been a smash success with R.S. Payne and T.C. Miller here in Lynchburg. Now, the Academy hopes to expand the program into surrounding county elementary schools. Kids Out Loud was founded by Paddy Dougherty, a local singer-songwriter. With Dougherty’s guidance and encouragement, students from the 3rd to 5th grades write and perform their own songs. In the past, songs have been “Candy, Candy, Candy,” a celebration of everything about Halloween, and “The Quiet Game,” a song about discovering that the quiet game is a nefarious conspiracy by adults. Besides storytelling, students have also been inventing songs engineered to help with studying. One part of the program, Can’t Beat Math, helps kids learn basic tricks for mastering the mysteries of mathematics. “Kids Out Loud lets students learn creative problem solving skills through song lyrics together as a class. Afterward they have the opportunity to perform these songs for peers and family, which helps improve self-confidence and self-expression.” Right now there are plans to bring Kids Out Loud to Bass Elementary School and over the course of the next few years, to schools in the counties surrounding Lynchburg. In a time when schools’ […]

The Academy will be collaborating with the local charity Daily Bread to present Meals and Music: a program bringing music alongside food to the city’s homeless. Founded in 1982 by the First Presbyterian Church of Lynchburg, Daily Bread offers free hot meals in anyone in need using food donated by local grocery stores, restaurants, and universities and with the help of 10-15 volunteers. In 2014, Daily Bread served 57,642 meals to the hungry and homeless. While Daily Bread guests eat, they’ll enjoy live music. “We really believe that the arts improve the quality of life. The Daily Bread’s mission is to provide food for those who are struggling to make ends meet. We feel it’s our duty as an organization to bring joy to their day as well as the sustenance,” said Geoffrey Kershner. “I also firmly believe that the arts should be available to all, no matter if they can afford it recreationally.” Q&A with the Daily Bread’s Executive Director Tracey Dixon How are you involved? I am the Executive Director of Lynchburg Daily Bread.  I started as a volunteer in the ‘90s and have served as Executive Director for the last 4 years. How would you describe the […]