Open Season means Open to Opportunities

Red River Community Theatre, Inc. is a Texas Nonprofit 501©3 organization whose mission it is to provide quality experiences in acting and live stage theatre for our patrons of the performing arts.

We operate an “open season” to take advantage of opportunities to produce established dramas, musicals and comedies as well as original plays by local authors. An Open Season policy also affords our patrons the additional opportunity to tell us what they would like to see on our stage: movies, plays and musicals they have already seen and loved, or to recommend local actors who need encouragement to pursue their dreams of being on stage.

Nearly 100 local actors, actresses and vocalists have been introduced to the community on the RRCT stage, many of them for their first time onstage.

The frequency of plays we produce are dependent upon the availability of actors, directors and staff who devote weeks to pre-performance rehearsals and preparations for each production. All participants are volunteers with no compensation offered or expected.

With no paid employees and an all-volunteer Board of directors, actors and directors, fully 100% of the proceeds from ticket sales and donations are reinvested in theatre equipment and the production of plays. The Bonham Area Chamber of Commerce Tourism Division, local businesses contribute to or facilitate some of our production expenses, along with generous patrons who appreciate our effort.

We are proud of our progress toward fulfilling our mission of reviving the performing arts in our area as evidenced by a dramatic increase in the past 7 years of locally produced live stage events now available as an entertainment alternative for our communities.

We are open to your suggestions for a variety of venues that you would like to see on our stage. We urge you to contact us with your fondest theatrical dreams. We will appreciate your support and your patronage.

Pat Ward Receives AACT Spotlight Award

The American Association of Community Theatre is a national organization that serves as the authority on the performing arts on the community level.  They provide educational resources for community theatres throughout the U.S. as well as all of the USO facilities throughout the world.  In 2004, A.A.C.T. initiated a Spotlight Award to honor community theatre staff members who have given outstanding service to their local theatre effort based on stringent criteria and nominated by their local theatre groups.

Pat Ward, retired past President of Red River Community Theatre, is the 2008 recipient of the prestigious A.A.C.T. Spotlight Award at the RRCT Awards Ceremony on March 15.  Her profile will be featured in the A.A.C.T. national magazine.  She was nominated by the RRCT Board of Directors in appreciation for her dedication and selfless service to RRCT and to the Fannin community.

Even before its official charter date of August 23, 2001, Pat has worked non-stop to make the Red River Community Theatre, Inc. a reality as a member of the original committee whose goal has been to revive live stage theatre as a cultural enrichment for Fannin and surrounding counties after an absence of the performing arts for adult participation in this area for nearly 70 years.

Pat has served not only as Board President, but also as the administrative manager of RRCT and the spokesperson for the theatre with all other professional theatre organizations, publishing companies, civic organizations, newspapers, radio and television outlets and the community at large.  Not stopping with the administrative and clerical duties, Pat has also pitched in as an actor, actor coach, production director, actor and director recruiter, and in other support positions as well as managing the organizational funds and overseeing the renovation of the RRCT performance center in the Old Windom School.  In 2004, she negotiated a long term guaranteed renewable lease with Windom School Memorial Foundation for the use of the old school auditorium and other rooms as RRCT’s performing arts facility.

Although Pat retired as President of the RRCT Board in November 2007 to pursue other interests which she has put on hold for the past seven years, she accepted a position on the Board as an advisor and is overseeing the training of other members on the Board on the many details of the duties that she served in the past.  Pat has accomplished all of this without asking for or receiving any personal recognition for the success of the Red River Community Theatre.