Guest column: Sumter Little Theatre will forever be family and felt like home
As the 85th year of Sumter Little Theatre comes to a close, many of us wanted to reach out and share the value of the theater with your readers.
As a military spouse and professional - moving can be a challenge. Starting over every few years. Finding a community, finding a passion, finding the things that bring joy to you and your family. No small feat every three years, for sure. And yet, we found it at SLT.
We moved to Shaw AFB in June of 2022. We were in a hotel, waiting for our home on the base. I was scrolling through social media and came across a call for auditions at SLT. I had never auditioned for a play. I had never been to SLT. I had yet to visit Sumter properly. But, to find a home you must explore, and so, the very next day I auditioned for "Love, Loss, and What I Wore." The audition was fun; the women were kind and welcoming. The atmosphere was warm and energized. I thought I might have found something special. I had to be a part of it.
I was lucky enough to be cast, and that was it. From then on, Sumter Little Theatre was a huge part of my life. My daughter subsequently began taking youth theater classes, then assisting with productions, then auditioning for productions. I volunteered and stage managed and auditioned. It was fun, and the people were lovely and engaging and made us feel like we mattered to them, and our contributions were appreciated and encouraged.
We had friends. We had those who included us in outings and invited us to dinner. We had people to turn to if we needed support. We had a non-blood family here at SLT. My daughter truly thrived and came out of her shell and grew even more comfortable in her own skin. My husband, a United States Army tanker, auditioned and got parts in a number of productions. He worked backstage and hauled things and ushered and helped wherever he was needed. My son was eager to be a behind-the-scenes support to the theater. We truly found a place where we all felt at home.
So at home, in fact, that I was eager and excited to become the executive director. We all knew going in that this job was short-term. We knew that the Army would move us somewhere else in two years. But I had to do it. I wanted to support the theater. I wanted to help SLT tell its own story. I wanted SLT to be the safest place for everyone to express their creativity, vulnerability and talent. My background in organizational leadership seemed fitting, and the board entrusted me to steward the theater for these past two years. I have never felt more passionately about a job. I have never felt more dedicated to the mission of SLT and our ability to reach Sumter in a new, broader and bolder way. Without doubt, holding this position has been the honor and professional joy of my life. Thank you, Sumter, for trusting me to steer the ship for a while.
I say all that to say this: You want to be a part of this place. You want to become a supporter, or a participant, a donor, or a volunteer. You want to give of your time, your talent and your money. There is no place like here, and everyone should feel the joy this place holds. Is it dramatic sometimes? It is a theater. Is it challenging work sometimes? It is a theater driven by volunteers. SLT offers you the experience you want if you are willing to come here with an open mind and heart and a willingness to work to share live community theater with your community. We tell important stories. We tell joyful and tragic stories. We work as a team to bring those stories to you. You want to be a part of it. I promise.
Thank you, Sumter Little Theatre. You will be forever my family. Cheers to another 85 years.
Alison Pulcher served as executive director of Sumter Little Theatre.