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08-09-2006, 04:12 PM
It’s been a long, long trail
London Frontier Theatre Co. gets home
By Donna Todd - Contributing Reporter
© 2006 Donna Todd - Reprint Permission Granted
pengwen’s note: Steppin’ Out is pleased to announce that London Frontier Theatre Co. is finally getting their own, permanent home. And we’re doubly pleased to be able to say we had a hand in the company finally obtaining the necessary funding for the purchase. After reading about the plight of Donna Todd and LFTC in the previous issue of Steppin’ Out, the executive director of New Mexico Community Development Loan Fund, called to offer assistance. And, thus this article was born. Congratulations, Donna! You deserve it!
http://sonewmex.com/images/lftc_enchantment_100_1043.jpg
Photo from recent LFTC play, "Enchantment". Our
reveiw of this play is here (http://www.steppinoutnewmexico.com/modules.php?name=Reviews&file=viewreview&id=19).
Magdalena, NM July 31, 2006 – London Frontier Theatre, now in its eleventh season in Socorro County, New Mexico, is at last acquiring a permanent home: Magdalena’s grand old WPA gymnasium/theatre, built by local CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) "boys" in 1936.
It’s been, in the words of the old song, "A Long, Long Trail A’Winding", and London Frontier Company, though not quite "strolling players", has had various venues since making Magdalena its permanent home. For the past five years, LFTC has presented performances in this historic building, and faithful audiences have sat – shivering, in winter – in metal folding chairs, peering around basketball hoops and straining to distinguish words from echos, through 16 productions. But we, and people who remember games, performances, and dances here, and dads or granddads who helped construct the building, love this solid monument to Magdalena’s past.
Now, it will be ours, to renovate for comfort and usefulness as a performance/arts center for our area, and to preserve for its historic significance. We’ve worked long and hard – and know that there will be much more work to come – to achieve our dream.
But we’ve had amazing – and heartwarming – support from so many entities and individuals: first, our local, state-wide, and out-of-state audiences, many of whom attend every show, giving us the encouragement to continue, and who donate generously to keep our (all-too) non-profit organization going. Then, LFTC’s "Friends of the Theatre", who’ve contributed not only cash for the building purchase, but also invaluable goods and services, from web hosting to a piano, costumes to family heirloom props, to fine photos (La Luz Photography) and promotion. State Legislator Don Tripp, Senator Jeff Bingaman, Charles Gallegos and the Socorro County Commission, the Village of Magdalena. Our grantors: the McCune Foundation, constant supporter of diverse NM organizations, the Kerr Foundation of Oklahoma, New Mexico Arts. And last but never least, the press: Pengwen Productions/Steppin’ Out, El Defensor-Chieftain, The Mountain Mail.
Now we come to those who are directly making the purchase possible: the USDA, with a "Community Facilities" grant to start the funding ball rolling; NM Rural Development/REAP/ Tim Hagaman; Magdalena Schools/School Board/Mike Chambers, patiently laboring to make purchase possible; New Mexico Community Development Loan Fund/Brian Bone, appearing like a miraculous combination of belief and financial savvy to complete funding; and Jack Fairweather, putting his signature on the dotted line in a vital statement of faith.
Finally, our company – actors, technicians, front-of-house staff: those who’ve long loved theatre, bringing their professional experience to LFTC, and those whom (I admit) I’ve entrapped on streets, in post office and supermarket, to "just do a small role", and who find themselves addicted, despite grueling late-night rehearsals (at minimum wage – for 1880), numbing fear (we’re really opening tomorrow night?), and ludicrous situations, like flooded dressing rooms and dogs visiting at rehearsal. So much talent, so much courage – real "Frontiersmen/women."
We’re grateful beyond words; we’re both proud of, and humbled by, the support you’ve all given us. We should be signing the final papers – with jubilation, and as much pomp and circumstance as a rag-tag theatre company in a small, rural (& wonderful) New Mexican village can muster – toward the end of August. We’ll let you know the exact date as soon as we know. Please come and celebrate with us. You’ve helped us preserve Magdalena’s past and give to its future; it’s your theatre, too. And remember: "It’s a Long, Long Trail A’Winding" is a beautiful song, about dreams that come true.
Thank You,
Donna Todd
Director
LFTC
London Frontier Theatre Co. gets home
By Donna Todd - Contributing Reporter
© 2006 Donna Todd - Reprint Permission Granted
pengwen’s note: Steppin’ Out is pleased to announce that London Frontier Theatre Co. is finally getting their own, permanent home. And we’re doubly pleased to be able to say we had a hand in the company finally obtaining the necessary funding for the purchase. After reading about the plight of Donna Todd and LFTC in the previous issue of Steppin’ Out, the executive director of New Mexico Community Development Loan Fund, called to offer assistance. And, thus this article was born. Congratulations, Donna! You deserve it!
http://sonewmex.com/images/lftc_enchantment_100_1043.jpg
Photo from recent LFTC play, "Enchantment". Our
reveiw of this play is here (http://www.steppinoutnewmexico.com/modules.php?name=Reviews&file=viewreview&id=19).
Magdalena, NM July 31, 2006 – London Frontier Theatre, now in its eleventh season in Socorro County, New Mexico, is at last acquiring a permanent home: Magdalena’s grand old WPA gymnasium/theatre, built by local CCC (Civilian Conservation Corps) "boys" in 1936.
It’s been, in the words of the old song, "A Long, Long Trail A’Winding", and London Frontier Company, though not quite "strolling players", has had various venues since making Magdalena its permanent home. For the past five years, LFTC has presented performances in this historic building, and faithful audiences have sat – shivering, in winter – in metal folding chairs, peering around basketball hoops and straining to distinguish words from echos, through 16 productions. But we, and people who remember games, performances, and dances here, and dads or granddads who helped construct the building, love this solid monument to Magdalena’s past.
Now, it will be ours, to renovate for comfort and usefulness as a performance/arts center for our area, and to preserve for its historic significance. We’ve worked long and hard – and know that there will be much more work to come – to achieve our dream.
But we’ve had amazing – and heartwarming – support from so many entities and individuals: first, our local, state-wide, and out-of-state audiences, many of whom attend every show, giving us the encouragement to continue, and who donate generously to keep our (all-too) non-profit organization going. Then, LFTC’s "Friends of the Theatre", who’ve contributed not only cash for the building purchase, but also invaluable goods and services, from web hosting to a piano, costumes to family heirloom props, to fine photos (La Luz Photography) and promotion. State Legislator Don Tripp, Senator Jeff Bingaman, Charles Gallegos and the Socorro County Commission, the Village of Magdalena. Our grantors: the McCune Foundation, constant supporter of diverse NM organizations, the Kerr Foundation of Oklahoma, New Mexico Arts. And last but never least, the press: Pengwen Productions/Steppin’ Out, El Defensor-Chieftain, The Mountain Mail.
Now we come to those who are directly making the purchase possible: the USDA, with a "Community Facilities" grant to start the funding ball rolling; NM Rural Development/REAP/ Tim Hagaman; Magdalena Schools/School Board/Mike Chambers, patiently laboring to make purchase possible; New Mexico Community Development Loan Fund/Brian Bone, appearing like a miraculous combination of belief and financial savvy to complete funding; and Jack Fairweather, putting his signature on the dotted line in a vital statement of faith.
Finally, our company – actors, technicians, front-of-house staff: those who’ve long loved theatre, bringing their professional experience to LFTC, and those whom (I admit) I’ve entrapped on streets, in post office and supermarket, to "just do a small role", and who find themselves addicted, despite grueling late-night rehearsals (at minimum wage – for 1880), numbing fear (we’re really opening tomorrow night?), and ludicrous situations, like flooded dressing rooms and dogs visiting at rehearsal. So much talent, so much courage – real "Frontiersmen/women."
We’re grateful beyond words; we’re both proud of, and humbled by, the support you’ve all given us. We should be signing the final papers – with jubilation, and as much pomp and circumstance as a rag-tag theatre company in a small, rural (& wonderful) New Mexican village can muster – toward the end of August. We’ll let you know the exact date as soon as we know. Please come and celebrate with us. You’ve helped us preserve Magdalena’s past and give to its future; it’s your theatre, too. And remember: "It’s a Long, Long Trail A’Winding" is a beautiful song, about dreams that come true.
Thank You,
Donna Todd
Director
LFTC