As we at the Appalachia Cultural Arts Center continue our endeavors to provide quality theatrical productions for the citizens of our local communities and elsewhere, we continue to upgrade our facilities as funds allow in order to increase the enjoyment our patrons receive every time they see an A.C.A.C. Players production. 

Contained herein is a brief history of the improvements to the center's theatrical facilities over the past several years.

We hope to be able to keep our momentum going as we improve the facilities, including official dressing rooms, costume and property storage, improved stage lighting, and a marquee or reader board for the facade of the building so theater goers will be certain of our next production.

Currently, we are in pre-production for John Patrick's classic comedy of errors, 'A Bad Year For Tomatoes'. We hope to see you there, laughing along with us!

•  The Stage As It Was:2004
•  The Stage As It Was:2005
•  The Stage As It Was:2006
•  The Stage As It Was:2008
•  The Stage As It Was:2009

As seen in this production still from Thornton Wilder's 'Our Town'; the A.C.A.C. stage was initially a rectangular black platform resting on a series of collapsible risers beneath; with a simple black backdrop for acoustic  improvement.

 BACK TO THE TOP!

For the next production, An Afternoon at Bray's Drugstore with Peggy Castle, the theatre saw few changes, although more stage properties were used for this original production about Appalachia's own, Peggy Castle.

2006 saw two very different classics on the A.C.A.C. stage; The Corn Is Green, and The Miser.

 The Corn is Green focused on period costuming and stage properties, and in an unique twist, the audience was seated on the stage, whilst the performance, which required more space than the stage would allow was held on the center's main floor.

 For The Miser, a minimalist set offset the vibrant and wacky characters. The staging properties were kept to a minimum, as seen here, with the simple black acoustic backdrop, the neutral carpets and minimal use of furnishings for the set. The color came from the various costumes of Moliere's wildly diverse characters - and their costuming. The Miser was reproduced for the summer of 2007.

2008 saw a trio of various productions on the stage of the A.C.A.C.. A classic comedy, a dramatic tragedy, and a comedy of errors all called the stage home in 2008. The first production to grace the stage was the female version of Neil Simon's The Odd Couple.

 The Odd Couple saw many changes to the stage and staging area. Stage doors were added stage left, and the dark backdrop was lightened by the addition of period wallpaper. A make-shift sound booth was added downstage right making the technical aspects of the performance less of a distraction for audiences. The play relied heavily on stage properties, furnishings, and period costumes to enhance the audience's experience.

 A.R. Gurney's dramatic tragedy Love Letters, used the same stage as The Odd Couple - although the staging was kept to a minimum, ensuring no errant prop drew the audience's attention away from the almost-love story between the one-day senator and the distraught artist.

 John Patrick's The Curious Savage saw a myriad of changes come to the stage. As noted in the photographs above, the backdrop for the stage was entirely redone to fit the period of the mid 1950s. The Blue Boy and The Pink Lady thoughtfully kept watch over the residents of The Cloisters. Also added were the stage right exit bookcase/archway; numerous pieces of period furniture, and the tiniest stage properties to give the production the perfect period feel.

The year saw only one production come to the stage - Joan Vail Thorne's  The Exact Center of the Universe, due to the numerous constructions projects that occurred in our continued efforts to improve the facilities. The size of the stage was nearly doubled, as the stage itself was reconstructed from the ground up. The stage was also wired to allow for a variety of special effects options in future productions. The backstage area was also completely redone, with ramps and platforms behind the stage and a sound and lighting booth was built and wired in adjacent to downstage right.

The increased stage space allowed for a grander staging of the sitting room of traditional Southern Belle, Vada Love Powell. From her white wicker furniture to her delicate tea service; the increased stage size allowed for no detail to be forgotten.

 And to conclude the construction efforts of 2009, following the close of the year's production, construction resumed. An intricate sound and light board were wired into the sound and lighting booth to improve the sound and lighting quality of the productions for patrons. Also, as seen in the photograph above, the stage has received a new flooring treatment- just another layer of 'homeyness' added for the audience's enjoyment.