ACP Relies on the generosity of the community to continue its productions, workshops, outreach to the community and many other programs.
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Jennifer's interest in theater began when her daughter, at the age of 4, auditioned for the ACP's garden theater show Winnie The Pooh. She was amazed by watching all of the volunteer efforts that go into bringing a play to life on stage. The first show she assisted with was the The Best Christmas Pageant Ever as a Child Wrangler. She wanted to learn more of the inner-workings of a show and served as the Assistant Director in the garden theater show, Straw Into Gold. In working with these shows, Jennifer noticed that there was not much of an outlet in our community for elementary age actors. So she, with the support of the ACP Board of Directors, created the Act It Out Summer Camp for rising 1st - 5th graders, to enhance the creative side of children through dramatic arts. The camp is in its third year and has become very popular within the community. Jennifer, The ACP Youth Wing and parent volunteers work with the children to create costumes, sets, and theater techniques. At the end of the camp, the children put on a production for their friends and families. Jennifer is making her first appearance on the ACP stage in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. She is also the Children's Chorus Coordinator for the show.
Jennifer is married to Michael Gibbons and they have 2 children, Allie and Parker. Their favorite thing to do is to find fun and interesting things to do in the community, which there is certainly not a lack of. During the work week, she enjoys her time in the classroom as a 3K at First Presbyterian Preschool and is currently serving as the President of Aiken Junior Woman's Club and also serves on the Young Life Aiken Committee. She has most recently started a Drama Therapy class working with a wonderful group of children with Autism and Asperger's Syndrome and their mentors to teach social skills through acting. Jennifer enjoys involving her children in all aspects of her volunteering to show them the benefits of helping in the community in which we live.
PAST VOLUNTEERS OF THE MONTH 2006-2009
FRED WEBB
Fred Webb is a training coordinator at SRS, a freelance photographer and no stranger to the ACP acting community. For the last seven years, his volunteer work at the playhouse has been to photograph the cast and archive shots for the productions. Fred's photography work has been published in newspapers, magazines and advertising across South Carolina. Fred's credits on the ACP stage include the production of SHADOWLANDS and several coffee house productions. He has been married to Pam for 27 years they have two grown children and now two grandchildren.
ETHAN ELLIS
In 2003, Ethan started at the Aiken Community Playhouse as a Youth Wing member. Since that time he has been involved with numerous shows as an actor, crew member, prop master, set builder, usher, spotlight operator, and sound board operator. His favorite show was Grease, in which he was a member of the chorus. He has also played the Knave of Hearts in Alice and Wonderland and Private Boone in M*A*S*H. Ethan has also been in the Youth Wing's improv group "On the Spot" for two years. He loves running the sound board and ran it for tick, tick, BOOM!, Medea, and several Youth Wing Black Box shows. Whenever there's a set build he can be seen running around backstage and he enjoys standing in the lobby ushering for performances. His prop work was seen in shows such as Dear Santa, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, and most recently Christmas Belles.
When he's not at the theater, Ethan loves to listen to and play music. He plays the guitar, the keyboard, the ukulele, and has recently picked up the accordion. He's a senior in high school and loves to play video games.
KAY K. MORTIMER
Kay K. Mortimer, EA has served as ACP's volunteer accountant for the past 2 seasons. She also volunteers her time to work in our box office.
In addition to the valuable service that Kay provides to ACP, she also is an Enrolled Agent (Licensed Tax Professional) and owner of Aiken Business Services/Bryant's Tax Service, located in Langley, SC. She has over 20 years experience in accounting and taxes, holds a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting, and earned her Enrolled Agent designation in 2002. Established in 1989, her business specializes in income tax preparation for individuals, businesses, ministers, and nonprofits.
She also volunteers as a Board Member for the SC National Association of Tax Professionals, and Board Member of the Midland Valley Chamber of Commerce. She is a Deacon at River of Life Church, where she also volunteers in a variety of ways. She is a freelance writer, having sold several professional articles and currently working on various writing projects.
She is a member of the SC Writers Workshop, which meets monthly in Aiken. Kay and her husband have three children and two grandchildren, expecting their third grandchild in early 2009. In her free time, she enjoys reading, doing word puzzles, and watching live theatre or movies.
JACOB ELLIS
Ever since joining the Aiken Community Playhouse in 2003, Jacob has been seen backstage almost constantly doing anything from ushering, running lights and spotlights, to working on set crews, and helping set up Blackbox Coffeehouses. He is currently designing lights for Tick, Tick… BOOM! and will be co-designing lights for A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. He's even been on stage a couple of times: as a spirit in Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol and as the Soda Jerk in Grease!.
Aside from his love of running lights (like he did for Sweeney Todd), Jacob is an avid photographer. When not at the Playhouse, he is a volunteer photographer for The Augusta Chronicle's Spotted program. He also won a photography contest and has gotten three photos selected for a local calendar. Even without a subject (like random ACP events), Jacob is rarely seen without a camera.
Jacob plans on continuing his work at the theater as well as pursuing his love of photography.
JUNE COURTER
June Courter is married to Richard and has been for the last 57 years. When she's not too busy taking care of him she makes time for her
4 children, 17 grandchildren and 9 great grand-children.
June went to the University of Toledo and is retired from Lily-Tulip. She moved to Aiken in 1997. June's main interest in theater volunteering is at the box office. You can count on her to fill in for those last minute cancellations. She is soft spoken and sweet. She can handle either the member table or box office with ease. June is excellent to work with and extremely reliable.
June's other interest include reading, traveling, crocheting, crafts and of course line dancing! Thank you June, ACP is lucky to have you!
NANCY GAMBA HANSEN
Nancy Gamba Hansen grew up in the small community of Wallingford, Pa. where her
father had his medical practice as a Family Practitioner. For many years, Nancy
and her three brothers attended children's drama classes every Saturday morning
at the local Community Arts Center (led by the extraordinary Barbara Graves who
recently ended her directing career with her production of "Doubt", directed
when she was in her mid-nineties.) This regular participation was due less to
precocious acting talent than her mother's desire for peace and quiet on
Saturday mornings. Nancy's stage presence in those early performances was quite
under whelming and she quickly found a happy niche in the "tall character/non speaking" roles.
Nancy attended Randolph Macon Woman's College in Virginia, graduated from Boston
University and earned her Master's degree at Cal State Fullerton. While in
California, she met husband Jerry. After both graduated, they spent a year
traveling the country in their VW van, and finally settled in Aiken in 1977,
where Jerry went to work for DuPont. Parents Carl and Lucille Gamba joined them a year later. Sons Adam, Logan, Damon and Conner were all born in Aiken, and now daughter-in-law Jaime and grandsons Alex and Kyle live here as well. Nancy has directed exercise programs at the Weeks Center since the late 70's as a sub-contractor for City of Aiken Parks, Recreation and Tourism, and Jerry now is with WSMS.
BRADLEY WATTS
Bradley was born November 6, 1969 in Crosby, North Dakota. He traveled with his military family until kindergarten brought him to South Carolina and he's never left. His early years were spent in Charleston (where he was drama club president for 4 years) and then moved to Aiken at the age of 17.
His love for acting began at an early age. Being was a movie junkie; he always tried to imitate the actors in these films. As soon as he moved to Aiken he became involved with ACP. His first role was in “Inherit the Wind”. Bradley was an original youth wing member. He began directing at the age of 19 and did his first main stage show at 22. He was elected onto the ACP board at age 24.
Bradley was in the ACP production of “Foreigner” at age 19, and again 15 years later. He also appeared in “Lion in Winter”, “It Runs in the Family”, “Streetcar Named Desire”, and many more. But, his true love is directing. Some of his plays include, “Grease” (twice), “Little Shop of Horror”, Brighton Beach Memoirs”, and “Gypsy”.
Bradley loves country music and Broadway tunes. He's a huge fan of Hairspray, Wicked, Rent and of course Grease! His dream roles are to play Oscar in the odd couple and Mama in hairspray (He's the next Harvey Firestein)
Bradley loves the theater and doesn't intend to ever stop with it. He is currently working on a novel and he's always keeping an eye out for a new show to share with ACP audiences. He feels his greatest experiences have been at ACP where is has met some wonderful people and learned from some great people.
MARY CLAIRE MILLIES
originally from New Jersey, came to Aiken in 2003. Two weeks after her arrival she started volunteering with the ACP. She was a crew member for Once Upon a Mattress, the costumer for Noises Off, and stage manager for It Run in the Family. She is a former board member who chaired the PR & Marketing Committee and still coordinates the Playhouse's publicity efforts. Mary Claire also is responsible for the production of the season's programs (unless there are typos—then someone else does the programs). She has served on the Play Selection Committee and produces the Plays in Perspective series when the mood (or a play) strikes her. She also is the film programmer for the Aiken Center for the Art's REEL Art film series.
Prior to her arrival, Mary Claire worked as an arts administrator in various theaters in the New York City area, including Relatively Theater, of which she was a co-founder. Her various jobs have included public relations and marketing director, box office manager , volunteer coordinator, house manager, office manager, artist relations coordinator and kid wrangler. Mary Claire was one of five original staff members at the American Film Institute's Silver Theater in Silver Spring, Maryland. While there she served as the line producer for the theater's opening events, which included appearances by Clint Eastwood, Richard Schickel, Sam Moore, D.A. Pennebaker, Chris Hegedus, Christopher Guest, Michael McKean and Eugene Levy.
Mary Claire currently works as a staff member in the School of Business Administration at USC Aiken and she is married to Steve Millies, who is a political theory professor at the same. They are parents to Andrew and Nora…both of whom are showing theatrical tendencies. (Steve and Mary Claire are very afraid.) When not writing press releases, choosing films and chasing her kids, Mary Claire likes to read (which leads directly to falling asleep).
LAUREN ELLIS
For the past four years, the Aiken Community Playhouse has become Lauren's second home. She has either acted in or been a part of many plays. Lauren has acted in the following productions: A Midsummer Night's Dream, The Canterville Ghost, Anne of Green Gables, William's Window, Winnie the Pooh, The Diary of Anne Frank (Curtain Cast), Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol, The Canterbury Tales, 10 Minute Play Festival, and Alice in Wonderland. Lauren has done backstage work in the following plays: The Diary of Anne Frank, Jacob Marley's Christmas Carol, Steel Magnolias, Alice in Wonderland, You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown, and is the Stage Manager for this current play, Grease!
Lauren's second love is music. She plays the guitar and if she can't make it as an actress then she will be a musician. She loves the music from the 50's, 60's and 70's. She doesn't listen to anything from the 90's and up, she thinks it's soulless. Lauren also has literary flair. She has been a writer for the Augusta Chronicle Xtreme section since 2005. She is also an avid reader.
Lauren is a member of the Will Cole Youth Wing group and last year earned the most points for the entire Youth Wing. You have probably seen her ushering at most of the productions.
DANNY LEE
Danny Lee grew up in North Dakota, but was always a Southern Boy at heart.
Danny's theater experience started when he was in 8th grade and got the part of Frank Gilbreth in ‘Cheaper By The Dozen”
Always an extremely shy person, it was the first time Danny stepped in front of an audience. He was petrified but, He was hooked! He came to ACP to just check it out, and ended up auditioning and being cast in ACP's production of “Lying In State” in which he played Wally, and has been involved in one way or another at ACP since then.
He directed “Graceland” for the SCTA One Act Play Festival for ACP which received 3rd place in the competition.
He was the Stage Manager for “Steel Magnolias” and has recently been cast as Linus in ACP's upcoming production of “You're A Good Man Charlie Brown”
JUDY SNIDER
Judy Snider moved to Aiken from Columbus, Ohio, to be closer to her daughter and family. Her only regret is that she didn't do it sooner! She has fallen in love with Aiken and all it has to offer. Her greatest effort has been with the Black Box Coffee House. Judy uses her skills as a retired elementary school teacher to keep the Coffee House running smoothly. She has served on the Black Box Coffee House committee helping to plan events, providing refreshments, setting up, serving refreshments, and of course everyone's favorite, cleaning up!
CARROLANNE B. PROTO
Carrolanne B. Proto is an Aiken native whose ACP history began in the early 80's when she appeared in Flowers For Algernon.† After marrying Richard Proto, the couple†moved to†Columbia, then Charleston, back to Columbia†and then to Atlanta. Carrolanne came home to Aiken in 2003 and shortly after that†became involved in the Playhouse again as a valuable Box Office and Coffeehouse volunteer. She appeared in the Coffeehouse's production of Booth Babes, in 2006.
DUSTIN TURNER
Dustin Turner, a lifelong Aiken County resident, has been very active with ACP since 2005. Many productions have used his skills as house manager, stage crew and whatever it took. He and his wife Jamie have been great assets. Dustin is a copy editor and page designer for The Augusta Chronicle.
So far his favorite theater experiences have been with “Smokey Joe's Cafe”, “I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change” and, of course, “Vanities”.
Past Volunteer recipients: (let us know if we have missed any)
Sara Acton
Don and Christine Betancourt
Marvin Bowman
Helene Fitch
Judy Gahm
Samuel Leguizamon
Bryan Meincke
Cherie Moritz
Stephanie Stanley
Sharyn Walker
volunteer spotlight
Jennifer's interest in theater began when her daughter, at the age of 4, auditioned for the ACP's garden theater show Winnie The Pooh. She was amazed by watching all of the volunteer efforts that go into bringing a play to life on stage. The first show she assisted with was the The Best Christmas Pageant Ever as a Child Wrangler. She wanted to learn more of the inner-workings of a show and served as the Assistant Director in the garden theater show, Straw Into Gold. In working with these shows, Jennifer noticed that there was not much of an outlet in our community for elementary age actors. So she, with the support of the ACP Board of Directors, created the Act It Out Summer Camp for rising 1st - 5th graders, to enhance the creative side of children through dramatic arts. The camp is in its third year and has become very popular within the community. Jennifer, The ACP Youth Wing and parent volunteers work with the children to create costumes, sets, and theater techniques. At the end of the camp, the children put on a production for their friends and families. Jennifer is making her first appearance on the ACP stage in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. She is also the Children's Chorus Coordinator for the show. 
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