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FCT Presents Agatha Christie's Black Coffee
March 21, 22, 23, 28, 29, 30, Apr 4, 5, 6
Murder Mystery
This spring, Fauquier Community Theatre will be taking on an exciting murder mystery featuring one of the world's most well-known detectives, Hercule Poirot. Agatha Christie's Black Coffee, which opens March 21, boasts a cast of colorful, captivating characters performed by equally colorful personalities.
Unique Portrayal
What separates Black Coffee from a traditional whodunnit is that the audience finds out who the murderer is in the first half of the play. The fun is that the audience gets to watch Hercule Poirot as he tries to unravel the clues and solve the mystery. "It's closer to modern mystery shows like Columbo and Monk," says director Tim Bambara. "It's a big cast with interesting characters and lots of opportunities to create some very suspenseful theatre."
First Christie Stage Play
Black Coffee is special because it was Agatha Christie's first attempt to stage one of her stories. Christie wrote the play in 1930 after being disappointed with how here character Hercule Poirot had been portrayed in previous plays. The play's historical setting between the two world wars will make it entertaining for history buffs as well as murder mystery aficionados. "It's going to be an unusual night of theatre for Agatha Christie fans out there," says Bambara. "Expect to see some things you are used to and then some brand new takes on the plot and characters!"
Black Coffee will run at Fauquier Community Theatre March 21-23, 28-30, and April 4-6. Friday and Saturday shows begin at 8 p.m. and Sunday shows at 2 p.m. Tickets are $16 for adults and $14 for students and seniors, and can be reserved online at www.FCTstage.org , or by calling 540-349-8760.
Written by Holly Tupper
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Support FCT while having a whole lot of FUN!
Open Bar, Food, Music, Silent Auction
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FCT needs volunteers for the following areas:
1. Promote FCT at the Home and Garden Show on April 26th at the Fauquier County Fairgrounds at FCT's booth. Time slots are 9-11, 11-1, 1-3.
2. Box Office Volunteers - ushers, will call, raffle - for the upcoming Agatha Christie's Black Coffee.
3. Need Silent Auction items for the Gala on April 5th (do you have your tickets yet?)
4. Person who is interested in writing grants
5. Fundraising Development Committee Members
6. Promote FCT at the Warrenton Spring Festival May 17th on Main St. Warrenton at FCT's booth. Time slots are 9-11, 11-1, 1-3.
7. Someone who would consider taking posters to the local businesses (60) and hanging them up for each of our shows. This just takes about 3-4 hours and is done about every other month.
Please contact us at Christie@FCTstage.org if you are interested in helping in any of the above areas. Thanks ahead of time!
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FCT Apparel for sale!!
And in Stock! 
Also Available In Black
FCT has T-Shirts - short and long sleeved, Sweatshirts, and Hoodies with FCT's new logo!! You will want to represent and sport the new gear!
All apparel is available in Ash Grey or black.
NOW AVAILABLE in Youth Small, Youth Medium, Youth Large, Youth XL, Adult Small, Adult Medium, Adult Large, Adult XL, Adult XXL
T-shirts $16
Long Sleeved T-shirts $20
Crew Neck Sweatshirts $25
Hoodie Sweatshirts $30
FCT Mouse Pads $10
FCT Key Chains $5
Pictures and order forms are available on the website, www.FCTstage.org/shop. You may email info@FCTstage.org
for a purchase as well.
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Tim Pegler
FCT is saddened to learn of the passing of Tim Pegler on February 26, following a decline from a massive heart attack a few years ago. A Lifetime Founding Member, Tim has been delighting audiences, often keeping them in stitches, since our theatre's earliest days, often precast in any show requiring his magnificent natural British accent.
In the 1980s he was in Shakespeare's Twelfth Night, You Can't Take It With You, The Philadelphia Story, and played Froggy in The Foreigner. He was Clarence, the angel, in FCT's first Its A Wonderful Life, the mayor in The Music Man, and is still remembered for the tattoo and coconuts he wore as Luther Billis in South Pacific. In Fauquier Hospital's Follies of 1986 Tim played the 'Director' of the show within the show. The next decade saw Tim as Harrison Howell in Kiss Me Kate, in Murder By The Book, as FDR in the first Annie, and Cinderella's father ("the closer to the family, the closer to the wine") in 1995's Into The Woods. He also had key parts in Peter Fakoury's musical Captain's Courageous as chief complainer in the ocean liner's smoking room, and as the financial villain, Snelling, and took multiple parts in Evita when it inaugurated the current Vint Hill theatre in 1996. Two years later, Tim was unforgettable as Flint, the 'gripper', with his song-and-dance "Dinghy" number in Something's Afoot.
When director Mark Firnhaber began bringing in hilarious, improbable situation comedies from the London stage, Tim found his true calling, first as Robert in Don't Dress For Dinner, then as a police inspector in Run For Your Wife. The new century also saw him in The Music Man again, this time in the quartet, serenading Lida Rose, followed by playing Col. Pickering in My Fair Lady. Tim's final FCT role was pompous, blustery constable Dogberry, booted and helmeted like General Patton, in the 2005 WWII staging of Much Ado About Nothing.
Tim served on FCT's Board and as President numerous times over the years, most recently in 2007, and also served as our representative to the Northern Virginia Theatre Alliance, and has been honored with countless Lofties as well as with the Story Painter award. He has long been a member of the Warrenton Chorale and the choir of Grace Episcopal Church, The Plains. By profession, Tim was a Pension Plan Advisor. He leaves his wife Robin and daughter Tory Jones who is soon expecting their first grandchild. Funeral arrangements have been postponed until a future time.
By Henry Baxley
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CHAIRMAN'S NOTE
2014-2015 STRATEGIC PLANNING SURVEY
I would like to take a few minutes to express my sincere appreciation to all that completed the FCT 2014-2015 Strategic Planning Survey. FCT plans to use the results of this survey in the development of its 5-year business plan. Early feedback was good, and we made a few adjustments to the format in response to your comments.
The survey was designed to touch on a lot of different things, including artistic quality, management effectiveness, and service to the community. Feedback was sought regarding membership, volunteerism, innovativeness of programming, preferences for future shows, main stage and youth programming, ticket pricing, fundraising and development, current facility amenities and challenges, vision and preferences for the long-term home of FCT, the potential for creating an Arts Council in Fauquier County, local government support for the arts, and the ability and interest of private philanthropy in the area to support a new theatre or multi-use facility.
Although the survey produced a lot of statistical data about FCT, we were also very pleased to receive many qualitative comments in nearly all of the areas noted above. The Board will be evaluating the data and responses as it develops FCT's first-ever strategic plan. We expect to develop the draft strategic plan over the next few months, post it on the website and solicit comments via the Spotlight newsletter, and discuss the strategic plan with the membership at the annual meeting in June.
Some preliminary insights from the survey indicate that an overwhelming majority are pleased with the artistic quality at FCT, volunteerism is rated the top organizational strength, fundraising and development is considered the area of greatest opportunity, and facilities is considered the area most needing improvement. Private philanthropy is rated very high on the ability to support the arts, while local government is viewed as having slightly more interest than ability. As you can see, we have a lot of work to do.
Strategic planning is not as much fun as being on stage, directing, or helping behind the scenes, but it is a necessary step to keep FCT among the best DC area community theatres. Again, thank you!
Don Richardson, FCT Chairman
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 Fabulous Vintage 40's Style Jewelry for FCT's 40's Fundraising Gala on Saturday, April 5th ~ if you want to dress the part.
The Gala dress code is anything from Business Casual to Festive Attire to Semi Formal - You Choose! |
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