MAC History
Arts Camp
Hardee’s in conjunction with the MAC sponsored a St. Patrick’s Day Dance for elementary school children in our dance studio. Hardee’s donated the door money and 20% of the night’s receipts at Hardee’s to the MAC. On Friday, March 21, 1997 the Teen Actors Guild presented Scene and Heard “A Night of Scenes and Monologues by Manchester’s Top Teen Talent.” Saturday, April 5, 1997, the Tennessee Tech TROUBADOURS Jazz Ensemble performed at the Manchester Central High auditorium. They were sponsored by the Manchester Arts Commission. Sewanee’s Perpetual Motion Dance group performed at the Manchester Arts Center on Sunday, April 13, 1997.
“Crimes of the Heart Tugs at Heartstrings, Tickles Funny Bone,” states the Manchester Times. It opened April 18, 1997 with a multi-talented cast, Mickey Foster, Rex Brown, Erin Pyron, Jeannie Stephenson, Todd-Bancroft-Billings and Karen Jernigan. The show was directed by Billie Long.
In June of 1997 a new art show opened in the gallery of the Arts Center. Actors and Others was displayed for the remainder of June. The title of the show refers to artists who have appeared on the Manchester stage or helped in some other past productions. July 1997 brought the first Arts Camp to the Manchester Arts Center sponsored in part by Fantasy 101.5. Marsha Dotson did the crafts part of the camp. Diane Bancroft-Billings and Lucille Lundquist adapted and directed the play, and provided the costumes for the story, Fish is Fish . Few who were involved will ever forget the “cow fish” or the other characters. It played to a full house of delighted relatives.
August 15 of 1997 brought Cheaper by the Dozen to the stage and a multi-media display in the gallery. It was preceeded by a barbeque supper with homemade desserts. A gift shop was opened showcasing local artists in watercolors, acrylics, pen & ink drawings, stained glass, pottery, authors of both prose and poetry, and photography. The Manchester Center hosted coffee receptions from 8-11 A.M., Aug. 20-29, 1997,for horse show visitors in conjunction with the Manchester Area Chamber of Commerce and the Manchester Tourism Committee.
