Greetings, Natchez and the Miss-Lou.

Natchez Little Theatre, Mississippi’s oldest community theatre celebrating 82 years of entertainment, has wrapped up its box office breaking 66th season and wants you to come celebrate all the volunteers and local performing artists that make NLT one of the most active volunteer, charitable and non-profit community theatres in the nation. I am proud to have been a part of this incredible organization for more than five decades and its outstanding growth and diversity are something our community should be proud of and support.

More than 300 volunteers participated in NLT’s 66th season, and more than 36 performers made their NLT debut.

We want you to come help us celebrate these talented, tireless volunteers. The 11th annual Standing Ovation Awards is NLT’s biggest party and fundraiser, and a celebration of all those who participated in NLT’s successful 66th season. The gala is at 6 p.m. July 19 at the Natchez Little Theatre at 319 Linton Ave., at Maple Street in historic Natchez. Tickets are $20 for those who were not grand benefactors or sponsors of NLT’s 66th season and may be purchased in advance at natcheztheatre.org or by calling the theatre’s box office at 601-442-2233.

The evening will start at 6 p.m. in NLT’s Millstein Room where heavy hors d’ouevres, cocktails, wine and champagne will flow. We will have a silent auction with more than a dozen fanciful items donated by local businesses and sponsors. There will be a silent auction for children as well. At 7 p.m., the guests will take their seats in the auditorium for the awards ceremony where 26 awards will be presented along with a live auction and live performances from “The Color Purple,” “Simple Simon,” “A Natchez Christmas Carol,” “Legally Blonde,” “Bugsy Malone” and “Music Man.”

This event helps NLT raise money for the upcoming season, the Dawn Taylor Memorial Scholarship, the Summer Youth Workshop and to help cover the costs of some expensive renovations that became necessary earlier this year because of storms and theft. We replaced our entire roof, our awning and adding a 10-ton air conditioning unit to keep the auditorium cool, a replacement for the 5-ton unit stolen this winter. The total costs for this were in excess of $26,000. In addition, NLT feeds and cares for numerous neighborhood feral cats that need to be neutered and spayed.

So, please come to the party and celebrate and support Natchez Little Theatre and its family of volunteers. Please consider joining NLT for the 67th season as a member, sponsor or advertiser in our 67th season program that will be given to more than 30,000 attendees this coming season. Forms are available at the theater, online and on NLT’s Facebook page.

Thank you to all who supported the theatre this season as sponsors, members and advertisers.

We couldn’t do all we do without you. And I hope to see you all at the 11th annual Standing Ovations Awards July 19.

 

Carolyn ‘Tootsie’ Yelverton is the 66th season president of the Natchez Little Theatre.