Annual Meeting and Voting

The Annual Meeting and Lofty Awards takes place on Sunday, July 31, 2022 at 6:30 pm at the Vint Hill Theater on the Green located at 4225 Aiken Drive, Warrenton, VA 20187.

The meeting includes voting on board members, celebrating the past year by awarding Lofty trophies, announcing our 45th Anniversary Season of productions, and more!

Please note that if you would like to vote at the annual meeting, your membership must be current. You can renew your status at https://fctstage.org/2022-2023-membership-donors/ or we will have a table set up prior to the meeting on 7/31. Per the FCT by-laws, all memberships expire on June 30th. To be eligible to vote, you must have renewed in the month of July of this year. Please see attached list of candidates for the board. There are 5 vacant  available positions on the board. If you are unable to attend in person, you may send the attached proxy letter with your designated proxy. Please be sure to sign the form. 
Feel free to reach out with any questions or concerns at info@FCTstage.org or by calling 540-349-8760.
The following are the board candidates running for election or re-election. Current members who have paid their 2022 – 2023 membership dues are eligible to vote. Voting on the ballot at the meeting will be choosing 4 out of the following six candidates. The candidates who are present at the meeting will speak about their desire to serve on the board, etc.

Harry J. Kantrovich (new candidate)
Harry J. Kantrovich is a retired Navy Command Master Chief who has been involved with theatre for over 50 years. He has acted and directed in both community and professional theatres locally and throughout the United States and Europe. During his time in the Navy, he performed one-person shows aboard his ships and commands to entertain the Sailors and keep up on his craft. Dr. Kantrovich was the first enlisted in the Navy to receive a Doctorate Degree (EdD). Harry is a defense, education and Human Systems Integration consultant with Pinao Consulting and has been an advisor, artistic director, and board of directors officer with many community and professional theatres throughout the world.

Michael Mehaffey (current board member up for re-election)
Michael K. Mehaffey is a retired U.S. Army Colonel who served in the Army on active duty for 30 years, retiring in August, 2000. Michael followed his Army career with a 10-year career as the Managing Director of a large branch of a Fortune 1000 IT company and as a defense consultant for several defense industry companies. Michael’s performing arts and acting career — like those of most — dates back to high school at Kubasaki High School on Okinawa, Japan, where he acted in several productions, earning top acting honors in each of his high school years.  Michael majored in theater at Ohio University in Athens Ohio. Entering active duty immediately upon graduation from Ohio University, Michael’s professional acting career aspirations were put on hold. However, he continued to hone his acting skills by performing in stage productions at military community theaters at virtually every military base to which he was assigned.  Michael has nearly 20 stage productions under his belt, most recently including roles in four productions at Fauquier Community Theater:  Juror #11 in Twelve Angry Men, Colonel Thomas McKeon in 1776 the Musical, King Henry II in Lion in Winter, and Abraham Bomba in the world premiere of SHOAH. Michael won FCT’s Lofty Award for best lead actor in a play for his portrayal of King Henry II. 

Matt Moore (new candidate)
Matt Moore is an award-winning Creative, Theatrical and Live Events Director who has worked with hundreds of government, nonprofit, political and private sector clients worldwide. He has over two decades of extensive experience in not-for-profit management and governance with several national organizations. Matt’s enthusiasm, creative vision, drive for flawless and profitable execution, and ability to assemble a team of consummate professionals has made him one of the top creative forces in the region. He has directed more than 25 plays and musicals in the past 15 years in addition to performing in hundreds of shows with the 24-year continuously running Fools! Improv Troupe. Noted directorial credits include “Jesus Christ Superstar” and “Shrek: The Musical!” at FCT, “Our Town,” “Cyrano De Bergerac,” “Amadeus” (Seton Players), “Captain Dangerous,” “Fortress,” “Ending the Dustbowl Dream” (Ignite Players), and many more. A performer in his own right, Matt has played lead roles in several musicals including Thenardier in Upper Room’s Broadway World Musical of the Decade, “Les Miserables.” He is a voice actor and MC with an extensive list of credit, including the featured voice of the Super Bowl XXXV Pre-Show. Matt is a produced playwright and serves as a leader in numerous community organizations. Moore resides fifteen minutes from historic Warrenton, Virginia with his wife and family. For FCT, he wishes to use his skills in governance, management and creativity to continue the mission of providing high quality theater with deep meaning and emotional connection to our regional audience while continuing to operate with a strong focus towards profitability.

Don Richardson  (new candidate, former board member and president)
Don Richardson retired in 2019 after a 40-year career as a software developer and System Administrator with a government agency and several defense contractors. He holds a BA in History from the University of Virginia and a Professional Certificate in Data Systems from the National Cryptologic School. A community theatre enthusiast since high school, he has been active at FCT as both an actor and producer since 1995. He was a member of the FCT Board of Directors from 2005 to 2014, serving as Chairman for seven of those years. Following his Board service he became the Artistic Chairman for three additional years. He served on the Virginia Commission for the Arts Region IVB Grants Panel in 2014 and 2015. Other important leadership positions in which he has served include the Prince William County School Board (2001-2011), the Prince William Public Library System Board of Trustees (2000-2001), and as Vice President of the Virginia Soccer Association in Haymarket from 1994 to 2001. He is currently the Producer of the upcoming production of “Our Town” and is the Chairman of the Superintendent’s Advisory Council on Sustainability for Prince William County Schools.”

Sheryl Solow  (current board member up for re-election)
Sheryl Solow’s career as an educator extends over 40+ years, serving as a Teacher, Principal, Curriculum Supervisor, Staff Developer, IB Coordinator, Assistant Superintendent, and Educational Consultant in PA, CO, and VA. She served on the board of Arts Councils in Bucks County, PA and Montrose, CO. Sheryl spent 3 years as a Board Member and 9 months as President of the Magic Circle Theatre, a community theatre in Montrose, CO, where she was a Production Coordinator for The Road to Mecca (2014) and Assistant Director of Talley’s Folly (2015). Currently she is a member of the Regency Players, a community acting club, where she serves on the board and has performed in nine shows, as well as directed three productions since 2015. Sheryl volunteered for FCT’s summer drama camps from 2016-2019 and 2022. Sheryl was delighted to co-produce Lion in Winter and serve as props manager for Rabbit Hole at FCT! Sheryl currently serves as Artistic Chair of FCT (2017-Present) and is a member of the FCT Board of Directors. Dr. Solow received a B.S. in Education from Temple University, M.Ed. and C.A.S. in Educational Leadership from Arcadia University, and Ed.D. in Educational Leadership from Lehigh University.
Rob Tessier (new candidate)
Rob Tessier was born and raised in Virginia. His family moved to Fauquier County in 2013 where they quickly found a home at Fauquier Community Theatre. Rob earned a theatre degree from Miami University in 1996 followed by Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Clown College. He toured as a professional clown with the Greatest Show on Earth, but after returning home dedicated himself to being an educator, a minister, and an artist. In 2001, Rob founded Upper Room Theatre Ministry as an extension of All Saints Catholic Church in Manassas where he serves as the Director of Youth and Young Adult Ministry. He has directed for the past 21 years shows including Peter Pan, Hello Dolly, Mary Poppins, and most recently West Side Story. In 2020, BroadwayWorld named Rob as “Best Director of the Decade” in the DC region for Upper Room’s Les Misérables. Also a performer, Rob played Nathan Detroit in Upper Room’s Guys & Dolls and appeared as the Turkey in FCT’s HONK! His wife Carole and most of his 9 children have performed in FCT productions over the past decade.  Most recently, Rob’s son Jack directed James and the Giant Peach and several children performed. In 2004, Rob founded Spotlight on the Arts Summer Camps in which over 200 kids each summer take part in theatre and art camps in Burke and Manassas.  After serving on FCT’s Artistic Committee for the past 6 years, Rob would be happy to take a role on the Board of Directors. He hopes that his background and expertise in community theatre would be a positive influence in assisting FCT to become a place where families and audiences alike can come together to create beautiful experiences and wonderfully professional high-quality productions.