In 1979, a local woman, Tina Hughes, placed an ad in the
Times-Enterprise looking for people interested in developing a community
Theater here in Thomasville. This first meeting was held at the
Thomas College Chapel and about 30 people attended, including Tina
Cyphers. Tina was an energetic woman with many great ideas for the
fledgling group. At the second meeting the group decided to produce
their first show, The Curious Savage. Auditions were held and the first
cast was formed, which included Margaret Turner, Ron Shank, Len Powell,
Jimmy Singletary and Gary McClain.
During
the first production the group also spent most of their time at the
home of Bob and Madeline Boissiere. Madeline provided costumes, helped
with set design and publicity, soon everything for the first show came
together. Madeline
later became the group's Historian and designed the first logo,
consisting of a comedy and tragedy mask, a rose vine, and the name
Thomasville On Stage And Company.
For
years Thomasville On Stage and Company (TOSAC) was without a home,
performing mostly in people's backyards as well as local schools, such
Magnolia-Chapelle, Macintyre Park and Jerger. In the Early 1980's the acquisition of The Storefront Theater, Downtown Thomasville
by the Marguerite Neel-Williams Foundation gave TOSAC a home. The
location provided the group with an eighty seat auditorium, workshop,
material storage space, costume storage, green room, rest rooms and
concessions area.
In the early 90's the Storefront was renovated, moving the stage to
it's current location, creating wings and backstage area. Risers were
added to the auditorium for better visibility for the audience and a
control booth added with light and sound controls. The crumbling facade
was also replaced and awnings added; finally a lobby was created.
TOSAC
now produces 4 shows a year including shows like, Guys And Dolls, South
Pacific, Annie, Lost In Yonkers, The Odd Couple, The Glass Menagerie,
Lion in Winter, Angel Street, The Bad Seed, You Can't Take it with You
and Steel Magnolias, as well as works by local playwrights.
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