MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE
2016 Regular Session
To: Rules
By: Senator(s) Horhn, Barnett, Blount, Caughman, Chassaniol, DeBar, Fillingane, Frazier, Jackson (11th), Jackson (32nd), Jolly, Kirby
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING NEW STAGE THEATRE, MISSISSIPPI'S ONLY RESIDENT PROFESSIONAL THEATRE, ON THE OCCASION OF ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION.
WHEREAS, New Stage Theatre was founded in 1965 by Jacksonians Jane Petty, Ford Petty, James K. Child, Kay Fort Child, Pattie Carr Black, Carl Black, Beth Jones, Howard Jones and Frank Hains with the mission of producing important classic and contemporary works, selected for their artistic merit, which would give the people of Jackson and Mississippi access to theatre of the highest quality; and
WHEREAS, those nine founders also set out to have a theatre that was open to all who wished to perform on stage or attend shows by purchase of a single ticket; and
WHEREAS, the founders also had the keen foresight to hire as the theatre's first Director, the gifted Ivan Rider, who gave New Stage productions their professional look and tone from the very first show; and
WHEREAS, New Stage opened its inaugural season in January 1966, with Edward Albee's "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?" in a converted church on the corner of Gallatin and Hooker Streets in the Capital City; and
WHEREAS, New Stage in the last half century has become one of the nation's select professional, regional theatres which attracts an audience of more than 35,000 every year, has educational programs which expose more than 24,000 young Mississippians to live theatre annually and sponsors a new American playwriting competition, named for the theatre's longtime Board Member Eudora Welty, which attracts playwrights from across the country; and
WHEREAS, New Stage Theatre is Mississippi's only resident professional theatre and operates in association with Actors' Equity Association, the national union for professional actors and stage managers. Programs are funded by grants and by corporate and individual contributors as well as by season and individual ticket sales; the mainstage season includes six shows and two children's shows; in the Hewes Room, an active Late Night at New Stage is presented in addition to youth and adult acting classes. During the 1997-1998 season, over 40,000 Mississippians attended in-house productions at New Stage Theatre on the main stage and in the Hewes Room; and
WHEREAS, the theatre will mark its 50th Anniversary this month with its second production of "Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?"; and
WHEREAS, New Stage Theatre continues to set the standard for high quality professional theatre entertainment in Mississippi. With a dynamic and forward-looking vision to carry the theatre into the 21st Century, New Stage will continue to be one of Mississippi's most outstanding and nationally recognized cultural resources:
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby recognize New Stage Theatre in Jackson, Mississippi, for the half century of exceptional professional theatre it has given the people of this state and commends it especially for helping young Mississippians understand and appreciate how the arts can enhance and illuminate the human experience.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this resolution be presented to the New Stage Theatre Board of Directors at appropriate ceremonies, forwarded to the Mississippi Arts Commission, and made available to the Capitol Press Corps.