A little about how we got to where we are today…
Alan Gardner, co-founder and original Artistic Director of SCT, passed the reins to Sue Ellen Gerrells in May, 2012. Mike Gerrells was named Facilities Manager and Technical Director. The Gerrells bring energy, passion, and expertise to South City Theatre. Sue Ellen, an award-winning actress and director, is the former Executive Director for the Alabama Conference of Theatre and currently serves as an Ambassador for the American Association of Community Theatre. In 2016 she is the Chair of both Alabama and the Southeastern Theatre Conference’s Community Festivals. Mike is a past-president of The Seasoned Performers, Alabama’s only senior adult theatre and works as set construction consultant for City Equity Theatre in Birmingham. Under the leadership of president, Dianne Daniels, SCT’s board promises great things for the organization’s future.
SCT has turned its new home–in the Alpine Square, 2969 Pelham Parkway, Suites J-K — into Shelby County’s most intimate theatre. With the acquisition of the adjacent office/work bay, SCT now has a complete theatre facility with performance space, a much needed rehearsal/workshop room, storage facilities, lobby, green room & dressing rooms and both public and private restrooms.
In addition to a full season of six adult stage productions, SCT will tour many of its shows to places like Homewood Public Library and the Shelby County Arts Council’s Performance Space. Special productions will be mounted for company events such as NUCOR’s annual company retreat in September and the Alabama Community Theatre Festival in Wetumpka in October. Workshops by theatre professionals such as Professor Neil David Seibel (Auburn University, Montgomery) and Equity actress Jeanmarie Collins offer participants new tools for their craft toolbox. Two children’s workshops and a summer camp with three children’s productions help train the next generation in theatre arts!
Finally, SCT has won the state festival and represented Alabama at the Southeastern Theatre Conference for the past five out of six years, and our performers and technicians have garnered mutiple awards for their work!
And that’s why, “Our future’s so bright we have to wear shades!”