Leddy Center's Elaine & Bruce Gatchell Receive Lifetime Achievement Award Tonight

Leddy Center for the Performing Arts The Board of Directors is proud to announce that Bruce and Elaine Gatchell, our founders and the foundation of Leddy Center, entering their 42nd year of bringing the arts and arts education to our greater community, are being recognized with the FRANCIS GROVER CLEAVELAND LIFETIME ACHIEVEMMENT AWARD from NH THEATRE AWARDS, at the annual awards presentation being held at the Capital Center for the Arts in Concord, NH, tonight, January 23, 2016!

This is cause for a great celebration of two people who have dedicated their lives to teaching and entertaining us all, for over 41 years!

Tickets to the NH THEATRE AWARDS presentation are available at www.ccanh.com.

In his letter of nomination, Michael Coppola, wrote:

"This is the 41st consecutive year of Elaine and Bruce Gatchell presenting Broadway style musicals in Epping, NH. They founded Leddy Center for the Performing Arts and have run it as a successful non-profit organization for 41 seasons.

"Hundreds of actors have passed through the doors of Leddy Center over the years and have gone on to work in National and International Tours, create their own theatre companies and worked for major cruise lines and theme parks.

"Leddy Center is also the home to a successful school for musical theater as well as offering private lessons in voice and in all instruments.

"Though a quiet organization, you can probably ask many of the actors working at larger/flashier companies if they have ever worked at Leddy and you will probably get at least a 90% yes.

"Like other organizations, Leddy Center is run with a Board of Directors, but unlike other organizations - one director and one musical director have produced all of the shows. Elaine is the Director, Producer, Choreographer, Publicist, Fund Raiser, Sponsor-getter, selection committee, etc, while Bruce is the musical director, set builder, lighting designer, parking lot attendant, etc. Without the dedication and passion that Bruce and Elaine have for the Arts, hundreds of actors would never have started and thousands of audience members would never experience live theater.

"This deserving couple is being recognized for doing what other organizations have teams of people to do, and have been doing it continuously for 41 years."

This is cause for a great celebration of two people who have dedicated their lives to teaching and entertaining us all, for over 41 years! To celebrate, Leddy has renamed its annual tax-deductible donation drive as "Celebration Appeal 2016."

Leddy Center, as a non-profit, relies on support from civic minded individuals and corporations. Leddy's annual appeal drive keeps ticket prices affordable and its outreach programs accessible to all. Donations directly and positively impact the social and cultural fabric of our greater community. Anyone interested in contributing to this year's very special appeal in Bruce and Elaine's honor may mail a check to Leddy Center, PO Box 929, Epping, NH 03042 or use a credit card through our website www.leddycenter.org. Everyone who makes a contribution will be acknowledged on a very special poster in the lobby of the theater throughout the 2016 season.

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