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EVENTS - ARCHIVE

Area Community Leaders, Arts Supporters Turn Out to Welcome New Views Theatre


Nearly $24,000 Raised in Cash and In-Kind Contributions to Kick-Start Its First Season


More than 60 leading area citizens – including Lexington Mayor Frank W. Friedman and his wife Melissa Moran Friedman – joined the friends and Board of Directors of the region’s newest professional arts organization, New Views Theatre, for a “launch” party April 12 at the Patton Room in downtown Lexington,

     “The purpose of the party was to build awareness, appreciation and support for our new nonprofit theatre in the community,” said Rockbridge Co. resident and Buena Vista native William R. Duell, the theatre’s founding executive and artistic director.

More than 60 community leaders and arts supporters attended the April 12 New Views Theatre launch party at the Patton Room in downtown Lexington.

     “We were overwhelmed by the outpouring of support, encouragement and generosity demonstrated by our home community,” Duell said. Mike McDowell, the theatre’s managing director, said “Together, we raised nearly $15,000 in cash and nearly $9,000 in in-kind donations from local businesses and arts supporters.” 

     “This vital, much-appreciated community support lays the groundwork for our first full season in 2026, which is also the 250th anniversary year of our nation’s founding,” he added. 

     The April 12 event was offered free of charge to all attendees. Event highlights included complimentary gourmet refreshments and the presentation of four original theatre monologues by professional actors from the region.


     The event also featured a silent auction of valuable goods and services donated by Lexington businesses and live-theatre enthusiasts from as far away as Richmond.

     The evening concluded with a spirited live-auction of original paintings and prints donated by area visual artists, enthusiastically conducted by professional auctioneer and local celebrity Cody Manspile, the 2022 Virginia State Champion Auctioneer, and the founder and owner of Lexington’s Circle C Auction Co.


April 12 Financial Contributors


Steel Donors: $50 - $249 

Virginia Coffey

Rena & Jason Cromer 

Crystal DeMott 

Lisa & Tom Dowdell 

Frank & Melissa Friedman 

Chris Gavaler 

M. Lowrey Gilmore

Susan Groves 

Katie Massey 

Liz Mehler 

Patty & Wes Womelsdorf 

Yulia Rubina & Dmitry Zhukovskiy

Bronze Donors: $250 - $499
Katelyn Dean and Max Ivankov 

Doug Huber & Stephanie Sandberg

Ray & Linda Lind

Col. Cody Manspile

Laura & Russ Orrison 

Rich & Kish Parella 

Domnica Radulescu 

Karen Sterling


Silver Donors: $500 - $1499

Sharon Dull

Jonathan Kuntz & Jennifer Scheer

Liz & Tom Shupe


Platinum Donors: $2500+

Greg Shaw & Anna Mastroianni

Michael McDowell & Dennis “Skip” Slon

Gerald vanHeerden



April 12 In-Kind Contributors


Visual Artists:

David Armstrong (anonymously donated)

Christine Drake

 Ben Frey

 Lauralee Sorensen Hart

 Skip Hess

 Conrad Matiuk

Alan Maurer

Susan Ossman

Beth Peck (donated by Karen Sterling)

Josh Poole

 Merryn Williams

John Winfrey


Individuals & Businesses:

Appalachian Sage 

Cheese to You

Circle C Auction Co.

 Harden’s Restaurant

Jonathan Kuntz

 Lexington Carriage Co.

 Lex Nail Bar

 Livery - The Georges LLC

Michael McDowell & Dennis “Skip” Slon

 Purveyors on Main

 Roadmap CoffeeWorks

Rockbridge Barbell

 Liz & Tom Shupe

 Sugar Maple Trading

Walkabout Outfitters

Zunzun


    “With proceeds from the launch party, we were able to pay nearly $2,500 combined to participating local professional visual and theatrical artists,” said Duell. “At New Views Theatre, we recognize the value of all artists’ work, and we are committed to compensating them for it.,” he added.


     Duell also said the new theatre company will live up to its motto, “We’ll give you something to talk about…” McDowell added “Based on participants’ consistently positive comments -- even days after the event -- our launch party proves that the company can and will do just that.”


A few pieces from our live auction

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