Theatre Longview Texas Announces Their New Leadership
Longview, Texas. Theatre Longview, a private non-profit organization founded in 2012 to support live theatrical productions has been quietly working on new leadership and organizational goals. The officers elected to lead the board of directors for fiscal year 2021-22 include Kate Wells, President; Denise Knutson, Vice President/Communications Chair; Kay Hughes, Secretary; and Carmela Davis, Treasurer. Returning Board Members include Wells, Knutson, Hughes, Sheila Brown, Diane Davis, Alix Kirkpatrick, James Covington, and Bridget Uhles. New board members elected to serve include Martha McIver, Mitch Randall, Allen McReynolds, and Vickie Ogilvie.
A major goal of the organization was to move their offices into the boundary of the new Longview Cultural Arts District approved by The Texas Commission on the Arts. TL is now occupying space in the former Regions Bank building scheduled to re-open in 2023 as the new home of Longview Museum of Fine Arts. The cast members and crew of TL utilize a former bank training room for their performance rehearsals and prop and costume storage.
According to new board President Kate Wells, “Theatre Longview is poised to present quality theatre performances representing America’s diversity. We want all of the citizens of Longview and East Texas to attend and enjoy live theatre and to be able to see themselves in our productions”.
The new leadership is focusing its efforts on the production of their four (4) season productions, including Clue Onstage which opens to audiences at Grace Crossing United Methodist Church on Hawkins Parkway on Friday, October 15th and runs two weekends through Sunday October 24. TL is also sponsoring the Longview improv group Duck. Duck. Moose! which has a performance at The Community Connections building on Pine Tree Road set for Saturday, Sept. 25th. Tickets are available for both performances at www.theatrelongview.com.
Another goal of Wells and Knutson was to create a collaboration with The Longview Symphony which they accomplished for the Harry Potter Marauder’s Map Challenge at the Longview Arboretum and later at the Belcher Center concert. For Longview ArtWalk on October 7th, TL’s cast from its upcoming production of Clue Onstage will present a short scene on the LMFA Sculpture Garden stage beginning at 5:30 pm. TL will also present songs from its latest Best of Broadway Villains Fundraiser and the members of Duck. Duck. Moose! will be performing an improv comedy set.
To round out this whirlwind of activity and renewed enthusiasm in the theatrical arts in Longview, the board has been working to re-brand the organization with an image campaign which will be rolled out at the October 7th Longview Downtown ArtWalk event where board members will be selling the new TL t-shirts, selling tickets to upcoming plays, and inviting locals to audition for Crimes of The Heart, TL’s next production after Clue Onstage. Newly-elected board Vice President Denise Knutson has the responsibility for creating this new image campaign.
Luckily, she is supported by a local design talent – her husband Matt Knutson with Knutson Studio https://knutson.studio – who is collaborating with Denise to create a new logo, t-shirt, membership brochure, performance brochures, announcement postcards, billboard designs, and social media posts. TL is grateful for the pro-bono support which is making all of this possible. As Denise says “Theatre Longview will be celebrating its tenth anniversary next year. We felt that it was important to breathe new life into the organization and re-emphasize to our supporters and the general public that we are striving to be a safe place for everyone in our community to express their theatrical talents. Our goal remains to present every aspect of the wonderful diversity in our community.”
For more information on the Season Productions and upcoming workshops and improv performances, contact: Denise Knutson, VP – Communications Chair, marketing @theatrelongview.com; 903-918-8213
