Long ago we came to the conclusion that if Betty Brewer weren&squo;t part of the Tryon Little Theater, TLT would be barely limping along.&bsp; After all ‐ without a backbone, you don&squo;t move too well.

You need something done?&bsp; Call Betty.&bsp; You need workers for your show?&bsp; Call Betty.&bsp;&bsp;&bsp;&bsp;&bsp; &bsp;

See, we also realized years ago that it&squo;s very hard to say no to Betty Brewer because you know full well she&squo;ll do back flips to help you in any way she can ‐ and since it&squo;s so hard for anyone to say no to Betty, we get her to phone people and ask them to do this job or that one.

Ah yes, Betty Brewer.&bsp; High school science teacher, high school counselor, pianist, choir director, church organist, theatre director, theatre producer ‐ just a few of her talents. &bsp;

Early in 1970 the powers that be at the Tryon Youth Center decided to try staging a summer youth musical to give the kids something to do in the summers, and of course one of the leaders of that first production was Betty Brewer.&bsp; She went on to direct many of the summer youth musicals, and now in 2009 ‐ 39 years later, she&squo;s still a dedicated worker for the kids, this summer as producer of the youth production of &dquo;Les Miserables.&dquo;

And Betty was co-director and musical director of TLT&squo;s brilliant production of &dquo;Mame&dquo; in October 1987.&bsp; TLT had tried a musical only once before ‐ &dquo;Lovely Ladies, Kind Gentlemen,&dquo; the musical version of &dquo;Teahouse of the August Moon,&dquo; in December 1972 . . . that one directed by Ronnie Mosseller, who is also here this evening.&bsp; Musicals had been left to the kids after that, but in 1987 the adults got their chance with Jerry Herman&squo;s rousing &dquo;Mame.&dquo;

Thankfully, Betty and Bryon Brewer had already passed along to their grown children most of the family heirlooms and memorabilia. &bsp;

So when Betty and Byron&squo;s house burned down in 2002, they weren&squo;t terribly upset to say goodbye to the old stuff and get new along with a new house . . . except for one thing: Betty dearly wanted a replacement for her burned up video of TLT&squo;s&bsp; &dquo;Mame&dquo;!&bsp; And she got one.

Betty rotates off the TLT Board this year, but if she thinks she&squo;s going to be let off the hook by TLT, she&squo;s delusional!&bsp; In fact, we&squo;re thinking of just chaining her to the Workshop, and Byron can come by at visiting hours.

And Byron, thank you for lending TLT your wonderful wife for such a vast amount of her time.&bsp; We couldn&squo;t do without her, and don&squo;t intend to try.