The Tryon Little Theater (TLT) has produced more theater fun over the years than most towns ever see. It has been a pleasure over the years to witness friends and neighbors, many amateurs, some professionals, bring shows to life, most often on the Tryon Fine Arts Center stage. So many memories were made there.

At one time, Tryon Little Theaters home was the Tryon Fine Arts Center, where it housed its offices and performed all its shows. But both organizations had needs which diverged about ten years ago. The Tryon Fine Arts Center needed to use its theater more often, run its own shows to pay for maintenance and renovation of the facility. Its had to assign its real costs for usage of the stage.

Considering that Tryon Little Theater needed the stage for at least a week in advance of every show, just to put up the set and give actors some time to rehearse on the stage where they would perform, it was expensive. Expense considerations also limited the kinds of shows TLT could produce, mostly to old Broadway hits which would draw a sure crowd. TLT wanted to branch out, with less risk.

Thus, after 35 years together, though it still stages shows at TFAC, TLT began a migration away from TFAC in 1999, first to the old furniture store on Hwy. 176 and then in 2005 to the old NAPA Auto Parts store.

Now TLT is looking for a permanent home. The theater group board announced the formation of an ad hoc committee to begin looking for a site to build a black box theater, capable of housing set construction, costume storage, and rent-free performance space for smaller shows.

TFAC is also at a crossroads. A consultant is being hired to help guide the arts centers future plans, and to survey all the arts groups in the area. Perhaps, these two planning efforts can lead to a reunifcation of sorts. Certainly it is hard enough to fund the arts. United efforts, as in the past, may help everyone succeed. JB