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COLUMBUS — Many gathered Saturday night at the Stafford Opera House for the Great Gatsby production presented by the Fayette County Community Theatre.
The sold-out show featured a silent auction, an Italian meal catered by Joe’s Italian Restaurant, and the opportunity for guests to have professional photos taken at no charge by Buller Photography. Janet Hollmann, events director for the Chamber of Commerce, described the response as excellent. She said the dinner, photos and black and gold themed decorations helped to capture the vision for a romantic dinner and theatre performance.
“It was a step back in time to what kind of event may have taken place at the Opera House ‘back in the day,’ Hollmann said. “The last performance at the Stafford Opera House during that era was in 1916 at which time Mrs. Stafford sold the building.”
Individuals were also judged throughout the night and selected for their dress attire. Nancy and L.E. Gallaway and Jennifer Newman were the winners.
Brandon Theut, a Columbus native, starred in the play as Tom Buchanan. He spoke about his time acting with FCCT and what it felt like to perform at the opera house.
“It felt really good,” Theut said. “It’s been something I have been doing for the past year over there, but it’s really nice to do it here in front of people who really know me.”
He said this is the first time the FCCT has performed in Columbus. He describes his journey to acting as fun.
“I went to college to study the design aspect of it,” he said. “I never really pictured being an actor but, when I moved back home a friend of mine showed me an ad in the paper about how they had auditions, and they got me in and I found that I like it.”
This is Theut’s third FCCT production.
The Great Gatsby production is one of many events that is planned this year to culminate the city’s Bicentennial Celebration.
Winners for dress attire of the night are Jennifer Newman (left) and Nancy and L.E. Gallaway.
