Happy #FrontRowFriday, everyone! Next week, many of you will go around the table and share what you are thankful for this year. Since we will all be celebrating with our own families over Thanksgiving, our Encore family took some time during yesterday’s staff meeting to reflect on the past year and all the joys it has brought us as individuals, as a staff, and as an organization:
Sara S. Duke, Executive Director: I’m deeply grateful for our outstanding staff! Each person on our team brings a unique perspective to our mission and shares their talents with our students, families, volunteers, and Board members. Thank you to our production team for their amazing work this season (did you see Frozen?!), our dedicated teaching artists who inspire students each and every day of the week, and our office staff that keep Encore running smoothly.
Aileen Pangan Christian, Director of Marketing & Design:
This is my ninth season at Encore so here are 9 things I am grateful for at Encore:
1 – Being in an environment where I’m constantly building my knowledge of the arts
2 – Seeing the growth of our Encore students as they take on their latest character/leadership role
3 – Being a part of the growth of our organization and community as a whole
4 – To be part of an organization where kindness is valued
5 – A workplace that encourages creativity and innovation
6 – An executive director who says to our team daily, “Thank you for all your hard work today!”
7 – Colleagues who constantly say “I appreciate you!”
8 – The friendships! Friendships with the AMAZING parents, alumni, and staff; a friend from Encore has become one of my very closest friends that she was my bridesmaid on my wedding day last year!
9 – For the opportunity to work and live out my passion of sharing the arts
Patrick McGee, Education Programs Manager: I am grateful for a work environment that supports my new ideas, while also cultivating my artistry along with my passion for training the next generation of theatre lovers.
Kelley O’Dell, Development Officer: I’m grateful for the harmonies, humor, and hygge that Frozen Jr. brought to the stage and to my family this year! I’m also grateful to join the Encore staff– what an opportunity to devote time and energy to increasing support for this vital community organization.
Rebecca Pfeil, Production Manager: One of my favorite moments of 2019 was attending the high school graduation party for one of the students that I’ve worked with since she was 12. It’s a true privilege to get to work with students as they grow into themselves. She asked me to write her college recommendation letter and be an advisor on her senior project. When she was deciding between her top two schools, she even came into the office to get advice from the staff here at Encore. Being reminded of the impact we have on our students who grow up with Encore is one of my favorite things about working here.
Jordan Wells, 2019/2020 Education Apprentice: My Encore-related gratitude is that I’m thankful to work with people who are so passionate about what they do.
Shannon McCarthy, Registrar & Marketing Associate: I’m thankful for the chance to collaborate with such wonderful coworkers. It was especially cool to bring together my two worlds during this summer’s production of Disney’s Newsies when I got to share the stage with my best friend, with whom I haven’t acted since 2014. I was so happy that she got to know the awesome people I work with and become part of the Encore family as well!
Ge Gloria Dong, 2019/2020 Marketing Apprentice: I’m grateful for all of the opportunities I have to learn and be involved in the marketing, education, and production worlds with Encore. And I’m also thankful for gaining more confidence in what I’m doing and helping me find out what I want to do!
Kyla McLaughlin, 2019/2020 Production Apprentice: This year, I’m thankful for all the amazing young performers I get to meet and work with every day.
Susan A. Keady, Artistic Director: I’m grateful that Encore got to go home to TJ this season and, to top it off, that we opened with the highest-grossing show in Encore’s 50+ year history: Disney’s Frozen Jr!
Madaline Langston, Education Programs Director: There are so many things to be grateful for this year. I am grateful for the Education staff and independent teaching artists for all of their hard work, energy, and willingness to add support wherever needed in Encore. I am also thankful for all that participated in Encore’s newest program, Flip the Script. This program was a labor of love for many. Thank you to all that helped to launch Flip the Script, and a special thanks for all that sacrificed most of their summer to help co-create this work and those who joined later to share in the celebration of the telling of this Arlington story.
A.K. Nell, Education Associate: I’m grateful to be directing Encore’s holiday show this season, CSI: Christmas Scene Investigators. The cast and I are having an awesome time developing their characters and making creative choices. I think it’ll be a wonderful way for the Encore family to celebrate the season!
Our staff has so much for which to be thankful, all thanks to the students, actors, parents, families, volunteers, and donors like YOU that support us in our many endeavors. As a member of the Encore family, please consider joining our team to fundraise this Giving Tuesday, December 3rd, 2019, and facilitate another amazing year of “Theatre by kids, for kids.”
Photos by Aileen Pangan Christian, Clarence Chan, Rebecca Pfeil, Larry McClemons, and Cindy Kane Photography.
Blog contributions edited by Shannon McCarthy.