By Emily Granholm
I recently had the privilege of sitting down for some coffee and discussion with local artistic director and actor Tommy Wooten, who runs the award-winning Ansonia Theatre in downtown Wadesboro.
The Anson County Arts Council, the parent of the beautifully renovated Ansonia, is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. The Ansonia, founded in 1925 by L.L. Drake, was first a vaudeville theater and today features live performances.
Tommy grew up doing community theater in Marshville but moved to Orlando when he was 18 to be an actor. He ended up working at Universal Studios for 15 years as a casting director. Shortly after that he moved to NYC and did an off-Broadway show. He moved back to Marshville in 2010 and became artistic director for the Ansonia in 2013.
The Ansonia recently won Metrolina Theatre Association awards for being the best theater company of the year, best supporting actor (Tommy, in “Gypsy”), best supporting actress (Jennifer Boswell in “Gypsy”) and best director (Tommy, again, for “Gypsy”). Go Tommy!
Tommy’s favorite shows that he’s directed at the Ansonia have been “All Shook Up,” “Gypsy” and “Driving Miss Daisy.” He said he used to have to beg people to come to auditions but not anymore … 60 people recently showed up to audition for “Miracle on 34th Street.”
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