WELCOME TO THE GILBERT

Hello!

My name is Lawrence Carlisle III and I am the Artistic Director here at your Gilbert Theater. I say “your” because, like any community theater, the Gilbert lives or dies based on your support. And the fact that we’ve been going strong for all these years speaks volumes about the strength of the work we do here, and, the strength of the community we live in.

A lot of times “community theater” is used in a pejorative, condescending manner. As some kind of insult or way to lessen the impact theater has on the lives of the people who choose to give their time, money, expertise, creativity and love to it. I’ve always found this to be disheartening at best, and infuriating at worst. Theater is truly the only artform designed for everyone. From the lowest of peasants to the highest of the aristocracy, theater has always been a place for storytelling to breathe and live. Something about seeing a story brought to life in front of you has always been tremendously exciting to me.

Not only does it create a space for our community to experience fascinating, funny, thought-provoking works that they may have never seen otherwise, but community theater offers an outlet for members of the community to express themselves artistically and creatively. Some of my most transformative relationships have come out of my participation in this collaborative artform. It is truly a place to discover more about yourself, your world, and expose yourself to different ideas and different viewpoints.

I think community theater is important. Especially in the times we find ourselves in, where empathy, discourse, and tolerance seem to be in short supply. Your community theater is there to provide a connection to people you may never have connected with otherwise. That is to be commended, lauded, exalted even. Not looked down upon. Not diminished. Not scoffed at.

It is my goal to continue to collaborate with this amazing community we live in, to continue to bring to life interesting, joyful, engaging theater, and to continue to foster an interest in and love for theater amongst you, our audience. And, personally? I can’t wait to get started.

See you soon!

Lawrence Carlisle III

Artistic Director

Adam White
Allstate Glass
Amy and Grant Steffan
April Olsen
Arts Council of Fayetteville/Cumberland County
Audra Zaun
Ben Flom
Bill Bowman
Bill Kozikowski
Bill Pope
Bob Dees
Brenda Alt
Bubba’s 31 Restaurant
Burning Coal Theatre
Cape Fear Botanical Garden
Carol Hoag
Ceirra Ayers
Chris and Sandra Walker
Christopher Hemric
Cumberland Community Foundation
Deannah Robinson

Fascinate-U Children’s Museum
Fresnius Dialysis Center
Gage Long
Gerald Ellison
Hardin Construction Group
Hedgecoe Dentistry
Helen Steffan
Highland Animal Hospital
J. Cole’s Dreamville Foundation
Jay Ramos
Jennifer Natalya Fink
Joel Angarita
John Benazzi
Jonathan Hornby
Justin Toyer
Karsie Lowe
Kim Butsch
Lauren Flom
Leighton Galloway
Linda McAlister
Lisa Kotson