Donors recognized for the ‘Bringing Back Theatre’ campaign
by Daniel Murphy, May 08, 2014
Newman University hosted an event Friday, May 2 to recognize several donors who contributed substantial gifts to the “Bringing Back Theatre” campaign.
The event was held in the Performance Hall, inside the De Mattias Fine Arts Center at Newman University. Donors and Newman officials gathered near a “Wall of Honor” plaque recently installed in Performance Hall to recognize major donors to the campaign.
Newman officials announced the return of theatre as a minor in the fall of 2011, and followed with a major that began in the spring of 2013. The university called on alumni, the Newman community, previous donors and other friends of the university to raise the funds needed to restart the program.
The university has presented a variety of shows since bringing a theatre program back such as Pippin, Into the Woods, How the Dog Runs, and several more. Click here to view a complete list and photos of past theatre productions.
Those who attended the May 2 event are shown below.
Newman President Noreen M. Carrocci, Ph.D. welcomed Tarcisia Roths, ASC, left, and Charlotte Rohrbach, ASC, right, to the event.
Several members of the Newman community represented the Adorers of the Blood of Christ, one of the largest donors to the campaign, at the event. Shown are, left to right, Vicki Bergkamp, ASC, Tarcisia Roths, ASC, Therese Wetta, ASC and Charlotte Rohrbach, ASC.
Longtime Newman supporters Johnnie Bell and daughter Janet (Bell) Stephen represented the Bell family at the event. Bell’s youngest daughter, Mary Grace (Bell) Muck and her husband Fred Muck made a major gift to the campaign in honor of Johnnie’s wife and Janet and Mary Grace’s mother, Laurie (Champ) Bell. Laurie Bell, a Newman alumna who died in 2009, was a major supporter of what is now the Laurie Bell Memorial Jet Open Charity Golf Tournament.
Major donor Mickey Armstrong was accompanied to the event by The Most Rev. Eugene Gerber, Bishop Emeritus of the Diocese of Wichita.
President Carrocci with Director of Theatre Mark Mannette and his wife, Manager of Annual Fund and Prospect Research Alice Mannette.
