Before television, cell phones and all manner of electronic devices held a firm grip on our daily lives, the theatre was the chosen form of entertainment regardless of your social standing. Actors offered a glimpse into a fantasy world that unfolded before your eyes on grand stages with elaborate sets or smaller venues with hay bails for seats depending on what you could afford or the city where you lived.
The theatre provided a night out, where you could experience actors performing material written by local playwrights that dealt with subject matter unique to the area or region of the country.
Similar to a church anchoring the center of main street, the theatre helped bring communities together through art and storytelling.
Hidden in plain sight along main street in downtown Fort Mill, the Fort Mill Community Playhouse (FMCP) has kept that time honored tradition of local theatre alive for the past 46 years.
Originally located on Banks street, the theatre moved to a smaller downtown location ten years ago. According to Martha Ferguson, President of the Fort Mill Community Playhouse, the move prompted some creative thinking about how to pay the rent in their newfound space. “It was never supposed to be a money making venture,” stated Martha. “The rent went from not paying anything to paying thousands each month. We were determined to make some money so we could stay in business.”
With 5 plays held per year, there are 10 performances for each, providing plenty of opportunity to see the play of your choice. The one exception is the reading performance, which has 4 instead of the aforementioned 10.
The FMCP is in the process of looking for a new location but hasn’t found anything suitable. “Ideally, we’d love to find a building that’s already in existence,” says Martha. The soaring prices in Fort Mill and the fact they’re unable to use grant money to build anything new has contributed to the difficulty in finding a new home.
Rather than relying on grant money, another way the FCMP adds to their building fund is through fundraising.
Sex, Lies and a Sycamore Tree, a play written and directed by Elaine Alexander, an Eastern North Carolina native, UNC Chapel Hill grad with a masters degree in fine arts from Spalding University, is being offered as a summer fundraiser to help aid in reaching the goal of a new home.
A comedy set in Sycamore Grove, an ordinary Carolinas subdivision, the play explores the changing landscape and culture taking place across both North and South Carolina. “If you live in the Carolinas, you can relate to this,” says Elaine. “We’re having explosive growth from people all over the country to live here. There’s a clash of cultures and values and this is an exploration of that conflict.”
As the title suggests, promiscuity is written into the story; however, according to Elaine it’s toned down and better described as “marital shenanigans.” The potential death of the only living sycamore tree in the neighborhood adds to the intrigue.
Pam Coble Newcomer, one of the actors in the play, is excited to be a part of it. “I think the play is really relevant to what we are seeing all over the Carolinas.” Keith Hopkins, resident of Rock Hill and fellow actor has seen first hand how an influx in population can impact affordability “having lived in Southern California for many years, it’s difficult to see that happening here.”
Although the subject matter is serious, Elaine notes that the play “approaches serious topics in a comical/satirical manner, with a bit of extra marital spiciness thrown into the mix.”
A 2025 Best of the Nest Winner and Metrolina Theatre Award Nominee (Best Actor/Tom Schrachta), Sex Lies and a Sycamore Tree opens tonight and runs through September 20th.
Tickets can be purchased online through the Fort Mill Community Playhouse.
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Patrick Byrne lives in Tega Cay with his wife and two daughters. After 25 years working for a Big 4 bank, he retired to pursue his passion for writing. Additional articles and content can be found on his blog (reverian1776.blogspot.com) and freethepeople.org.
Patrick can be reach via email at [email protected]
