Download GeorgeAnn Jones-Broth spent her childhood as a farmer`s daughter

GeorgeAnn Jones-Broth spent her childhood as a farmer’s daughter in lower, slower
Delaware. She credits her love of live theatre to her Aunt Grace who frequently took her
to the “city” to enjoy the stage. After college she moved to Washington, DC., which
provided so many live theater experiences. GeorgeAnn married Dr. Stuart Broth in 1980,
and they lived in the DC area with their son Mickael for over 20 years. The Broths were
season subscribers to the Studio Theater, Arena Stage, and Washington Symphony and
are card-carrying members of every museum around. Upon moving to Richmond, VA,
with her family in 2007, a good friend of the family and board member of the Studio
Theatre recommended meeting Carol Piersol for great theatre in Richmond, and the rest
is history. Her career has been wide-ranging in the insurance industry as a licensed agent,
claims examiner, sales training manager, and project manager. She recently retired from
the Markel Corporation, most recently as a Senior Ocean Marine Examiner. She has
served on several boards and volunteer organizations including Bassett hound rescue, the
Cancer Society, The Alexandria Seaport Foundation, Mission of Mercy, theatre, and
HOAs. Mrs. Broth is honored and excited to be in the company of such talented,
dedicated, loyal folks with the goal to bring a theatre experience beyond the ordinary to
Richmond and beyond.
Carol Piersol is the Founding Artistic Director of the Firehouse Theatre Project. She
held the position of Artistic Director at the Firehouse from October 1993 until December
2012. Under her direction, during the first five years of the Richmond Theatre Critics
Circle Awards, the Firehouse won twenty awards including two Best Play Awards, one
Peoples’ Choice Award, and 77 nominations. In 2011, the Firehouse Theatre was named
“Best Theatre in Richmond” in Richmond Magazine’s public poll. Carol was featured in
the first Belle Magazine “Women In the Arts” issue “honoring seven forward-thinking
leaders who help bring culture to Richmond,” was named one of the “Top Innovators at
the Forefront of Richmond Arts and Culture” by Style Weekly, and was featured in an
article in Work magazine. Carol attended the Neighborhood Playhouse School of the
Theatre in New York City, where she studied acting under Sanford Meisner. She worked
in film, television, and theatre in New York City before moving to Richmond, where her
favorite roles were Blanche in Tennessee Williams’ A Streetcar Named Desire, Miss
Carroway in A.R. Gurney’s The Love Course, Emily Gulick in Joyce Carol Oates’ Tone
Clusters, and Billie in John Patrick Shanley’s Women of Manhattan. She was
instrumental in developing the Firehouse Theatre Project’s Festival of New American
Plays. Winners of the festival have gone on to have their plays produced in New York,
Los Angeles, Chicago, and many other cities throughout the US. In 2011, she produced
one of the first productions in the U.S. of Bruce Graham’s Something Intangible; this
production is featured in the published version of the script. In 2007, the Firehouse under
Carol’s direction produced the world premiere of Bill C. Davis’ Austin’s Bridge (starring
Jeremy Jordan and featuring Billy Christopher Maupin). Most recently she produced
Breast in Show, in partnership with Virginia Repertory Theatre, Gidion’s Knot, and Race,
in partnership with African American Repertory Theatre. Carol currently teaches adult
Meisner classes and is involved in producing provocative, cutting edge theatre in the
Richmond area and beyond.
Joe Walton spent his high school afternoons in eight dramatic and musical productions
as a way to avoid homework and hang out with the cool kids. Years later he reengaged
his theatrical muse at the Firehouse Theatre Project as a Board member, participant, and
supporter in a variety of ways for nine years. With the opportunity to participate again
with Richmond theatre’s literati, he was excited to join the Board of the 5thWall Theatre
and serves as the Vice President with nonpareil theatrical and business folks.
Professionally, his talents are in technology and business leadership, with which he has
acted up in a variety of ways from small business owner to consultant to large
corporation fly-in-the-ointment. He is a VCU alum nearly twice now, with a mere
semester’s worth of work to complete a Master of Public Administration graduate degree.
He is a bestest daddy in the world to two daughters, Magnolia Delaney and Maya Linda,
who take drama to a new level!
Don Baker has been an officer, board member, and volunteer at the 5th Wall and
Firehouse Theatres. A journalist, he wrote for newspapers in Ohio and Indiana before a
30-year career at The Washington Post as an editor and reporter, including its bureau
chief in Miami and Richmond. He is the author of a biography of L. Douglas Wilder,
America’s first elected African-American governor. His free-lance work includes
reviewing restaurants for Style Weekly. He is a member of the James Beard Society and
is on the national advisory board of Americans United for the Separation of Church and
State. He has been an adjunct professor at Virginia Commonwealth University and
elsewhere. He and his wife, Nancy, divide their time between Richmond and Brooklyn.
Lisa Kotula serves as Board Treasurer as well as company bookkeeper. She has
previously held positions as bookkeeper for Cadence Theatre Company and Associated
Building Contractors, executive administrative assistant at SunTrust Mortgage and
Director of Music for Monumental Baptist Church in Petersburg, VA. Lisa has served
Richmond theatre onstage as well over the last 23 years, working with Virginia Repertory
Theatre, Swift Creek Mill Theatre, Richmond Triangle Players, and Cadence Theatre
Company, among others. In 2006, she created a monthly newsletter for the Richmond
theatre community and continues to serve as Managing Editor of Richmond Marquee
(www.richmondmarquee.com).
Dr. Stuart Broth started life in Baltimore, MD, and had ambitions of becoming a
chemical engineer, but interests changed and he became a dentist. Following a stint in the
Air Force as a dentist, he returned to the east coast and started his own practice in the
Washington, DC, suburbs that he maintained for the next 33 years. He is a lifelong
student and has earned the designation of Master in the Academy of General Dentistry.
Following the sale of his practice, he came to Richmond in 2000 to practice with a
colleague.
Contemplating semi-retirement, Dr. Broth earned several designations in the financial
services industry, including IAR and CLTC, but has been coaxed back to dental practice,
his first passion. He provides charity dentistry through the MOM Projects, has served
with several boards and continues to be active in the dental profession.
Along with his love of theater, he brings his experiences with other boards and as a small
business owner to the 5th Wall.
Vivian Keasler has loved he theater ever since her kindergarten teacher in Greensboro,
NC, stuffed the entire class into an olive-green Volkswagen mini-bus and deposited them
at a matinee of “Beauty and the Beast.” Ms. Keasler believes strongly in the power and
importance of Carol Piersol’s vision and voice as a producer and director of
contemporary plays. Formerly, Vivian served as a board member of The Firehouse
Theatre Project. Most recently she has served on the board of the Visual Arts Center of
Richmond. Ms. Keasler in an artist whose favorite painting medium is oil and whose
favorite subject is landscape. She studied painting for five years at Lyme Academy
College of Fine Arts in Old Lyme, CT. She has an A.B. degree in English from Meredith
College in Raleigh, NC.
Harry Kollatz Jr., a native Richmonder, was a co-founder of the Firehouse Theatre
Project, president of eight years and board member. He’s a senior writer for Richmond
Magazine, where his Flashback history column is in its 21st year. He also through the
publication co-created the Theresa Pollak Prize for Excellence in the Arts, which
annually recognizes the region’s makers and creators. Harry is the author of two books of
history, True Richmond Stories, a partial collection of Flashback pieces, and Richmond
In Ragtime: Socialists, Suffragists, Sex and Murder. He’s acted, written for the stage, and
is called upon for historic perspectives and hosting duties. His partner-in-art Amie Oliver
married into the Firehouse and generally puts up with Harry and his kakamamie ideas.
Loraine Tracy has lived in RVA since 1980 after moving here with her husband, Don.
In 1990, they moved from the Museum District to the Fan District and some of the first
neighbors they met were Morrie and Carol Piersol. When Carol and friends founded the
Firehouse Theatre Company, she recruited Don and Loraine to volunteer in many roles;
as play readers, bartenders, hosts, ushers, ticket sellers, and Loraine for costume
construction. Ms. Tracy was excited to be in the audience for the first production of the
Firehouse, and is doubly excited to be part of the Fifth Wall Theatre and participating in
this new endeavor to bring contemporary, provocative theater to Richmond. Loraine is a
native of Lancaster, Ohio, and received her B.S. in Social Work from the University of
Dayton. From 1987 until 2014, Loraine was the Director of Christian Marriage
Formation, a sacramental marriage preparation program of the Catholic Diocese of
Richmond. Before that, she served as a social worker with the Capital Area Agency on
Aging and the Traveler’s Aid Society. Loraine has been an active volunteer throughout
her years in Richmond, including serving as President of the Binford Middle School PTA
for six years, chairing various committees for the Fox School PTA, and serving in a
number of roles with the Fan District Association. She also volunteers for ministries at
her parish of 34 years, the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart.
Amy Wight is a huge proponent of all things “RVA”! Born in Texas and raised in
Arkansas, she’s been in Richmond for the past 14 years. In between, she received a B.A.
in International Relations and Italian Studies from Wellesley College near Boston,
Massachusetts. From 2001-2014, she worked for the Virginia Attorney General’s Office,
serving as the Director of the Gang Reduction & Intervention Program and the Special
Projects Coordinator for the Public Safety & Enforcement Division. Since November,
Ms. Wight has worked for Advanced Patient Advocacy, first heading up marketing and
community outreach for the company’s Navigator Program, and more recently as
Director of External Education Services.
Ms. Wight was selected for recognition as a 2013 Style Weekly “Top 40 under 40”
honoree and was chosen to participate in Leadership Metro Richmond as part of the Class
of 2014. Her primary passion is for theatre, and she has spent over twenty years involved
with arts organizations, including serving for eleven years as Producer and, frequently, as
House Manager for the Firehouse Theatre Project. She also produces Richmond’s annual
red carpet theatre awards gala, the Richmond Theatre Critics Circle Awards. In her
“spare” time, Ms. Wight serves on the Executive Committee of the Greater Fulton Hill
Civic Association and as Secretary of the Central Virginia Wellesley Club. Ms. Wight is
delighted to serve on the Board of a theatrical organization interested in giving the public
access to art and actively engaging the community, challenging their opinions and beliefs.