Betty Jo Mahaffey, President
Betty Jo Mahaffey teaches intellectually gifted students at Madison Station Elementary. As a part of the integrated arts program there, she has worked with the performers and make-up artists in the student produced opera. Betty Jo has a long history with the Center Players Community Theatre. You may have seen her in the roles of Aunt Martha in Arsenic and Old Lace, Truvy in Steel Magnolias, Salome in The Robber Bridegroom, and as Mother Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life. She also directed The Best Christmas Pageant Ever and Over the River and Through the Woods. Betty Jo is now serving as Vice President of the Center Players Board of Directors.
Angie McRaney, SecretaryDavid Overby, CPA, Treasurer
Currently serving as Director of Finance & Administration/City Clerk for the City of Ridgeland for the past 10 years. Moved to Ridgeland from Laurel Mississippi where was employed by the City ofLaurel a Director of Finance. While in Laurel, he was active in the Laurel Little Theatre and appeared in Harvey, Love Sex & The IRS and The Nerd. David received his BBA in accountancy from theUniversity of Mississippi and his MBA from Mississippi State University. Married to Gail Avery and they make their home in Ridgeland. They have five children and four grandchildren.
Kathryn Dawkins, Board Advisor
Kathryn Dawkins has enjoyed being part of the Center Players Community Theatre for the last eight years. She has been an assistant director and stage manager, but her favorite activity is performing on stage. Some of her favorite shows include: Arsenic and Old Lace, Ten Little Indians, The Odd Couple, Female version, To Kill A Mockingbird, and You’re A Good Man, Charlie Brown. She has also performed with the Mayberry Ministries Dinner Theatre and Encore Dance. Last year, she directed the children’s show, Trial of the Big Bad Wolf. The summer of 2010, she was the director of the Rising Stars Summer Theatre Camp atFirstBaptistChurch, Ridgeland. In previous years, she was a part of the theatre in Starkville and in Meridian. She had the lead female role in Moon Over Buffalo with Actor’s Playhouse. She has served on the CPCT Board as Ad Sales Chair, Play reading Committee Chair and Vice President.
Teralyn Wade, Marketing/PR Chair
Teralyn received a B.A. magna cum laude in Mass Communications from Dillard University in 2003. Following graduation she was one of a select few to earn a prestigious internship with the public relations department for The Jimmy Carter Center. After working in commercial production in Tennessee and Louisiana, she returned home to Mississippi in 2007. Teralyn was also one of a select few producers to be chosen for the National Black Consortium’s 2007 New Media Institute which was held in Jackson, MS and for which she co-produced “Children of the Delta”. Teralyn works at WJTV News Channel 12, as the Marketing Brand Manager for the award winning marketing department. She lives in Ridgeland,MS.
Lelane Ray, Board Member
LeLane is originally from Arcola, she is a graduate ofMississippiDeltaCommunity College. LeLane is a member of the United Daughters of the Confederacy and the Daughters of the American Revolution.
She was involved in over a dozen shows at Delta Center Stage inGreenville. She has acted, directed, and supported the theater for over five years.
LeLane now resides in Madisonwhere she is a Loan Administrative Assistant with Southern Bancorp Bank.
Bob Anderson, Board Member
Bob Anderson most recently appeared as John Pendleton in The Center Players Community Theatre production of Pollyanna. Bob also appeared with The Center Players in It’s a Wonderful Life, To Kill a Mockingbird and in The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. During the Summer of 2007, Bob also enjoyed taking a turn at directing one of The Center Players’ one-act plays, The Love Life of Herbert Packenstacker. In his other life away from the stage, Bob practices health care and white collar criminal defense law with the Butler Snow law firm, which made its move to Ridgeland in the Fall of 2009.
Judy Ann Fortenberry
Judy Ann Fortenberry is making her debut with The Center Players, but she is no newcomer to the stage nor to roles like that of Aunt Tilly. She has taken a long intermission since her earlier thespian experiences inMississippi andTexas where she particularly enjoyed playing comedy roles, and enjoyed the laughter and fun it brought to audiences. In real life, she is married toBob Anderson (Uncle Billy). They are the parents of Lindsayann Anderson, who debuted this summer with The Center Players in “The Love Life of Herbert Packenstacker.” In reality as well as on the stage, Judy Ann delights in offering encouragement to others.