LTA Volunteer Spotlight - meet Carolyn Winters

Tell us about yourself.

I was born in New York and moved around a lot as a child.  I spent my High School  and College years in Pennsylvania.  After graduating from college, I moved to D.C. and went to work for the C&P Telephone Companies.  I worked on the Executive Staff handling the Residence Telephone Construction Budget and Inventory Management.  I met my husband Frank while working at C&P.  We moved to New Jersey when I was promoted to AT&T handling the Inventory Management for Residence Service Centers and 900 phone centers across the country.  After I left AT&T, my best friend talked me into starting the Blind Spot and we sold blinds, shutters etc together for over 23 years.  In my spare time, I play and teach duplicate bridge, play Maj Jong and work on social events at Watergate at Landmark, where I live.  I also enjoy Tai Chi and walking.

When did you first get involved in theatre and LTA?  What areas do you volunteer?

My mother was a costume designer so my sisters, brother and I were always involved with theatre.  In high school, I was in a few plays and had lots of friends that were interested in the Arts.  After we moved back to Washington, I decided to take an Acting Class….and then Frank Shutts asked me to do Wardrobe for a show.  I worked Wardrobe and props and then was asked to Produce Private Lives with Margie Remmers.  From there I produced other shows and especially loved to do Musicals.  I also was Box Office and Production Governors as well as President of LTA.  

I love introducing people to the theatre and bringing them in to the LTA family to volunteer.  I used to hear that LTA was made up of cliques.  I tell them just volunteer and you will get to know all the “regulars”.  I have made so many friends at LTA that are so special to me.  

I am currently Director of the LTA Council.  The Council intimidated me until I was asked to join and had fun being a part of that group.  We are currently doing a large project which will change our Courtyard into a “Shakespeare Garden”!  In order to do this we are having a “Buy a Brick” campaign starting in February.

What has been your favorite show you worked on at LTA?

My favorite show was 1776.  I had just become President and was Producing that show with Sharon Field and Rance Willis.  The show ran for 4 weeks.  And during that 4 weeks, we did a special performance at Ft. Ward Park where 700 people showed up.  Whole Foods provided bottles of water for us to give out.   We were suppose to be out of the park before dark because there  were no lights but we were running a little long!    I don’t think the City of Alexandria was too happy with us when 700 people tried to leave the park in the dark!  They never had another event there.

I think Hair was the most fun show to work on.  I was the Wardrobe Mistress!  And it was the beginning of LTA starting to do shows that appealed to a younger crowd.