Downtown Florence will be a hotbed for cultural programs with the addition of the Francis Marion University Performing Arts Center, which is scheduled to open in 2009.
In the meantime, Laura Sims, the center’s managing director, is learning the ropes and spreading the word about the future of art entertainment in Florence.
Sims was named director of the center in June. Her duties include providing advice during the construction of the facility, and managing and providing financial oversight, including budget development and administration.
Sims has spent her entire career in theatre management, with the past seven years as the production manager at the Clarence Brown Theatre in Knoxville, Tenn. Before then, she was the production stage manager for The Self Family Arts Center in Hilton Head.
Sims said her latest position is an exciting adventure.
“Each job (that I had) has been great because it’s taught me a great deal about theatre and the arts in general,” she said. “Now I’m getting to the point in my life where I wanted to settle somewhere, (and) really become involved in the community and this was the perfect opportunity that arose. Being on the ground floor of a brand new building and the revitalization of the downtown area is very exciting. I’ve really have enjoyed learning about the different aspects of this job.”
Theatre wasn’t always what Sims wanted to do. In fact, Sims started out as a pre-medical student. It wasn’t until she was encouraged by a friend to audition for a college play that she said she fell in love with the inner workings of the stage.
Sims began as an actress, then moved to stage production and management, where she has been ever since.
Sims, an Alabama native, received a Bachelor of Arts in theatre and a minor in math and music from Auburn University. She earned a Master of Fine Arts in stage management from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. She also was an arts administration fellow with the National Endowment for the Arts.
Sims said also she enjoys traveling, reading, and spending time with family and friends.
The performing arts center is a joint effort between the university and the city of Florence, and is designed to be a downtown revitalization catalyst.
The center will contain space for theatrical and musical performances, instructional classrooms and office space. FMU’s fine arts program will use the center for performances, programs and art exhibits. National traveling music, dance and theater productions will be booked to perform at the center as well.
The center will be located on the back portion of the vacant lot that includes the corner of Palmetto and South Dargan streets and is situated along Cheves Street. The building will include a 900-seat multi-purpose auditorium with a 90-foot tower. The tower will include a lighting setup for theatrical productions. The center will include a black box theater building, a 400- to 500-seat outdoor amphitheater with a shallow reflecting pond and an outdoor seating area with a fountain. The amphitheater and seating area aren’t included in the building’s $22 million budget, but the funds will be raised independently.
“The performing arts center is going to be a wonderful cultural gathering place,” Sims said. “It’s such a nice addition to everything that makes a community.”
Sims said she encourages Pee Dee residents to submit ideas on the types of programs they would enjoy seeing at the center. She can be reached at (843) 661-1720 or by e-mail at
lsims@fmarion.edu.