WaCPAC seeking a new home

After more than 23 years of auditions, rehearsals, set building and costuming in the basement at the Best Western, the Wayne County Performing Arts Council (WaCPAC) is seeking a new home. According to Margaret Leatherman, WaCPAC president, the nonprofit organization was called by the management at the Best Western and told that the two rooms used by the group for free must be vacated by the end of December.“We want to express our deepest appreciation to the Best Western Hotel and Mr. Steven Sun for the use of their facility for so many years. To have an area provided free of charge for costumes, sets, props and rehearsals was very generous and enabled WaCPAC to provide quality performing arts opportunities to the residents of Wayne County,” Leatherman said.The relationship between the Best Western and WaCPAC began in 1988 when, according to David Drumm Sr., who was president of WaCPAC at the time, the management at the Best Western wanted to showcase their banquet services. Drumm’s son, David Drum Jr., who was also involved with WaCPAC, worked with Mark Zimmerman to create the first WaCPAC Dinner Theatre.“Because it was something entirely new, it quickly became a huge success, and it nearly killed the volunteers,” Drumm Sr. said. “Then as management at the Best Western changed there was less emphasis on the dining facility, and we gratefully folded the dinner theatre. We were fortunate to be able to use the basement rooms,” Drumm Sr. added.The WaCPAC board of trustees are searching for a new home, and are asking the public for any information or offers on space. Room is needed for auditions and rehearsals and for costume storage on racks and in boxes, prop storage and set building. Anyone with information about storage and rehearsal space can call Margaret Leatherman at 330-465-6430.