Up & Coming Weekly

OCTOBER 21-27, 2009 UCW 7 WWW.UPANDCOMINGWEEKLY.COM Cultural Icon Bo Thorp Tapped for N.C. Award in Fine Arts by JANICE BURTON In 1962, a group of like-minded artists joined together to start the Fayetteville Little Theatre. Most probably didn't expect the theatre to draw the attention it did, let alone see it standing today as a cultural center in the community. But at the center of that group was Bo Thorp. Today, Thorp is still at the center of the Cape Fear Regional Theatre. She is the artistic vision of the organization, but more importantly, she is its heart and soul. On Oct. 29, Governor Beverly Perdue will honor Thorp's dedication to the theatre and to the arts as she awards Thorp the North Carolina Award for Fine Arts. The North Carolina Award is the state's highest civilian award - some have likened it to the Nobel Prize. Created by the General Assembly in 1961, the North Carolina Awards have been presented annually since 1964. The award recognizes signifi cant contributions to the state and nation in the fi elds of fi ne arts, literature, public service, and science. An awards committee chaired by Jack Cozart selected recipients from nominations submitted by the public. Other committee members are Hal Crowther, Selma Fox, Jean McLaughlin and Charles Sanders. Thorp is one of six North Carolinians who will be honored this year. Other recipients of this year's North Carolina Award are poet Gerald Barrax, scientist Joseph DeSimone, civic and political activist Betty Ray McCain, banker Hugh L. McColl, Jr. and glasswork artist Mark Peiser. "Over the years, we have honored artists, poets, writers, performers, journalists, scientists and public servants, many who are recognized on the national and international scene, and all who make our lives better," said Gov. Perdue. "We are proud to add six more outstanding North Carolinians to this distinguished list." Those tapped for the award have contributed much to their communities and the state. For those who know Bo, the award has been a long time coming. Cassandra Vallery had heard of Thorp long before she met her. "My husband was Bo's son's roommate in college," she recalled. "I got to know Clay, but I had never met his wonderful mother until I moved to Fayetteville." Vallery, who grew up singing, had tons of experience performing but she didn't have a lot of experience in theatre. "They were doing My Fair Lady at the Cape Fear Regional Theatre. I had always loved it, and thought it was something I would like to do. I went to the audition and got to know Clay's wonderful mother, it really came full circle." That was more than 10 years ago, and during that time Vallery has spent much time under Thorp's direction at the theatre, but more importantly, she has become her friend. "We have a wonderful working relationship, but we have also become very good friends," she said. Vallery noted that getting to know Thorp is easy. "People know her so well because she's been such an icon in the community," she said. "They know about her sons and her interest in theatre arts, but they might not understand that she is truly an artist. Her interests in the arts extend well beyond the stage. She has exquisite taste; she loves pottery. She really has superior taste in everything whether it's in knowing how to stage the cast the best or going to her home and seeing that everything is just right." What many people may not know about Thorp is her incredible love of children. "My daughter, Mary Mattison, is 15 now and she has literally grown up at the theatre either on stage or in the green room waiting for me to fi nish performing," she continued. "Her fi rst show at the CFRT was when she was 6-years-old. Bo has directed her and given her countless opportunities over the years. She comes and supports her when she is performing at other theatres. Bo has been such a huge part of her training." And that is the case for a number of children who have grown up on the stage at the CFRT. "We are in rehearsals now for White Christmas and the kids in the ensemble all started and got the majority of their training at the CFRT. Now, they are in the adult ensemble and they are all dancing and tapping their butts off," continued Vallery. "Another generation has matured and Bo has helped them along and mentored them, and they, like others such as Grady Bowman and his peers will go on to do great things." Vallery said the CFRT family is not surprised that Thorp was tapped for the honor. "Although Bo says she doesn't deserve it, we were not surprised," she explained. "When someone is that committed over such a long period of time – not just to the theatre but to the arts in such a way that it touches our lives – people can't help but stand up and take notice. She he is so humbled and overwhelmed by it. She says she doesn't deserve it absolutely not surprised. When someone is that committed over such a long period of time – not just to theatre but to the arts and the way it touches our lives. People can't help but stand up and take notice –appreciate and recognize that commitment. She is so humbled and overwhelmed by it. "It's pretty cool to be Bo Thorp," concluded Vallery. "She has led a very rich life, and she has blessed so many – but she is the fi rst to turn around and say how much she has been blessed." For Up & Coming Weekly's Publisher Bill Bowman, Thorp was and will always be Lucy from You're a Good Man Charlie Brown. It was 1972, Bowman was 23, fresh out of the Army and a college student. "I was Linus to her Lucy," he said. "Little did I know that Bo would always be in my life and she would always be Lucy. She touched my heart and my life in so many ways. To her friendship I owe my best friend Leonard G. McLeod, my family, my career as a newspaper publisher, my success and my life. The love, generosity and kindness she extended to me, as a young man in college just out of the Army, set the stage and direction of my life. Because of Bo, the theatre and the other wonderful arts, cultural and quality of life venues our community offered, I decided to publish a community newspaper (Up & Coming Weekly) to accentuate and illuminate caring people like Bo and all that our community had to offer." Fifteen years after Bowman fi rst stepped on the stage with Thorp, his son Grady followed in his footsteps. "For Grady, her infl uence was indeed inescapable and indelible. Her warm, sensitive spirit and theatre expertise nurtured him not only in the theatre arts but in life itself - not unlike what she has done for literally thousands of children ever since," said Bowman. "Bo left her mark on our son as she has done with every child she came in contact with. Seamlessly, they became part of her family with no less the love, attention and devotion than she gave to her loving husband Herbert and sons Clay and Holden. It was beautiful to watch, almost magical, how she balanced her life, her family, her community and her passion for the theatre." Nicki Hart, the company manager at the CFRT, has seen what Bowman was talking about fi rst hand. Hart came to the community with a love for theatre, but she didn't know anyone. She showed up at an audition for To Kill a Mockingbird, and got her fi rst look at Thorp, who was directing the play. "When I walked in, I saw a lot of people, but didn't know who I would be auditioning for. I didn't know who Bo was at all. There were all these people buzzing around, and I kept hearing the name Bo, everybody had to wait for Bo. I thought this guy must be really important," recalled Hart. "In walks Bo Thorp and I realized my mistake. I watched her move around, and everybody hushed up. She looked at us and said, 'OK, who wants to audition?'" Hart said she remembers thinking that Thorp seemed like a "grand sort of being," as she discussed the play and her expectations of the characters. That initial opinion hasn't changed much. "Bo is always very kind. She has the best stories about anything that could ever happen in theatre. Because her life has been so rich, she is such a kind and open woman who has lived an amazing life. She very gracious and very grateful," continued Hart. "To me, she is ageless. She is a well-rounded and strong woman. Just being around her makes you want to be more like her. She takes care of her theatre and the people who work in it." "If she knows that someone is struggling, she is the fi rst person to reach out to them," continued Hart. "Sometimes it is just a 'Hey, I want to talk to you' or it might physically be giving them help. She's done that for so many people, but it's been in such a quiet way. That's a sign of a big heart, a loving and understanding person. She has a quiet integrity about her that I love." "I want to be Bo Thorp when I grow up," said Hart. Thorp's son Holden, now the chancellor at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, knows what local folks are saying about his mother, and he couldn't agree more. Holden fi rst walked the boards of theatre in 1967 when he was just 3-years-old. "I was in Carnival," he said. "We were raised in the theatre. I performed all through high school and through college." He said his mother's association with the theatre wove a rich tapestry through their lives. "There were a lot of interesting people coming and going and staying at out house," he said. "We had the incredible opportunity to meet a lot of interesting people and see them work together on things that were really important." He noted that his mother is humbled by the award and is the fi rst to say she doesn't deserve it. "She does deserve it," he said. "She is the one who has given her life to this. She has enjoyed every minute of it, so that's why she thinks she doesn't deserve the honor. But she is the one sitting at the center of it, and it means a lot. I think it's validation of all of the work that she has done in the community and the importance of theatre and the arts to community's like Fayetteville and in the state of North Carolina." Thorp will receive her award on Thursday, Oct. 29 at 8 p.m. in a special ceremony at the N.C. Museum of History. For additional information on the North Carolina Awards call (919) 807-7389 or (919) 807-7256. The N.C. Department of Cultural Resources administers the award program, and is the state agency dedicated to the promotion and protection of North Carolina's arts, history and culture with information at www.ncculture.com. Bo Thorp and Leonard McLeod on stage at CFRT. Bo Thorp on the banks of the Cape Fear River at Campbellton Landing, where she has made the "River Show" an annual summer tradition.

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