Ogunquit Playhouse Appoints New Slate of Officers for '12 Board of Directors

The Ogunquit Playhouse recently held their Annual Meeting at Clay Hill Farm Restaurant in Cape Neddick, Maine, where the Board of Directors appointed a new slate of officers for 2012. Fran Spechts of Ogunquit was voted in as President, Mark J. Wilcox of Wells, as Vice-President, Michael O. Severance of Kennebunkport, as Secretary/Clerk and Mark Forsyth of Rye, NH was re-elected as Treasurer for 2012. Also serving on the Ogunquit Playhouse Board of Directors are: Cathy J. Brown, Kristine Cuzzi, Glenn Deletetsky, Eileen Eberhart, Stephen R. Eberle, Jim Morgan, John M. Rhoades and Pamela P. Sawyer. The Ogunquit Playhouse is honored to have such dedicated individuals providing leadership and experience that will contribute to the growth and longevity of the historic Ogunquit Playhouse.

Fran Spechts has served on the Ogunquit Playhouse Board of Directors since January, 2010. She has a background in Human Resources and has served as the chair of the Personnel Committee for the past year. Fran Spechts graduated Magna Cum Laude from Northeastern University with a BS in Personnel and Industrial Relations. She spent the majority of her career as the Corporate Director of Human Resources for Parlex Corporation in Methuen, Massachusetts. Fran and her husband, Lee, have been long time subscribers to the Ogunquit Playhouse. Fran is pleased with the depth of professionalism, talent, and quality performances being produced at The Playhouse, and stated upon her election as President, “It is both a pleasure and an honor to be given the opportunity to work with the Board of Directors, Bradford Kenney and all the other talented people who are responsible for making this amazing theatre thrive.”

Mark Wilcox is the Publisher/Editor of The Weekly Sentinel and also joined the Ogunquit Playhouse Board of Directors in 2010. Mark has over 40 years experience in the newspaper business, beginning his career with the Boston Globe. After close to 20 years he moved on to Harte-Hanks Communications, a multi-media corporation which includes a number of daily newspapers, TV stations (including cable), and Direct Marketing facilities throughout the United States, where he rose to the position of Vice-President. Mark holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Boston College as well as a Doctorate of Law from New England Law School, and is active in many business organizations throughout Southern Maine. Mark has maintained a home in Wells for over 20 years while traveling extensively in his previous newspaper career.

Michael Severance also joined the Ogunquit Playhouse Board in 2010 and has chaired the Facilities Committee for the last year. He and his wife Sandra are from Kennebunkport where they raised two daughters and co-managed their family’s innkeeping business, The Seaside Motor Inn and Cottages on Goochs Beach. Mike has been on the Board of Directors and served as President of both the Kennebunk-Kennebunkport Chamber of Commerce and the Kennebunkport Business Association. He retired as a Colonel after thirty-five years of active and reserve duty in the U.S Army, and after twenty-seven years as a volunteer Kennebunk Fire Fighter. He is also President of the Maine Chapter of the Association for Intelligence Officers and President of S.O.S. Maine; and is a member of South Congregational Church, Reserve Officers Association, Military Officers Association of America, Association of the United States Army and the Arundel Yacht Club.

Mark Forsyth will continue his work on the Ogunquit Playhouse Board of Directors as the Treasurer. Mark is a graduate from Middlebury College, has an MBA from the University of Rochester and works for Wells Fargo Equipment Finance in Portsmouth New Hampshire. He and his family are longtime residents of Rye, New Hampshire where he served for many years on both the School Board and the Education Foundation Board. Mark’s love of theater began at childhood and he and his wife Diane continue to be patrons of the theater. They are long time season subscribers of the Ogunquit Playhouse.

During the Annual Dinner, the newly elected Board members and staff honored retiring Board members, Jeffrey Troiano of Kennbunkport, who served as the Ogunquit Playhouse President from 2008 through 2010 and Ronald W. Schneider, Esquire of Wells, Maine who served as the Clerk/Secretary for many years. In a tribute to their long time service Executive Artistic Director Bradford T. Kenney thanked Jeff and Ron for their many years of service, leadership and support of the Ogunquit Playhouse.

The Ogunquit Playhouse is America’s Foremost Summer Theatre, a 501c3 not-for-profit organization, producing the finest Broadway musicals each season, with performances Tuesday through Sunday, from May 23 to October 21, 2012. Shows under consideration for the 2012 season are: Always Patsy Cline, Dolly Parton’s Nine to Five, Damn Yankees, (the New Boston Red Sox version), Buddy, the Buddy Holly Story, and a Broadway hit soon to be announced. Main Stage tickets go on sale in late March; prices range from $39-$74 per show. Gift Certificates, Flex-Passes and Season Subscriptions are on sale now! For a complete list of show times, pricing and more information about the season, visit our website www.ogunquitplayhouse.org. Tickets on-line or through the Box Office at 207-646-5511.