Tara Crisan Sweatt

The much anticipated Seven Brides for Seven Brothers hit the stage last weekend. Crowds were wowed. “Over 200 in the audience at every performance!” said Terri Duncan Hipps, AHS math teacher and coordinator of the musical.

With a production this size, there are too many to thank. The Bulldog Bowtie Theater Company had 39 cast members alone. There are behind-the-scenes people who help making it possible.

There were donors. People who bought advertising space on posters and playbills. Volunteers making costumes. The Spotlight Kids Program gave the company a $1,500 grant that went a long way towards making it possible.

It is unfortunate that so many have to remain unrecognized. Of course, it is just another example of Ashville’s spirit of community. People do not seem to care if they get individual attention. Not as long as the job gets done.

However, there is one person whom it would be almost criminally negligent not to recognize. This person has been with the company from theater camp during Christmas vacation until the last performance. She was there for every audition, every practice: weeknights, weekends, holidays. Often, practices would go until 10 p.m. She was there. and she did it all while teaching her regular math class.

She has thanked everyone and taken no credit. She thanked everyone involved. She modestly said, “My degree is in math. So, the talent you see on stage is student driven.” But she has been the woman behind the curtain.

Thank You, Terri Hipps. Thank you for your dedication, devotion, and drive. You chose a noble profession. and you are a credit to it.

More teachers like you would make the world a better place.