On Saturday, May 1, 2010, OPAS presented the inaugural performance at Festival Hall starring

John Lithgow; Oscar nominee, 4 time Emmy winner and Golden Globe winner, in a Memorial Tribute to
 
Roman Terleckyj, founding executive director of OPAS. Anyone who knew Roman, knew that no show
 
could be complete without a special social event; so in honor of him and the extraordinary nature of

this evening, there were two receptions surrounding the performance. Beforre the show donors of

Festival Hall were invited to a pre-show reception hosted by Gregory Barnard and The Weaver House. After the show, OPAS
 
Circle's Members were invited backstage for a champagne toast with Mr. Lithgow.

 

The evening's progam began with Greensboro City Council member Trey Rhodes recalling the past

of Greensboro’s former gymnasium; originally constructed in 1939 for the Greene County High

School, the building later housed the County Annex offices until their move just outside of town 3
 
years ago. It had been a long-standing vision of the community to renovate the building so that

it could be used again as a performing space.

Cynthia Smith who joined Mr. Rhodes on stage for a special presentation to the family of
 
Roman remarked, “When Roman arrived in the Greensboro area he immediately fell in love

with the building and quickly moved to partner with several organizations to energize the
 
renovation project.” The two then presented Gregory Barnard and Ksenia Fedak with a
 
proclamation declaring the stage the “Roman Terleckyj Stage.”

Gene Elzy, Lake Oconee resident and friend of Roman’s delivered a touching speech following the presentation. “Roman was a
 
gifted man, blessed with imagination and artistic creativity.  He was guided by a belief that our lives are not complete without

the cultural nourishment made possible through the performing arts. Roman loved Greensboro and the area communities.  He was
 
fascinated by the history of the area and loved the people living here.  He bubbled over with
 
excitement when he talked about how the development of performing arts would make this even

a better place to live…Roman was driven by an imagination that broke from the confines of

conventional wisdom.” 

Penny Fuller, star of Stage & Screen and a dear friend of Roman’s, delivered a dramatic reading of
 
the remarks made by Marta Istomin at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts memorial
 
program in January of this year. She best summarized Roman in the statement, “(He) was

imaginative, constantly having new ideas. He was a doer. Nothing seemed impossible to him. His commitment and leadership

energized everyone.”

The evening moved in a more light hearted direction when Mr. Lithgow took the stage. He
 
delighted the audience with an entertaining performance of P.G. Wodehouse’s Uncle Fred
 
Flits By, in a bravura forty-minute monologue, portraying nine different characters in
 
Wodehouse’s dazzling language.

Mr. Lithgow recounted with humor and charm the effect story-telling by his grandmother
 
and father had upon his young life, and how he was able to return the favor years later by
 
reading to his parents when they were much older. The story he recounts reading to
 
them? Uncle Fred Flits By. Lithgow began by reading the story, doing all the voices of the
 
Crumpet and Pongo and Uncle Fred. He then put down the book and continued from heart,
 
reciting with great energy and humor the text of the story, acting out the characters and
 
their outrageous circumstances. 

 

OPAS is pleased to have had the opportunity to present an internationally recognized

talent such as Mr. Lithgow as the inaugural performance at Festival Hall. The whole evening
 
is a perfect example of what can happen when a community works together for a common
 
goal.