Cindy Rice

Davidson Community Players has begun a search for a new executive director after Monday’s surprise announcement that current leader Cindy Rice plans to leave next month for a new job in Washington, D.C.

Ms. Rice has helped lead the 45-year-old community theater group for a decade, for the past seven years as executive director. She was interim director for 9 months in 2000 and also served a stint a board member. She told the Davidson Community Players board only last week that she had accepted a job as development director of Jesuit Refugee Service USA.

In the past few years, Ms. Rice has helped Davidson Community Players raise its profile in the Charlotte region, expanding its programming and fund-raising and working with the Town of Davidson in 2008 to turn a former church on Armour Street into the group’s first permanent home.

(The 100-seat Armour Street Theatre is currently hosting the Davidson Community Players’ production of “Almost, Maine.” )

Jay Butler, chair of the theater group’s board, said in a press release Monday evening that Ms. Rice has left the organization in good shape. “We are all sad to see Cindy leave our organization and wish her the very best of luck in her new position,” he said.

“The organization is strong and well-positioned to move forward. We are confident that we can continue to build on the successes of our past as we look forward to providing artistic excellence and expansion of Davidson Community Players for our next 45 years. We have a fine staff, an excellent artistic director in Melissa Ohlman-Roberge, and a skilled and experienced board in place; all of whom will ensure that success,” Mr. Butler said.

Ms. Rice and her husband Randy Rice will be leaving town in mid-November and expects to start her new job on Nov. 16. She told DavidsonNews.net the new job fulfills a longtime goal set about 17 years ago when first eyed a career in fund-raising.

“I’m really really excited. When I first went into fund-raising, this (kind of job) is really much more what i was thinking I’d be doing,” she said. At Jesuit Refugee Services USA, she will be working on behalf of undocumented immigrants.

Ms. Rice said her husband will take his job with him to D.C., where he will continue working a supply chain management consultant. The Rices will be leaving behind their three adult children, Nate, Sarah and Rachel, who all live in the Charlotte area.

She said she’s sad to be leaving Davidson, but added, “We’re at a place in our lives where we can do this. We had our kids really young, so we’re sort of like the reverse adventurers: We’re going to have our adventures now, at 50-something.’

For information about the search for a new executive director, or the Davidson Community Players, contact Jay Butler at 704-507-2366 or via email at info@davidsoncommunityplayers.org.