A Sandhills staple commemorated a milestone on Friday night as Bradshaw Performing Arts Center (BPAC) celebrated its fifth anniversary with a party and performance.
During the celebration, BPAC Executive Director Morgan Sills delivered a speech that recounted the center’s growth and success over the past five years. Sills credited BPAC’s achievements to the collaborative efforts of its team, donors, and the broader Sandhills community.
“There’s an old saying: nothing recedes like success,” recited Sills. “But BPAC has had five years of success in the face of unprecedented growth in Moore County and tremendous change in our world at large.”
Partygoers were invited to enjoy cocktails, company, and catering while mingling in the courtyard and lobby. Southern Q Catering provided a spread of finger foods and desserts, while BPAC offered its concession spread, including wine and nonalcoholic beverages.
“Thank you for realizing that the starving artist mentality doesn’t make sense in the long term, especially with the workload that we have here,” Sills said to the assembled audience. “Thank you also for believing that the quality level of a venue tells the audience how they should receive and respect the work that they see on stage. To have BPAC’s facilities at the level they are tells our students and the other young people who perform here that they deserve a place as nice as this, as the backdrop for their dreams coming true.”
After personally thanking the long list of those who help run BPAC—from the day-to-day operations of housekeeping to financial contributions of sponsors—Sills laughed, “This is beginning to sound like one of those Oscars speeches where they start crying and thanking people.”
However, Sills additionally went on to thank performers, dreamers, and, of course, those who have attended shows over the last five years. “They’ve given all of us that work here work that is worth working for,” he said. “Small town doesn’t have to mean a small time.”
After the anniversary party, speeches, and cocktails, the evening shifted to the main-stage performance of the night: An Evening with Jimmy Webb.
Webb’s rich, evocative music continues to draw audiences into his “special universe of lyrical storytelling.” For decades, he has continued captivating audiences with his performances, and Friday night was no exception.
His iconic “MacArthur Park” has experienced a remarkable revival in 2024, featured prominently in the recently released movie Beetlejuice, Beetlejuice.
Moving forward, BPAC is already looking forward to future seasons and has quite a lineup prepared for the coming year. Sills invites enthusiasts of the arts to imagine what their vision of BPAC five years from now looks like and how the vision can be accomplished.
Feature photo: BPAC Executive Director Morgan Sills and Sandhills Community College Vice President of Engagement Germaine Elkins celebrate BPACS’s fifth anniversary on Nov. 22.
~Article and photos by Sandhills Sentinel Assistant Editor Abegail Murphy. Abegail has been writing for Sandhills Sentinel since 2021.
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