P.O. Box 691 Sebring Florida USA 33871 Tel: 863-382-2525
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P.O. Box 691 Sebring Florida USA 33871 Tel: 863-382-2525 |
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Libby Sapp Dressel - HLT's very first Director By: Roy Riedy |
On May 9, 1974 The Sebring News announced that the "fledgling Little Theatre group," at its third meeting, had selected the melodrama Pure as the Driven Snow (A Working Girl's Secret) by Paul Loomis as its first production to be presented on Thursday through Saturday nights, July 25-27, 1974, at the Sebring High School auditorium.
This first play was to be directed by 24-year-old Libby Sapp of Lake Placid. Craig Sutter and Sue McCollum and Jim McCollum, still active members of HLT today, made their debuts in this play. Highlands Little Theatre was off and running with the first of what today has become 146 main stage presentations.
The newly formed group faced its first presentation without any traditions and with very little experience but with a strong desire to bring living theater to Sebring on a regular basis. When you think of it, you realize what a very brave band of enthusiasts these pioneers were.
An unsigned review of Pure as the Driven Snow appeared in the August 1, 1974 issue of The Sebring News. It applauded Ms. Sapp for her good direction and observed that she "kept the action fast and flowing, wrung the lines of their last nuance of comedy and permitted her actors leeway with ad libs," and that "the entire production was done with dash and a sense of theatre;" not a bad review at all for a first time effort.
The second production of HLT's First Season took place in November, 1974. The play was Dear Phoebe, a comedy in three acts and directed by the storied Janelou Buck. Libby played the role of Olga, a German cleaning woman, whom the reviewer praised for "ringing up" an excellent performance.
The third and final production of HLT's premier season was Night Watch, a play of suspense in two acts, directed by Lynn MacNeill whose assistant director was Libby Sapp.
During its first year of existence, Libby also served at the organization's first and only vice president and remained in that position for the entire season. Even though that initial season bristled with resignations and replacements, Ms. Sapp remained a model of stability.
Libby did not return to HLT after her busy and influential first season. Her family moved to Winter Haven, Florida, where she joined the Winter Haven Little Theater and was the Assistant Director for one production, working with some very talented people. Not long after that her family moved to Texas for a short time and returned to Lake Placid in 1978.
Her only productions then were her three children, Amy, Jason, and Bryant. As they grew and went to school, Libby directed or assisted with many productions at her church and at the schools where her children attended; she also did some part time teaching at the then Interlake Academy (now Lake Placid Christian School) and Lakeview Christian School.
In 1994 Libby began teaching third grade at Lakeview Christian School and served as Administrator there from 1998 to January of 2000. After becoming single again, she moved to Clearwater, Florida, where she went back to school and worked for the Home Shopping Network for a few years. In 2005 she returned to teaching and is still hoping a position for a drama teacher will open up one day. Now that her life has slowed down a little she looks forward to becoming involved in some of the local theatre productions of Pinellas County.
Libby Dressel sends her regards to all the "old timers" at HLT.
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