Gainesville honors Troupe 2445; city leaders praise high school theater program

The Gainesville mayor and council recognized Gainesville High SchoolTroupe 2445 at their March 18 meeting, applauding the theater group's recent accomplishments and community contributions.

The acknowledgment came during the meeting's opening remarks, when the mayor read a summary of the troupe's history and achievements and invited students and staff to the dais for a photo and brief remarks.

The mayor noted the troupe's long record and praised its recent leadership, saying, "Miss Ware is legendary" and acknowledging the work of Tyra Wimpey in restoring the program's strength. City Council members also praised the students: one council member said, "These kids are absolutely amazing," and another called the theater program "a feather in the cap of our city."

Tyra Wimpey, identified in the meeting as the troupe's director, accepted the recognition and thanked supporters, saying, "They are the movement behind every single show that connects with every person. So my only charge is that everyone continues to support the arts on all levels." She also thanked the school's booster board, parents, administration and Superintendent Dr. Jeremy Williams.

City officials read program details included in the recognition: the troupe was chartered in 1975; the program has 55 active students and more than 400 inducted thespians; it has won the literary one-act play competition five times, the regional one-act competition 17 times, and performed on the Thespian Festival main stage four times. Officials cited recent productions including Chicago, Mean Girls, Sweeney Todd, Disney's The Little Mermaid and Sister Act.

The council invited the students to remain for the meeting and took a group photo before moving on to regular business.