The Broward Center for the Performing Arts recently hosted a special event to celebrate a small group of volunteer ushers who continue to be active after 30 years or more of service. In appreciation of their decades of commitment, each volunteer usher received a commemorative brick on the Riverwalk and then enjoyed a champagne toast, brunch at Marti’s New River Bistro and the chance to sit back and relax at a matinee performance of Slow Burn Theatre Company’s production of Disney’s Newsies: The Broadway Musical. Out of the eight seasoned volunteer ushers, seven reside in different areas of Broward County and one in North Miami Beach and many have been with the Broward Center since its opening in 1991 with Phantom of the Opera. These are the honorees, all who had great stories and memories to share during the event:
• Estelle Bitkower (Fort Lauderdale)
• Nancy Brass (Plantation)
• Laurel Griefer (Margate)
• Doris Kalishman (North Miami Beach)
• Jim Rosa (West Palm Beach)
• Phoebe Satlin (Fort Lauderdale)
• Joan Thornton (Pembroke Pines)
• Bruce Voelkel (Pompano Beach)
The Broward Center regularly holds orientations for those interested in ushering. The volunteer corps is made up of local arts lovers including high school students who are eligible for community service hours, retired seniors and family members that volunteer together. The Broward Center 2023/2024 season is supported by the Broward Performing Arts Foundation, AutoNation, Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau, Spirit and UHealth University of Miami Health System. Programs are also sponsored in part by the State of Florida through the Division of Arts and Culture and the National Endowment for the Arts. One of America’s premier performing arts venues, the Broward Center for the Performing Arts presents more than 700 performances each year to more than 700,000 patrons, showcasing a wide range of exciting cultural programming and events.