Each year, the Princess Theatre gives three awards to outstanding partners. These awards are Artist of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, and Business of the Year. These are simply a token of our appreciation to the individuals and businesses who have helped us throughout the year.

Craig Gill ~ 2010 Artist of the Year

Princess Theatre, Inc. is proud to announce its 2010 artist of the year, Craig Gill. Craig has been active in the Princess since its beginning. In the last 2 years he performed in both Dinner Theatre and Summer Productions. In the 2009 dinner theatre production of "Greater Tuna" he portrayed not just one but 2 characters. But the highlight of the year was his performance as Ali Hakim in "Oklahoma". His title role in the Princess 2010 production of "The Foreigner" was a show stopper. During the summer production of "Smoke on the Mountain Homecoming" his diverse talents were displayed in his acting skills and musical abilities. These examples are just a few of the wonderful performances Craig has displayed on the Princess stage. As anyone who has given time to a production will attest, it is a major commitment to be in a stage play. It is very time consuming and is a selfless endeavor. Over the years Craig has given of himself time after time. When the public hears there will be a show with Craig in it, it is usually always a sellout thus helping the Princess out in more ways than just artistically. He doesn't just limit his talent to the Princess stage. He plays guitar in 3 different churches around Winnsboro and gives of his time and talent to the Franklin Parish Jr Miss Program. Craig is also very active in the community. His resume includes past president of the Franklin Parish Chamber of Commerce and current City Councilman. Craig's devotion and talent to the Princess has been overwhelming through the years. He is a patron member of the Princess and was nominated as volunteer of the year just a few years after we opened the theatre doors. The Princess and Winnsboro are truly fortunate to have such an outstanding talent and lover of the arts in Craig Gill. These are just a few of the reasons Craig is our choice for artist of the year.

Nathan Roberts ~ 2010 Volunteer of the Year

Princess Theatre is proud to announce the volunteer of the year for 2010, Mr. Nathan Roberts. Nathan has been vital to the Princess for several years, but 2010 proved to be a remarkable year. Nathan has given his time and talents in so many ways including sound tech for all the events of the year. His knowledge of the sound system is unsurpassed. Every act that has come in has been very impressed with not only our equipment but the way it is handled. This proves to be an incredible asset as all the patrons leave feeling they have heard a professional performance. He has become a staple for our monthly variety show, The Franklin Opry. Nathan is the radio personality for the local radio station, KMAR, and broadcasts the Opry live from the Princess. This broadcast has really helped get the Princess "out there". He was integral in the filming and editing of the pilot show of The Franklin Opry to be pitched as a syndicated program to RFDTV in Nashville Tennessee. He makes sure that all events are promoted on the radio station. Anytime there is a technical question he is the one we turn to for the answer. And he does it selflessly. He also films a lot of our local productions for promotional purposes. His civic contributions are many as well. He is the current Chamber of Commerce president as well as the entertainment chairman for The Franklin Parish Catfish Festival. Nathan works tirelessly to help promote the town, parish and arts in north Louisiana. 2011 has started and Nathan has already committed himself to several projects for the year. We feel as long as he is around the quality of the arts at the Princess will be second to none. We are honored and so very fortunate that Nathan is our volunteer of the year.

Kiper Hardware and Lumber ~ 2010 Business of the Year

The Princess Theatre is honored to nominate Kiper Hardware and Lumber Corporation for the BART Award. This business, or more accurately, the family who owns and operates this business, has been an enthusiastic and consistent supporter of the Princess Theatre and the arts in Franklin Parish for decades. When the Princess Theatre was nothing more than a vision of "what could be," the Kiper family and Kiper Hardware got on board. Twenty-five years ago, an abandoned theatre was reclaimed, lovingly renovated and transformed into a community arts center, thanks largely to the support of individuals and businesses like Kiper Hardware. Kiper Hardware and the Kiper family were among the original charter patrons of the theatre and Kiper Hardware has remained a faithful corporate member ever since. The initial renovation and restoration of the historic theatre building in downtown Winnsboro was successful, due in large part to the generous donations of building supplies from Kiper Hardware. They have continued to support the theatre through donations of paint and supplies for theatrical productions. Kiper Hardware also provides financial support by being a regular advertiser in the Princess Theatre playbill, and, most recently, as a regular sponsor of the highly successful "Franklin Opry" show each month at the theatre. In addition to financial and material support, members of the family can often be found at the theatre – lending their talents to local productions, both onstage and backstage, helping to serve and enthusiastically cheering on this community jewel. In addition to the arts, Kiper Hardware and the Kiper family are involved in many aspects of community improvement. They are actively involved in their churches and their schools, working to improve life for the children and youth of our community. They have served in leadership roles in the local Chamber of Commerce and other economic development interests, demonstrating a concern for the community that goes far beyond a corporate "bottom line."
Their commitment to the success of the Princess Theatre has made Kiper Hardware our "business of the year," and we believe they are very deserving of recognition at the regional level. We appreciate your consideration of Kiper Hardware and Lumber Corporation for the BART Award.