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The Rhynes’ Lasting Legacy | By Cynthia Holley
Richard pinning Joan for FORUM president Rhynes in Florida Joan’s 12 x 12-foot mural of 11,000 pieces
A Fond Farewell from FORUM:
The Rhynes Leave a Lasting Legacy By Cynthia Holley
If you attended a FORUM at LeesMcRae College performance in the past decade you likely were welcomed by Richard Rhyne singing “Welcome to FORUM!” from the stage at Hayes Theater. It is a heartfelt greeting, as Richard and wife Joan share a passion for the arts and have supported FORUM for 15 years.
The Rhynes have been instrumental in establishing and expanding FORUM’s series of successful summer musical performances. After attending their first performance in 2007, they were recruited to join the FORUM Selection Committee and have participated in the recruitment and choosing of performers ever since.
Each year the FORUM Selection Committee works with talent agents from around the globe and considers over 50 candidates. The selection committee watches dozens of videos and then narrows the contenders to 16 recommended acts. The FORUM Board of Directors selects the final eight programs with a goal of offering a balance of musical genres, including vocalists, dancers, and instrumentalists. A symphony performance is always the top draw, followed by Oldies and Broadway Hits.
In addition to spending time selecting acts for the eight summer performances, Richard served as FORUM President from 2012-2018. During his second term as President, Richard led the way for the establishment of “Centurions,” who pay $450 each for reserved seating and parking. He also started the “Restaurant Discount Program,” which is a “win-win” for the local restaurants as well as FORUM ticketholders.
The FORUM Board of Directors is comprised of representatives from LeesMcRae College and 30 volunteers from throughout the High Country. In addition to maintaining reserves to cover yearly entertainment costs, funding is available to purchase items for Lees-McRae College. Donations have included a Baldwin Grand Piano, upgraded theater chairs, new projectors, a sound system, and lighting for Hayes Auditorium. FORUM has also contributed to the rebuilding of dressing rooms and bathrooms for the entertainers and a new air conditioner for the college dining hall.
Joan served as president from 20182021 and had the challenge of restructuring all programming due to the COVID pandemic in 2020. This included cancelling performances, refunding deposits, and creating a venue to ensure the safety of the patrons and performers. Thanks to the support of Lees-McRae College President Lee King, and Joan’s leadership, FORUM had a successful season in 2021. FORUM board members worked tirelessly to ensure guests and entertainers followed all COVID protocols, which included moving to two performances to allow for social distancing and enforcing mask mandates.
The contributions of the Rhynes to the community extend beyond FORUM. Joan and Richard became members of Banner Elk Presbyterian Church when they began spending summers in the mountains 29 years ago. Richard sang in the men’s choir for 15 years and both were active in Sunday School and other church functions. Joan was a member of the Boone Rotary for several years.
Richard is a Trustee for Lees-McRae College and sits on the Executive board. He served on the Beech Mountain Club (BMC) Board for four years and he and Joan have served on various BMC committees. They were involved with tennis, skiing, golf, and bridge programs. Joan helped to form the BMC Tennis Association and served on its Board.
Joan has displayed her art in galleries across the country and she offered art lessons for several years in Beech Mountain. She created a beautiful twelve-foot by twelve-foot mosaic mural comprised of 11,000 pieces for the tennis facility in 2005. She invited club members to place a piece of tile on the pattern she designed and over 100 people participated. The project began on June 5 of that year and was completed on Labor Day, truly a “labor of love.”
Joan began performing at a young age and studied tap, ballet and ballroom dancing. She performed in numerous plays and
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musicals over the years and was a dancer with USO and in the movie “The Great Gatsby” starring Robert Redford. Joan also choreographed, directed and performed in numerous military shows around the globe.
Richard grew up on a farm in NC where he plowed fields and drove the school bus for his High School class of 12 students. He was a University of North Carolina cheerleader and sang in the UNC Glee Club, including in their special performance for Queen Elizabeth.
The Rhynes met at UNC, married, and travelled the world. Following graduation, Richard joined the Air Force, completed pilot training and was assigned to fly F102s in Germany. During his career as an air force pilot, Richard had 55 parachute jumps and flew F4s in 130 combat missions during the Vietnam War. He attended the Naval War College, worked at the Pentagon and negotiated the Camp David Accord in Israel. As a former Commander of Air Force Units who spent retirement years in the NC mountains, Richard easily became a community leader who “gave back” to the High Country.
In recent years, Joan has experienced some eye health issues. For this reason, the couple made the decision to live full time in Tampa, FL; they have sold the beloved home they built on Beech Mountain 29 years ago and leave behind a beautiful legacy. Married for 61 years, Richard and Joan Rhyne continue to work as a team, supporting the arts and their Florida community. Once a cheerleader, always a cheerleader!
Joan and Richard have attended over 100 FORUM performances and have contributed in countless ways to enhance music and art in our region. As Joan and Richard hang up their “High Country hats,” we sing these words from an Abba song…
Forum at Lees-McRae will celebrate its 46th year this summer. Information on FORUM 2022 summer performances at Hayes Theater and ticket sales are available at www.lmc.edu/community/forum.htm, or by contacting Elizabeth Roberts, FORUM Coordinator, at forum@lmc.edu or 828-898-8748. APPALACHIAN THEATRE: continued from page 42
“This is a model partnership, one about which First Horizon Bank is honored to have played a supporting role,” said Market President Jason Triplett, whose financial institution provided the backing to help the theatre meet its construction obligations, in addition to the bank’s own generous contributions to the campaign. “It doesn’t surprise me that they have paid off the bridge loan years ahead of schedule, given the quality of leadership, the passion of their dedicated volunteers, and a strong commitment from almost every sector of our vibrant community. Bravo!”
However, ATHC board treasurer Brady Combs tempered the news with a reminder that the theatre has experienced operating losses during the three years since its reopening in October 2019, primarily due to the ongoing pandemic. “We look forward to ensuring the organization’s continued fiscal responsibility and financial health, which will be accomplished through stabilization plans we didn’t dream could be shouldered for many years.”
Executive Director Laura Kratt echoed Combs, and added that the theatre was hit hard by the extended pandemic-related closure, occurring just five months after the much-anticipated reopening. This fact, combined with severe winter weather, caused the postponement or cancellation of several scheduled events. “We’re still here!” said Kratt. “Together, we rebuilt and reopened this landmark theatre. Now that the capital campaign is completed, the real work begins: to make this historic venue sustainable from an operational standpoint.”
Trustees applauded the accomplishment, which aligns perfectly with the mission of the Appalachian Theatre of the High Country, “to revitalize and sustain this historic community touchstone as a quality home for diverse artists and audiences with a special focus on programs that celebrate our distinctive Appalachian heritage and enhance our capacity to serve as an economic catalyst for Boone and the High Country.”
Once a gorgeous 999-seat Art Deco movie house, the building closed in 2007 and sat empty and gutted for years. On October 14, 2019, the Appalachian Theatre reopened its doors after a $10 million renovation that brought the distinctive Art Deco details back to this historic theatre and created a new 629-seat, state-of-theart, acoustically pristine venue for live concerts, films, plays, and dance performances. The historic Appalachian Theatre has entertained regional audiences in the heart of downtown Boone, North Carolina, since 1938.
For more information about the theatre, or to join their eblast list, get tickets, or purchase memberships, please visit the ATHC website at www.apptheatre.org.
