Connecting With Communities: F. Scott Davis

Connecting with Communities

HOW ONE COUPLE IS SHARING THEIR TALENTS WITH MULTIPLE THEATRES...

BY: LAUREN SPEIRS

The Naples Players (TNP) is lucky to have more than one super talented couple take the stage. Frank Scott Davis (known to his TNP family as “Scott”) and his partner Timothy Higgins first graced The Naples Players with their presence in 2017. They happened upon the theatre while strolling down 5th Avenue one Christmas and TNP Company Manager Esther Snyder introduced them to our facilities.

Scott and Tim were both already successful actors when a mutual friend introduced them at a restaurant almost 15 years ago. Sharing the same passion for theatre, they love supporting the arts and always give back to the community.

Living seasonally in Fort Myers and Michigan, the couple split their time between TNP and Grosse Pointe Theatre in Michigan. Scott and Tim were so happy when they found The Naples Players as it has a “similar family atmosphere (to their home theatre in Michigan). We love The Naples Players and Dawn and Charlie Fornara, (TNP directors).”

Scott started his performing career as a singer and participated in choir and drama in high school. He was also a hurdler in track and field.

“I was awarded drama and choir scholarships but track gave me the most bang for my buck.”

Later, Scott was in Measure for Measure, a men’s choral society, which took him to Wales for a world competition. He was in the barbershop quartet in The Music Man and has also performed in Hairspray, Grease, and Les Misérables, to name a few.

Scott never had any formal education in drama, he just learned everything from excellent directors and actors.

“I never thought I would be on Broadway and I get just as much joy from community theatre as I imagine you would on Broadway. This (TNP) is the closest feeling to Broadway.”

When they first started volunteering at The Naples Players, they were a little overwhelmed by how professional the stage and facilities are. This was their first theatre experience outside of Michigan and they “couldn’t believe the stage.” Additionally, Scott and Tim were “so impressed with Cole (Butcher)” and his awesome stage management skills.

Scott is a proud father of 2 and worked as a speech therapist in Ann Arbor, Michigan public schools until he retired in 2015. Now in private practice, he has put these skills to excellent use in order to help singers with breath support; including singers who overuse their voice.

Scott’s talents as a speech language pathologist doesn’t end with his therapy for singers. He also works with PresenceLearning, a platform which allows for each student’s therapy to be highly individualized. Through PresenceLearning, he has been an integral part of getting kids the devices they need in order to connect with others.

“Getting kids access to speech devices changes everything– they go from being in a dark hole to being able to communicate.”

Amazingly enough, some of the devices function with eye gaze instead of touching.

He has consulted with Craig Price, TNP’s Director of Community Education & Wellness to get additional inspiration for his work in Michigan with students with Autism. His work with Grosse Pointe Theatre involves integrating and including children with Autism in Grosse Pointe’s youth theatre program.

While we would love to have seasonal Scott and Tim full time at TNP, we’re so happy we get to work with them while they’re in town! It’s wonderful to see the exchanging of ideas and skills across different geographic communities.