ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) – Mill Mountain Theatre has had Ginger Poole on its executive team for the past 15 years, and next year, the theatre will be opening the curtain on a new era, with Poole retiring on December 31st. She came to Roanoke 18 years ago as an actor, and stepping on the stage: she knew she was home.
As a final farewell for Poole, she got back on the stage this fall as the narrator in To Kill a Mockingbird, after 7 years working behind the scenes.
“It’s kind of a full circle moment that I came to Mill Mountain as an actor, and it was nice to stretch that muscle again and participate in what Mill Mountain does on the other side of the table,” said Poole.
While at the theatre’s helm, Poole helped to rebuild the theatre in 2009, relaunched Mill Mountain as a professional regional theatre in 2013, and brought the arts back after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now, as she looks toward the future, her replacement means everything to her. After a national search, they decided on a familiar face Matt Shields, who has worked in the theatre for 7 years.
“As soon as I got here I knew I wanted to stay, it was just trying to figure out how to get them to let me,” said Matt Shields, the current production manager, and incoming managing director, “Mill Mountain is such a special place. I have worked for a few different theatre companies, and nowhere has cared for its employees quite like Mill Mountain. You know that the whole company atmosphere that Ginger set up is one of a kind.”
Poole says Shields’ journey was a lot like hers. Shields started out as an intern and jumped into multiple different roles. She says his professional career grew here, and calls him her “what-if guy,” saying that’s exactly what the theatre needs.
“I have a kind of unique perspective because I’m always thinking about someone else’s department too. From there, someone would ask a question and instantly I had first the production mindset, and then the marketing mindset, and then the admin mindset. So I’m just constantly running those scenarios from every angle,” said Shields.
Even though Poole will be stepping down, she will stay on for a couple of months to help ease shields transition.
The first production Shields will produce is Waitress, The Musical, in March of next year. He says he couldn’t think of a more perfect show to kick off his era, since it’s one of his favorites.
“My wish to Matt, to Mill Mountain Theatre, and to our community, is to continue to support live theatre. It sets our community apart, that we can support such a hearty arts and cultural community as Roanoke does,” said Poole.