the History and Life of the Arcadia Live theatre
The Arcadia first opened its doors in 1926 as a vaudeville and silent movie theatre by the Kerrville Amusement Company. In the late 20’s the Western Electric Sound System introduced sound to our theatre, making way for the “talkies”, or pictures with sound. For 60 years, the Arcadia acted as a bonafide movie theatre, until it closed its doors in 1989. Finally, after several attempts to save the theatre and give it new life, the Arcadia Theatre was donated to our nonprofit in 2019, closing a 3 decade long hole in our historic downtown in Kerrville, Texas.
With the support of our incredible community, we were able to renovate the theatre, from the bottom up, and opened a space for our community to gather and unify. The Arcadia Live is a state-of-the-art theatre, serving our community with live music, community events and venue rental. We are situated right in the heart of downtown, along side the beautiful Guadalupe River.
Our group of dedicated volunteers had a crystal clear vision. We saw an opportunity to promote vibrant and diverse entertainment to our beloved community. We are business and community leaders, and when we roll up our sleeves, there is nothing we cannot accomplish.
Meet our Board:
Our Board of Directors consists of business and community leaders.
We are proud of the diversity and experience of this talented and dedicated group of people.
Please read below to learn a little more about who we are!
Larry Howard
President
Larry Howard joined our board in 2017 and has many years of community leadership under his belt. Larry is a local business owner and developer with various companies ranging from property management, restaurants, and hospitality. His natural leadership skills, charisma, and dedication to the Kerrville community made him the best choice to lead our cause.
Kyle Bond
Vice President
Kyle Bond has been a member of the board since it’s inception in 2011. Kyle holds a BBA in Management from SFA and he owns and operates the Central Texas Terminix franchise. Kyle has a long list of community leadership engagements ranging from Economic Development and the Kerr County Leadership program to the Chamber of Commerce, 4th of July celebration and community Christmas Lighting efforts.
Steve Schulte
Secretary
Steve Schulte joined the board in 2019 but has worked as a volunteer with the organization for many years. Steve is General Counsel for the MacDonald Companies and his practice focuses on real estate acquisition and development, human resources, and landlord/tenant issues. Steve has a natural affinity for music and entertainment and was a natural fit for our board.Accounting and provides leadership in all the financial matters of the organization.
Michael Burniston
Director
Michael moved to Kerrville from Austin in 2009 with his wife Kathryn and two daughters, AnnaBeth and Mary Margaret. Michael brings a life-long love of live music to the board in hopes of showcasing The Arcadia as the premiere live music venue in the Hill Country.
Blake Smith
Director
Blake Smith joined the board in 2019 and serves as our Operations Chairperson. Blake and his family have been an integral part of the Camp La Junta organization in Hunt, Texas, since 1984 when he was named their Director of Programming. Blake is naturally suited for his role on our board and provides a wealth of knowledge to help keep our venue operating smoothly.
Wes Lane
Director
Wes Lane joined the board in 2020. With over 30 years experience in the entertainment industry, including his current 23 year tenure with international brand experience company, Freeman, Wes brings a wealth of industry knowledge and technical expertise to the board of The Arcadia Live. He was responsible for coordinating the specification, purchase, and installation process of the lighting and sound systems at The Arcadia Live.
Scott Stumbo
Treasurer
Scott Stumbo joined our board in 2020 and assists Arcadia Live with administrative and finance needs and all Arcadia Live events and activities too. Scott’s resume includes over 30 years of financial management at the highest levels in healthcare and non-profit family services. Scott holds an accounting degree from Abilene Christian University.
George Phillips
Director
George manages the eDiscovery global technology operations for one of the largest law firms in the US. He’s spent the last 23 years in legal technology, building infrastructure and operations, and team management. He is a musician and avid lover of all types of musical genres. George has played percussion and drums for over 30 years, plays many instruments, writes and composes, and plays regularly with other musicians in the hill country.
David Wampler
Director
David Wampler joined our board in 2020. He is the owner/operator of Heritage Investments in Kerrville.
Shari Addington Borchers, MD
Director
Shari Addington is a local physician and she and her husband, Dr. Michael Borchers, have lived in the Kerrville/Fredericksburg area for the last 35 years. It is her enthusiasm for music, comedy, and all entertainment avenues that prompted her to join board.
Deena Todd
Director
Deena Todd joined the board in 2023. A military veteran who is a local medical professional with 30 years of experience. Deena is looking forward to giving back to such a wonderful community and an iconic music venue.
Janice Bowen
Director
Janice Bowen has lived in Kerrville since 1993. She owned 8 Church’s Chicken Franchises throughout the Hill Country for 25 years during which time she also served on the Church’s corporate franchise board. Currently, Janice is a commercial and residential real estate investor. She holds a BBA in Marketing and a Masters in Accounting. Janice loves living in Kerrville and excited to be on the board of such a wonderful theatre that includes music and laughter along with giving back to the community.
Meet the Arcadia Live Team
Stacie Leporati
Executive Director
Stacie secured her position as the Events Manager in late October 2020, and stepped up as the Executive Director in May 2022. Stacie graduated from Rowan University with her BA in Theatre Arts: Technical Design with a focus in Production Management. She recently moved to Kerrville from Las Vegas, NV where she spent 4 years as a Production Stage Manager on the strip. Stacie is excited to bring her passion and experience to the Arcadia Live.
Meredith Tilley Crook
Public Relations and Development
Meredith joined the Arcadia team in February of 2022 as liaison to sponsors and donors of the Arcadia Live to bring exciting and engaging programming to the community. Meredith was born and raised in Kerrville and has finally returned to the Texas Hill Country after a decade of living in Los Angeles, California. Her background is in marketing, sales, and photography. Meredith always admired the Arcadia Theatre and is passionate about its revival and success. She hopes to propel the growth of art, music and entertainment in our beautiful, Historic Downtown.
Libbie Horton
Event Coordinator
Moving to Kerrville in 2006, Libbie spent her adolescence in the Hill Country. Becoming a Tivy Golden Girl and band member, she learned her true passion was for entertainment. After earning a BFA in Performance and Choreography from Texas State University, she and her childhood friend founded Hill Shapes Production Company. Through hosting and managing several events, Libbie has sought to use her newly honed skills in the event planning industry.
Phoebe Green
Box Office Manager
Phoebe was born and raised near Seattle, Washington, and relocated to Kerrville in January 2021. She has been loving this Texas sunshine and Southern Hospitality! Her fondest childhood memories are seeing stage productions of musicals and plays with her grandmother and older brother. When she’s not answering the phones and selling tickets, Phoebe enjoys singing and playing her guitar.
Koby Pharris
Facilities Manager
Koby was born and has lived in the Kerr County area for most of his life. He joined the Arcadia team in June of 2021 and has set up nearly every event since. Koby has enjoyed the cultural arts and loves to participate in anyway he can. In his free time he pursues an education in User Experience Design.
Contact us to find out how you can be a part of the Arcadia theatre’s success!
Email Stacie Leporati at events@thearcadialive.org for more information.