After a couple of years of not being able to hear or see her son perform in Wilton-Lyndeborough Cooperative Middle Senior High School drama club productions, Ariel Cotty had had enough and decided to do something about it.
The drama club had just restarted when Cotty’s son joined. There were only two speakers in the cafeteria, and the stage had spotlights exclusively facing the front, leaving the performers in the middle or back of the stage in the dark. The microphones could not adjust for instruments or individual performers. Plus, half the circuits on the light board were out of commission.
Between the microphones cutting out and stage lights burning out, the shows were unenjoyable despite all the work the kids put into it.
“The first show they did was super cute, but you could not hear anything,” she said.
Now, after two years of fundraising, the school “cafetorium,” or cafeteria, which also serves as an auditorium and gymnasium, has brand-new stage lights and sound systems allowing audiences to hear and see drama club productions and games on the court. In the end, they fundraised $93,291.28 to complete all three phases of their plan, improving school facilities and student technical education.
“I’m so so proud, like you don’t even know,” Cotty said.
Fundraising
As a member of the PTO, Cotty began organizing with other parents and committed residents to replace the school’s light and sound system.
To start, Cotty formed the WLC Performance Tech Committee and obtained quotes to replace the lights and sound equipment to present to the School Board. The total expected cost was approximately $175,000, and the board told her that they could not afford it.
While the board recommended she put her proposal as a warrant for the upcoming town meeting, Cotty knew the price tag would not be popular and decided to take it into her own hands.
With the information they had, the committee started fundraising at Old Homes Day in Wilton in the summer of 2024. They raised over $1,000 by selling individual pickles, water and taking donations.
“One of the parents had the idea to sell single big pickles. They were a big hit,” Cotty said.
Catching the wave of success, the team reached out to local businesses. The end goal became raising enough money to fund new stage lighting and a new sound system for the auditorium, as well as new gym sound equipment.
Donations trickled in, and the group decided to invest in equipment for the upcoming show.
“Instead of waiting until we raised all the money, we decided at some point, why don’t we start purchasing some sound equipment so that they can at least have something for their show,” Cotty said.
The first purchase included head microphones and a sound board, made possible by donations from businesses and individuals. A $5,000 donation from the Lions Club gave them just enough to start buying equipment.
“You still couldn’t see them because the lights were not done yet, but at least you could hear them,” Cotty explained.
With donations continuing to add up, the committee organized directly with the PTO to partner with Gate City Casino to receive a charitable gambling contribution.
For a week in December, the WLC PTO received 35% of earnings, yielding $72,106 and enabling the purchase of multiple speakers and stage lighting for the drama club.
With the help of JML Lighting Services, the WLC drama club now has use of mid-grade static and wiggle lights for the students. All equipment was installed before the performance of Pippin in April.
“I was in tears in the audience watching it. I was so happy,” Cotty said.
With phase one and two completed, the school board approved the purchase of new gym sound equipment with extra money from the budget.
Educational improvements
For two years, the WLC Performance Tech Committee organized and fundraised $93,291 with the help of the community.
Now, parents not only can enjoy the shows, but students — on stage or backstage — can learn how to use the stage lights and sound board.
“One of the reasons we wanted to do it wasn’t just so that we could hear the kids, but also the equipment that we had was so old, and frankly dangerous, that they wouldn’t let the kids use it,” Cotty said.
With some leftover money, the committee funded headsets for the backstage crew and plans to donate the rest to the drama club.
The cafeteria, which also serves as a basketball court, will now have a new sound system as part of the fundraising efforts.
Linda Draper, administrative assistant at WLC, said the staff recognizes how big the project was and appreciates the community support.
“The school and community are forever indebted to them for all of their hard work and dedication,” she wrote in an email response.
With everything coming to an end, Cotty said she looks forward to stepping back. Since starting the commitment, her son has left the drama club, but she said she appreciates the relationships she’s built with the students over the past two years.
And, if anything, the committee has improved the experience for anyone who walks into the school cafetorium and taught the students a valuable lesson.
“I always tell the kids, just ask. The worst that could happen is somebody says no,” Cotty said.