Action!

When Betty Joe Fulcher of Fieldale, a small community in Henry County, performs on stage, she enjoys the opportunity to immerse herself in the characters she portrays. Acting, she says, allows her to “spend some time outside of everyday life just for a little while.”

Although Fulcher has been a member of the Blue Ridge Arts and Theater Society (BRATS) since the 1980s, she gained more time to pursue her love of performing after retiring in January 2008. She also joined TheatreWorks – a group in Martinsville dedicated to bringing community theater to the area – and promotes their various productions.

Fulcher joined her first play for BRATS in 1988 when a cast member got “cold feet.” It may have been a small part, she recalls, but she was hooked from that day forward.

“I was so nervous, but the first time you hear the audience laugh, it’s worth everything you put into it,” she says. “It’s nice to know you’re making someone happy.”

Since then, she has participated in about 14 plays, mostly Southern comedies. BRATS, which is an all-volunteer organization, typically spends about three months preparing for productions. The cast-mates, Fulcher says, have become a built-in support group, as have the members of TheatreWorks.

“I enjoy being a member of both groups.” Fulcher says, “I do it because I love the community and want to give back.”

In addition to BRATS and TheatreWorks, Fulcher volunteers for Martinsville’s Piedmont Arts Association. She promotes the artwork, answers phones, mails announcements about exhibits and performs various duties as a member of their docent guild. Obviously, retirement has not slowed her down.

“You absolutely have to stay active,” she advises. “Volunteering is fun. There are so many organizations around town that do good things for people, you just have to investigate the possibilities.

“Find something that feeds your psyche and let it become your passion.”