Posted: Thursday, June 5, 2025, 3:31pm

We are proud to announce that Sarah Merkey is this year's Booth Muller Volunteer of the Year Award recipient.

Sarah has been involved with Curtain Players for several years, having acted, directed, and served on committees. This season, she directed The Beauty Queen of Leenane, which went on the Central regional festival of the Ohio Community Theatre Association, where it received multiple awards.

Sarah was also just elected to an At-Large position on the organization's board, and takes office on July 1.

You can read the nomination letter below.

Congratulations Sarah!

---

Every time I turn around at the Harlem Road playhouse this season, there she is… Sarah Merkey. Sarah’s commitment and presence to our community in theatre, particularly during this year’s season of rebuilding and renewal, is why she deserves a nomination for the company’s Volunteer of the Year Award for Season 62. I would strongly encourage those making these decisions to bestow upon her this special honor.

By my record, Sarah’s 2024-2025 contributions to Curtain Players make for a robust portfolio:

• A featured role in The Secret Garden
• Directing The Beauty Queen of Leenane
• Active participation in the Member Relations Committee
• Service on the Artistic Advisory Committee (Laura)
• Producer for Whose Wives are They Anyway?
• Service on the end-of-season planning party team
• Continued cleanup and development of the company database
• Hours as a house management volunteer
• Generous donations to support programs and rebuild financial accounts
• Willingness to place her name on the slate for annual election to the governing board as a trustee

And this service to our community in theatre, is just that. Sarah’s efforts are not about herself nor individual pursuits and success. What she does in these roles is shine like a multifaceted gem, her light reflected on the organization. Review her Season 62 record. She was part of a large musical ensemble. She provided her theatre expertise to one production and leadership with another, the latter project one that changed wholly days before auditions. She successfully directed a difficult piece of theatre, giving Curtain Players a lift in artistic reputation. She has challenged herself as a theatre practitioner, yes, but she also steps up for the necessary non-artistic tasks necessary for this theatre’s success.

I serve with Sarah on the new Member Relations Committee, a panel that has thoughtfully discussed satisfaction surveys, has discussed deeply how Players view the organization, and most importantly has developed a new membership program with a goal for empowering Players and their home theatre to grow and to thrive. And in every debate among our committee, Sarah was quick to remind us that being a Player is not about a starring role, being in charge, or catching the spotlight. She advocated for attention and celebration of, and opportunities for, everyone working in what must be their ‘home theatre.’

Sarah has long been involved with Curtain Players. But this year, she stepped forward as a truly well-rounded volunteer, from the ranks. She is not a member of the board who already carries the expectation of extra service to Curtain Players. She exhibited the genuine spirit of volunteerism, that what she is doing herself will benefit all of us, the group. That is a fine example to recognize.