Board of Trustees Candidates 2025
Dianne DeChellis
The Sudbury Savoyards is an amazing group of caring and talented people, and being a board member would allow me to give back. After a twenty-year hiatus from theater, the Savoyards gave me a chance to return to something that suddenly seemed scary. This was because their volunteer chorus allowed me to ease back into performing. It’s why The Sudbury Savoyards are different from other groups. It’s not just about producing a show; it’s about creating a community where people feel welcome and safe. It’s no wonder why so many people return year after year.
I am a new member of The Sudbury Savoyards. In 2024, I performed as an ensemble member in Princess Ida, and in 2025, I played a Bridesmaid in Ruddigore. I’ve also participated in several outreach performances. Not many community theaters offer outreach experiences, so this is very dear to me. As someone with an aging parent in a nursing facility, presentations from local music groups always sparked joy and excitement. The experiences that the Savoyards offer go beyond performing Gilbert and Sullivan productions.
Giving back to the community is a core value for the Savoyards, and I am eager to make that continue. Before my twenty-year gap, I majored in theater and acted in several community and regional shows after graduation. I taught drama in Lexington for several years until I changed my focus to special education. Creating and planning are two of my favorite pastimes. I love a checklist! With my background in theater and teacher skill set, I would love the opportunity to help continue The Sudbury Savoyards’ legacy. They truly embody community theater, and I want to be a part of it.
Jennifer Dohm
Greetings fellow Savoyards,
As a longtime member of The Sudbury Savoyards, I am excited to run for the Board of Trustees this year. I first joined the Savoyards for the 1997 production of The Yeomen of the Guard. Since then, my participation in The Sudbury Savoyards has added so much to my life: long standing friendships, the introduction to my husband Nathan, and the annual joy of bringing the words and music of Gilbert and Sullivan to life for an audience. I have been a member of the chorus for many years, performing more intermittently in the last 15 years since the arrival of my now teenage daughters. During my years on stage, I have taken on the roles of Cast Manager and Internal Sales. I have also helped with costume and props construction for many productions. In years that I was not on stage, I have worked on makeup, ushered, and served as an Assistant House Manager. After all of these years in this community, I truly think of The Sudbury Savoyards as my second family.
I would like to join the board in order to dedicate more of my time and energy to an organization that has had a positive impact on so many. Although we have faced challenges in the last decade, we have experienced recent artistic and financial successes while remaining true to our mission of community, inclusivity, and contributions to world hunger relief. I am especially interested in supporting our traditions and policies around welcoming new members. As a board member, I would like to develop a mentoring program to help our newest participants acclimate to The Sudbury Savoyards, providing a resource to help them with questions and concerns, and encouraging retention of these new members for future years.
In addition to my institutional knowledge as a longtime Savoyard, I can offer to the Savoyards my skills in organization, communication, and multitasking. At the end of this school year, I am retiring after a 29 year career teaching middle school and high school Latin. As a teacher, I am accustomed to setting goals and carefully planning the steps needed to achieve them, with deliberate consideration for the needs of individuals. I am a strong writer and enjoy creating written and visual presentations. Finally, my experience as a teacher has trained me to balance several projects and deadlines simultaneously. Not only will I have much time to dedicate to the work of the Savoyards, but I will also be able to apply the aforementioned skills to my role as a member of the board.
I sincerely appreciate your consideration of my candidacy.
Jeremy White
I’ve been a G&S groupie since childhood, and for years performed with MIT Gilbert & Sullivan. Now that MITG&SP is no more, I’ve only just done my first show with Sudbury Savoyards (As “Sir Despard” in Ruddigore), but was very much taken by the community and energy of Sudbury – so I look forward to singing in Gondoliers next year!
I have been on the Board of Directors of Needham Community Theatre for over a decade, and also previously on the Board of Savoyards of Boston. I have been Producer for several musicals for Needham, so I have experience with show budgets and recruiting & managing production staff. I’ve performed in 36 musicals and counting. I’m hoping this experience with other theater groups will be valuable to the Sudbury Board.
In terms of Committees and generally Getting Things Done, I’ve been the Chair of Needham’s Playreading Committee for years – although that’s obviously a more constrained activity with the Savoyards’ more tightly defined repertoire. That being said, I’d be happy to look into whether we should pair, for example, Cox and Box with Trial by Jury, and to help figure out how we’re going to perform The Mikado again. I’d also be eager to help with keeping the website up to date.
I would like to join the Board of The Sudbury Savoyards because I want to help the group continue to succeed. I’ve been singing G&S for years, and am excited to become a member of the board.
Board of Trustees
Wish to contact the board? Please email info@sudburysavoyards.org
To read more about a board member, click their photo.
