Community remembers cultural arts giant Tony Rivenbark
Thespian. Mentor. Historian. Visionary.
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — Many people in the Cape Fear are mourning the loss of Tony Rivenbark after his death was announced on Tuesday afternoon.
The Board of Trustees and staff of Thalian Hall Center for the Performing Arts, Inc. announced Tuesday Executive and Artistic Director, Tony Rivenbark, died on Monday night.
Rivenbark was the first and only executive director of Thalian Hall. Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo says his vision for the arts will continue to live on.
“Great person. Loved this community, loved this hall. He was also a tremendous historian. On top of all that, he knew so much about the history not only of this building, but this community,” Saffo said. “Even in his last days, he had a meeting with me to tell me the things he wanted to see completed and done and we’re going to abide by those wishes and get those things done.”
Not only a legend in the Cape Fear, Rivenbark helped communities across the country revitalize historic theaters and cultivate arts scenes.
“His impact is far and wide. Many people don’t know that about him. They know about Tony here in Wilmington, but he’s respected in so many communities around our country,” Shane Fernando said.
Shane Fernando worked alongside Rivenbark as the artistic director of the Wilson Center, but long before they were colleagues Fernando grew up performing with Rivenbark at Thalian Hall. He says Rivenbark was his mentor and dear friend. On Tuesday, Fernando said he had already picked up the phone three times by the afternoon to call Rivenbark.
“I was writing a statement for the Hall thinking, ‘would Tony want it this way or this way?’ so I picked up the phone to call him and was reminded that he’s no longer with us,” Fernando said.
Fernando says Rivenbark showed his love and passion through his actions, so he may not have always had the chance to verbalize how he felt about his love of the arts and his community.
“He loved this place so much. He loved the people of this community so much. All he wanted was to make a better and better and better experience for them.” Fernando said. “I don’t know that he always had the time to say that because he was always doing.”
Most people will remember Rivenbark for his terrific contributions to the theater community, breathing new life into downtown Wilmington, and his passion for the arts. In addition to those things, Fernando reminisced on who Rivenbark was off stage and behind the scenes.
“His stories, oh my gosh. The stories he had were just incredible, about history, about growing up in Duplin County,” Fernando said. “He was an avid gardener. He had the most stunning, huge garden downtown. I called it the secret garden because you’d never know it was there. I don’t know how he got his plants so big. He was always running out of room for plants because the grew so well.”
Fernando says Rivenbark was adventurous and always willing to try out a new experience, whether he was excited about it or not.
“There’s something he always dreaded every year. Every Halloween, I have this love hate relationship with haunted houses. I love them but I’m terrified to go in them. He didn’t get it, he didn’t get Halloween, which was really funny as theatrical as he is, but I would make him go to haunted houses with me every year,” Fernando said. “The second year, I called and asked if he was ready to go to the haunted house and he was like ‘well, I’d say no this time because I didn’t have any fun, but I had fun watching you.’ So, he would go and just laugh at me being freaked out in these haunted houses every year.”
Through his passion for the arts, Fernando says Rivenbark inspired those around him with his heart of gold, appreciation of the past, and vision for the future. The vision that will linger in Thalian Hall and in theaters around the nation for years to come.
“While we have lost him today, we are so blessed to have had him and to still be living with his contributions in this town for a long, long foreseeable future,” Fernando said.
