While residing in Gastonia and later Charlotte, Rick continued his support of the Cherryville Little Theatre, also joining other regional theatre groups in set design and construction Gastonia Little Theatre, Gaston College Drama and Charlotte and Piedmont Community College. News articles from May and June of 1974 document the production’s huge success and several “hold-over” performances due to its popularity. His first love, that of musical theatre, pairing his production skills and his acting and singing talents, fully blossomed with the production of the Cherryville Little Theatre’s 1974 production of “Godspell”. During his college years he developed his talents in interior design, visual merchandising and dramatic arts. Rick graduated from Gaston College receiving an Associate of Arts degree in business.
The piece de resistance was Rick’s imaginative and whimsical water feature “Christmas on Ray Street”. The Helms’ family home on Ray Street was a “must-see” during the 60s and 70s Christmas season due to Rick’s design using colored lights, life-size lighted models of Christmas characters and scenes, including Santa, his deer and sleigh, Jesus, Mary, camels, mules and the Wise Men. Many of Rick’s generation will remember the high school’s annual “Womanless Fashion Show”, a big money raiser for the CHS “Future Business Leaders Club”, of which Rick was President his senior year. He was a member and officer of the CHS Drama Club. Throughout his school years he participated in, and often led drama, art and musical groups and organizations.
Raised in Cherryville, Rick attended the public schools there and graduated from Cherryville High School (CHS) in June of 1970. Born in Monroe, Union County, North Carolina, he was the son of the late Arthur Edgar Helms and Ruth Lougene Cody Helms. Donald Ricky “Rick” Helms, age 67, of 206 South Elm Street in Cherryville, North Carolina, formerly of Charlotte, peacefully departed this world on Tuesday, February 18, 2020.
0 kommentar(er)
