THE ARTS
charter business. The Knights not only turned the
business around but were able to expand it.
LOCAL THEATER
Although Knight had been active with several
amateur and semi-professional groups in New York
and Boston, she waited a few years before getting
involved with local theater in Florida. It was only after
she took her kids to the Barn Theatre’s children’s
camp in Stuart that she decided to audition for a
part in an upcoming play. She also became active
with Pineapple Playhouse in Fort Pierce.
Achin was in the first graduating class at Port
St. Lucie High School, primarily part of the music
program. Back then, Pineapple Playhouse operated
as St. Lucie Community Theater; Achin volunteered
backstage, did stage managing and worked on assistant
directing during high school. After graduation,
her job had her on-call every day. “I was away from
theater for a number of years until I reconnected
with my friend, Melissa Hardy.” A gifted actor herself,
with the Pineapple. “I get on stage occasionally,”
says Achin, “but I prefer production.”
Both Knight and Achin have a long history with
Pineapple Playhouse, in aspects of acting, directing,
volunteering and serving on the board of directors.
Both are past presidents, in fact, but both also saw
the need for a venue in Port St. Lucie. “Some people
don’t want to make the drive to Fort Pierce, or down
to Stuart,” says Achin. A theater in Port St. Lucie is
>>
Hardy encouraged her to become more active
Port St. Lucie High School student Blake, 16, got
his theatrical start in church plays and appeared
earlier this theater season in a Pineapple Playhouse
production of Cheaper By the Dozen.
Brian Pecci, right, is an optician by trade but was bitten by the theater bug years ago.
Like his fellow actors, he has been performing in the tri-county area for years.
10 Port St. Lucie Magazine