In the earliest years of the Fountain Hills Theater, the home at 11015 N. Inca Ave. was the box office, boardroom, prop storage, rehearsal hall and summer camp for kids.

In lieu of its annual fundraising event, founding member of the Fountain Hills Theater and board Vice President, Val Stasik and her partner, Randy Beard, are opening their home to the community by hosting a “Big Backyard Bash” from 4 to 10 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 7.

The free event includes food, beverages, music and a trip through the theater’s history with pictures from the past and an evening of camaraderie. Stasik wants everyone in town to come and feel the energy of the theater and maybe even find out something new.

“A lot of people don’t know we did the very first Avenue of the Fountains Christmas decorations and we painted the ball,” Stasik said, who was instrumental in bringing the theater to Fountain Hills 37 years ago. “We also did the very first haunted house.”

The event also serves as a fundraising event for the Fountain Hills Theater where a “cash-nado” invites partygoers to toss whatever dollars they can part with and watch the tornado swirl.

“We’re going to have theater people around and have music playing so people can sing and let go of their inhibitions and just have fun,” Stasik said.

The theater fills the void of reduced school programs where children practice the skills of responsibility, risk-taking and communication on stage in front of friends and family, a press release said.

“In my 37 years, I have seen so many kids grow into confident adults that now bring their children to our programs, and I have seen adult relationships blossom into love and often marriage. It’s an awesome feeling,” Stasik said.

Val Stasik: a life onstage

When she was five years old, Stasik started dance lessons in Brooklyn, N.Y. She said dancing wasn’t her strong point, but her singing was another story. Stasik sang for “Up with People” in the 1960s and also sang in nightclubs and restaurants while she earned a degree in speech and drama at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C.

When Stasik came to Fountain Hills, little did she know she would dedicate the next 37 years to developing a theater that would grow from two productions a year to now hosting 17 a year.

Stasik has three children and seven grandchildren. She was honored as an outstanding Fountain Hills volunteer in 1989 and a “Hometown Hero” by Fulton Homes and the Arizona Diamondbacks organization.

In 2004, Stasik was a member of the first class of inductees to the Lower Verde Valley Hall of Fame and has earned two AriZoni awards for outstanding contributions to the arts in Arizona.

Stasik met Beard in 1992 during a production of “Pinocchio” and have performed together numerous times on stage.

Stasik’s commitment to the Fountain Hills Theater and the arts is shared by a theater family of employees, board members, volunteers, technicians, designers, directors, students and patrons, the release said. Her family philosophy has ensured that every participant feels ownership and pride in what they accomplished as a team.

The open house will give those not familiar with the theater to meet new people, enjoy food and beverages, enjoy some music and unite at a community. And those who are familiar with the local organization can share their knowledge with the new folks.

“I want the VFW, I want Kiwanis, I want the hairdressers, I want as many people from town to walk through the doors of this house,” Stasik said. “It’s bold, it’s brave and I just want to reconnect with people from all different venues of the community.”

To attend Big Backyard Bash, RSVP by visiting fhtaz.org/events/an-open-house/ or stop by the home of Val Stasik and Randy Beard at 11015 N. Inca Ave. Saturday, Oct. 7, between 4 and 10 p.m. The event is casual attire and families and children are welcome.

For more information, call 480-837-9661 or send an email to play@fhtaz.org.