Local Woman Voted as Stoneham Theatre Board Member

[Editor's note: The informaton below derives from a Stoneham Theatre press statement.]

Longtime Stoneham resident Priscilla Gottwald recently joined ’s Board of Directors, and she is no stranger to this kind of venture. 

Not only was she past president of the Reading-North Reading Chamber of Commerce, North Reading Rotary Club, Communications Division of the Municipal Electric Association of Massachusetts and a member of the Wilmington School and Business Partnership, but she also continues to serve on these along with several other boards.

“People in town are proud that Stoneham has a theatre and the excitement it brings to the downtown,” Gottwald said in the statement. “It’s great to see people from here and surrounding communities milling around, going to the downtown restaurants, enjoying the shows and concerts. I wanted to be involved.” 

Since 2001, Gottwald has served as the public relations manager at the Reading Municipal Light Department.  

Gottwald got into public relations because of her interest in people and wanting to be involved in the community. Her interest in theatre developed when her daughter, Erin, was a student at Boston Ballet. 

“When I would bring my daughter to the Clarendon Street studio and to ballet rehearsals at the Wang Center, I caught the excitement of theatre,” Gottwald said in the statement. “I missed the hustle and bustle of auditions, dress rehearsals, back stage activity, publicity and finally seeing the production. I am enjoying it all over again.”

Soon after approaching Stoneham Theatre board member Beth McNelis, Gottwald found herself getting invited to dress rehearsals and events. Now that she is a board member, Gottwald couldn’t be happier. 

“I thought I had something to offer the board in terms of public relations, networking and my experience in event planning and fund raising events,” Gottwald said in the statement. “I wanted to be part of Stoneham Theatre and do what I could to spread the word to other communities and to work with the staff in accomplishing this. I hold the theatre in high esteem. Everyone at the theatre was extremely welcoming.”

Gottwald and her husband Fred have lived in Stoneham since 1980 and are the parents of five grown children.