If you have spent much time at The CAM, there’s a good chance you’ve already met our new Executive Director – although you may remember him stranded on an island, running a chocolate factory, or trying to figure out what to do about a house full of murderous little old ladies! Meet Colin Dailey, the new Executive Director of The CAM.
Colin is certainly no stranger to The CAM stage. Audiences have seen him take on some memorable roles over the years, including Gilligan in Gilligan’s Island: The Musical, Willy Wonka in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, and Mortimer Brewster in Arsenic and Old Lace. Now, he’s taking on a brand-new role, one that may be his biggest challenge yet — helping The CAM continue to grow as a place where our entire community can gather, learn, create, celebrate, and connect.
As Executive Director, Colin will oversee event programming, business administration, community engagement, facility rentals, and other day-to-day operations while working alongside The CAM’s leadership, volunteers, performers, instructors, and community partners.
For Colin, the vision extends well beyond what happens on the stage. “I want to help build The CAM into a community-building platform in line with the revitalization of the area, with an array of regular cultural events and classes.” His long-term goal is even bigger, which is to help establish The CAM as a recognized cultural destination throughout our region and across Virginia.
Colin is originally from Beaumont, Texas, and spent much of his life between the Houston suburbs and Smithville, Texas. He later attended George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in History and became a first-generation college graduate. It was also at George Mason where he met his wife, Hannah.
In 2022, Colin and Hannah moved to Southwest Virginia to be closer to Hannah’s family while expecting their third child. Today, they are raising their three children here and have been busy putting down roots, quite literally, as the two have also taken on the adventure of DIY-renovating their home.
Interestingly, theatre wasn’t always part of Colin’s plan. Before becoming involved with The CAM, his theatre experience consisted mainly of a high school class taken for a fine arts credit. His background in communication instead came from a decade of competitive debate, first as a debater and later as a coach, achieving success at the national level in both roles. Professionally, Colin spent approximately eight years working in insurance claims, including boat and travel insurance, before making the leap into his new position at The CAM.
But anyone who has watched him command The CAM stage knows that somewhere along the way, theatre found him. Colin’s involvement in the community extends beyond The CAM. He has coached tee ball, youth basketball, and baseball, and he enjoys finding ways to be involved with his family and community. He’s also a runner and is currently planning to complete a marathon this fall, although, according to Colin, he “may never run again” afterward.
When he’s not working, running, coaching, acting, or renovating a house, you’ll likely find him cooking. He claims to make a solid chili and gumbo and describes himself as an “alright” campfire guitarist.
Colin’s arrival comes at an exciting time for The CAM. Since opening our doors, we’ve always believed The CAM could be more than a theatre. Yes, we love producing plays and musicals, but our larger vision has always been to create a place where people throughout our community can experience something, learn something, share something, and belong to something.
Colin will play an important role in expanding that vision. That means more opportunities for events, classes, workshops, rentals, partnerships, cultural programming, and creative ideas we may not have even thought of yet. And that’s where you come in! Do you have an idea for an event you’d love to see at The CAM? Is there a skill you could teach through a class or workshop? Would your organization like to partner with us? Are you looking for a unique venue for an upcoming event? Or have you simply been looking for a way to get involved?
Come talk to Colin.
His office hours are Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., and community members are encouraged to stop by and introduce themselves, share an idea, or learn more about opportunities at The CAM.
He can also be reached at 276-244-7121 or [email protected].
The CAM has always been built on people — the people who perform on our stage, sit in our audience, volunteer behind the scenes, bring their children to programs, teach classes, attend events, donate, dream big ideas, and believe that places like this matter in small communities.
We’re excited to have Colin helping lead us into this next chapter.
He’s survived Gilligan’s Island. He’s made it through Wonka’s chocolate factory. He even survived the Brewster family in Arsenic and Old Lace.
We think he’s ready to tackle his biggest role yet at The CAM!
Please join us in welcoming Colin Dailey, Executive Director of The CAM.
