Pump House Patron Reception honors producer and director Anne Drecktrah

La Crosse, WI, September 1, 2022 - An evening of food, friends, and fun brings together the community and family members to honor Anne Drecktrah. Anne will be honored with an entertaining evening of anecdotes, recollections, and memorable behind-the-scenes stories of the theater. 

The Patron Recognition Reception is a fundraiser for the arts where all proceeds go to the Pump House Regional Arts Center to help support their mission of enriching lives in the La Crosse region and beyond through visual, performing and literary arts.  

Originally from West Salem, WI, Anne Drecktrah spent nearly 24 years in Los Angeles, CA as a production assistant and then as a producer, mostly in television documentaries. Anne has worked for the Discovery Channel and the History Channel, among others. Anne produced three episodes for the PBS series Nova, and worked on three versions of Carl Sagan’s “Cosmos.” 

Anne directed at least one play a year in Los Angeles, and while studying at Penn State and Festival in Charleston, South Carolina and the Aegean Institute in Greece. Anne also directed at High Mowing, New Hampshire, Albuquerque Civic Light Opera, and locally in Winona, Minnesota UMass-Amherst. She expanded her directing resume at the renowned Spoleto. 

Returning to her Wisconsin home in 2003, Anne taught Film and Theater Appreciation at Viterbo University and at UW-La Crosse. She also directed plays at the Pump House, UW-La Crosse, and La Crosse Community Theatre. She is a long-time member of the Pump House Film Society.  

In February 2017, Anne co-founded The “Alternative Truth” Project, along with Susan Fox and Diane Breeser. For two years, ATP presented monthly play readings reflecting social and political topics. The group received a special recognition from the MLK Community Celebration Committee “for advancing Dr. King’s mission through theater that promotes understanding and community engagement during times of increased divisiveness and intolerance.” 

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Anne networked with her filmmaker friends around the world to create, develop, and produce SANATIONE: A Time For Healing, a series of short videos. The online episodes highlight how artists, dancers, writers, students, musicians and others coped during the months of lockdowns and social distancing. Along with several people from the La Crosse area, other storytellers and film makers involved in SANATIONE are from Afghanistan, India, Croatia, Sri Lanka, Wales, Sweden. Israel, and more. Learn more online at www.sanatione.iyms.org . 

In addition to the Pump House, Anne supports several cultural organizations such as the La Crosse Public Library, the La Crosse County Historical Society, and the La Crosse Dance Centre.  

Join us at the Pump House Regional Arts Center on Saturday, September 10, 2022, 5:30 pm, as we honor director and supporter of the Arts, Anne Drecktrah. 

Tickets on sale now, $45/person until 09/03/2022, $55/person thereafter available online at www.thepumphouse.org, by phone, 608-785-1434, or in person at 119 King Street, La Crosse, WI 54601.

Past Pump House Patron Reception Honorees include:

2010 – Dick Record

2011 – Martha Schwem

2012 – Wilma Scheffner

2013 – Lisbeth and Dick Reynertson

2014 – Donald Smith

2015 – Gail Cleary

2016 – Susan Fox and Lee Rasch

2017 – Charlotte and Roger Grant

2018 – Eva Marie and Todd Restel

2019 – Wendy and Mark Mattison 

Unable to attend the gala but still want to make a donation to the Pump House Regional Arts Center? Donations accepted in person, by phone 608-785-1434 or online at www.thepumphouse.org