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H8615
2026 -- H 8615
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LC003540
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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H O U S E R E S O L U T I O N
CONGRATULATING J. L. "LYNN" SINGLETON ON HIS RETIREMENT AS PRESIDENT
AND CEO OF THE PROVIDENCE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER (PPAC) AND
THANKING HIM FOR THE SUCCESS THAT HAS BEEN ACHIEVED UNDER HIS
LEADERSHIP
Introduced By:
Representatives Shekarchi, Blazejewski, Carson, Chippendale, Kazarian,
Kennedy, Ajello, Shallcross Smith, Tanzi, and Bennett
Date Introduced:
June 04, 2026
Referred To:
House read and passed
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WHEREAS, J. L. "Lynn" Singleton joined the Providence Performing Arts Center as
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Executive Director in May of 1983, and under his renowned leadership, transformed it from near
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bankruptcy into one of the foremost not-for-profit theatres in North America, and currently the
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second largest theatre of its kind in New England, with a seating capacity of 3,100; and
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WHEREAS, Over the course of Mr. Singleton’s forty-three tenure with PPAC, the
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number of events at the venue have more than tripled and attendance has increased to over
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350,000 patrons annually; and
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WHEREAS, Through Mr. Singleton’s vision and thriving fundraising, PPAC has
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regained its historic splendor, and through a nearly $8 million stagehouse expansion project,
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amazing shows such as The Phantom of the Opera, Disney’s Beauty & the Beast, Disney’s The
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Lion King, Wicked, Les Misérables, Tina - The Tina Turner Musical, A Beautiful Noise: The
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Neil Diamond Musical, and Jersey Boys, to name but a few, have been performed to the delight
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of audiences from Rhode Island and throughout New England, with a total of 24 national tours
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launched or opened at PPAC since 2008; and
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WHEREAS, PPAC is located in the heart of Providence’s arts and entertainment district,
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and has consistently delivered an economic boost to the City of Providence and the State of
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Rhode Island; and
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WHEREAS, Upon his retirement from PPAC, Mr. Singleton will remain in his current
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position as President and CEO of Professional Facilities Management (PFM), Inc., which has
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contracts with 10 venues in 6 states; and
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WHEREAS, Throughout his career, Mr. Singleton has earned a plethora of awards and
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recognitions including Providence Business News “Driving Force” designation in the Rhode
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Island business community in 2011, 2016, and 2021. He has also received Trinity Repertory
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Company’s Pell Award for Outstanding Leadership in the Arts in 2012, the John Hazen White,
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Sr. Leadership in the Arts Award in 2018, the inaugural Providence Renaissance Award for
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Highest Achievement in the Arts, was inducted into The Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame in
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2023, and was a WaterFire Providence Fireball Honoree for Civic Impact in 2025. He is also a
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voting member of the Tony Awards, and received an Emmy Award for Best Art Direction for a
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Variety or Music Program for the play Peter Pan; and
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WHEREAS, Lynn Singleton has been acknowledged for his “outstanding vision and
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leadership, which paved the way for PPAC to build on its previous foundation to become the
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highly respected world-class venue that it is today” and while certainly well-deserved, his
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retirement is an immeasurable loss to the Arts in Rhode Island; now, therefore be it
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RESOLVED, That this House of Representatives of the State of Rhode Island hereby
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congratulates Lynn Singleton on the occasion of his retirement as President and CEO of PPAC.
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We moreover wholeheartedly thank him for his years of dedication and for the success he has
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brought to the arts, and the acclaim he has brought to our State; and be it further
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RESOLVED, That the Secretary of State be and hereby is authorized and directed to
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transmit a duly certified copy of this resolution to Mr. J. L. "Lynn" Singleton.
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