Georgia Paxos has been the executive director of the Canton Palace Theatre Association for almost two decades and enjoys the diversity of events featured at the Palace because it “ensures that no day is the same.”
While she is from the East Coast, Paxos, 47, is a perfect fit for Canton because she has loved professional football since childhood.
She is originally from the Washington, D.C., area, but now resides in North Canton with her husband of almost 22 years, Mike, and two sons — Kostas, 20, and Minas, 19, and their 6½-year-old French bulldog, Maximus.
She graduated from George Mason University in Virginia, with a degree in business administration in communications, after which she went to work in the event planning field, working with nonprofits and government contractors in the Washington area.
“After getting married and moving to Canton in 2003, I continued along that path working for Ernst & Young in their events department and at the Kent State Conference Center,” she said. “In June of 2007, I was approached by a board member of the Palace. I was asked if I would be interested in applying for their executive director position. Almost 18 years later, I continue to treasure the opportunity to lead this organization and to do my part to ensure the longevity of the Canton Palace Theatre for generations to come.”
What are a few of your favorite things about being the executive director at the Canton Palace Theatre?
I am inspired by the almost 150 volunteers who help us facilitate our events in the concession stand, in the box office and those who serve on our board. Their dedication and countless hours helping the Canton Palace Theatre is a constant reminder of the special meaning this building has for our community.
Our staff is small in numbers, but we come together and produce some incredible events. Ultimately, knowing that the Canton Palace Theatre provides diverse programming options for our community, which in turn provides a significant economic impact to this area, is why I love doing what I do.
Do you prefer live performances, author talks or movies when it comes to entertaining the community?
Every performance is unique, and I love the different aspects of all of them. We’ve been able to host some amazing concerts with a wide range of artists who have appealed to every part of our community. Standing in the back of the theater during a sold-out concert, watching everyone standing, enjoying the performance is one of my greatest joys.
But also watching children come into the theater to watch a movie during our Summer Kids series or our Sensory Cinema showings and knowing that it might be their first-ever movie in a theater, and that core memory is happening inside the Canton Palace Theatre is also why I love what I do.
I typically don’t “fan girl” over many of the performers, but when former Washington quarterback Doug Williams came to the Palace to talk as part of the Stark Library Author Series/Black College Hall of Fame events, I was a total fan girl. Knowing how important he was to my childhood, my love of professional football and that I was able to welcome him to the Palace, as executive director, made it a full circle moment.
Since you work in the entertainment field, what do you do when you have downtime from your work?
For over 17 years, you would have found me on the sideline of a soccer field year-round, watching both of my boys play. Now you’ll only find me there during the fall watching Kostas’ play for the Walsh men’s soccer team.
I am a member of St. Haralambos Greek Orthodox Church, and I volunteer my time assisting with the annual Canton Greek Fest, seasonal Canton Greek Fish Fry, and the St. Haralambos Hellenic Dancers. My family enjoys traveling, especially to Greece, visiting family and exploring all the sites and good eats in the different locations.
Would you rather win millions of dollars in the lottery or work at what you consider your perfect job?
Currently, those two things are potentially related to each other!
The Palace 100 Project (www.cantonpalace100.com) is a little over halfway funded, with approximately $8 million left to raise and winning the lottery would help me get that project started ASAP, which would make my position as executive director even more exciting, to say the least.
One for fun: What is the most daring thing you have ever done?
This question made me realize that I am probably not an adventurous person! I did zip line across the inside of a cruise ship, though, while on vacation with my family in 2018. Everyone else in the family did it, so I had no choice … ha!
I would do it again, because I am pretty sure my eyes were closed the whole time, and I may or may not have been screaming for a portion of the ride, too.
Editor’s note: Five questions with … is a Sunday feature that showcases a member of the Stark County community. If you’d like to recommend someone to participate, send an email to newsroom@cantonrep.com.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Meet Georgia Paxos, who keeps the Canton Palace Theatre entertaining the community
Reporting by Patricia Faulhaber, Canton Repository / The Repository
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