About CenterStage Theatre Company...
mission statement
CenterStage Theatre Company creates artistic productions and programs that enlighten, educate, and entertain our community. We inspire and nurture a passion for the performing arts by providing opportunities for all ages and abilities.
Organization Overview
"CenterStage's dedication both to educating and empowering youth and to the Front Range theatre scene is undeniable." - Boulder Weekly
CenterStage Theatre Company is the theatre place for Boulder and Louisville's kids, youth, and emerging artists. CSTC is dedicated to extending quality theatre to the Colorado community—especially in Boulder County.
CenterStage Theatre Company (CenterStage) houses both a high-quality educational youth theatre and a unique special needs-focused company that showcases diversity through drama. Based in Boulder County, CenterStage serves students and audiences throughout the greater metro area.
The youth program of CenterStage provides theatre classes, workshops, and productions to a wide array of students from elementary to early college. During our 20-year history, we have produced over 70 full-scale musical productions, often at the Dairy Arts Center in Boulder, Louisville Middle School or the Louisville Center for the Arts. In 2018, we opened our own 70 seat Black Box Theatre at our facility in downtown Louisville.
Tapestry Theatre, our program devoted to special needs empowerment, casts actors ages 10-adult with varying special needs (including intellectual, physical, and autism spectrum) in primary roles alongside actors without special needs as peer ensemble. Lead actors and ensemble members are partnered during the rehearsal and performance process. Tapestry's focus is to put special needs students in the forefront, utilizing their gifts to the fullest.
CSTC staff members have successfully delivered productions by and for Boulder County emerging artists and youth for 10 years with performances at Boulder's Dairy Center for the Arts, Louisville Arts Center, and various other locations in and around Louisville and Boulder, Colorado.
CenterStage Theatre Company is the theatre place for Boulder and Louisville's kids, youth, and emerging artists. CSTC is dedicated to extending quality theatre to the Colorado community—especially in Boulder County.
CenterStage Theatre Company (CenterStage) houses both a high-quality educational youth theatre and a unique special needs-focused company that showcases diversity through drama. Based in Boulder County, CenterStage serves students and audiences throughout the greater metro area.
The youth program of CenterStage provides theatre classes, workshops, and productions to a wide array of students from elementary to early college. During our 20-year history, we have produced over 70 full-scale musical productions, often at the Dairy Arts Center in Boulder, Louisville Middle School or the Louisville Center for the Arts. In 2018, we opened our own 70 seat Black Box Theatre at our facility in downtown Louisville.
Tapestry Theatre, our program devoted to special needs empowerment, casts actors ages 10-adult with varying special needs (including intellectual, physical, and autism spectrum) in primary roles alongside actors without special needs as peer ensemble. Lead actors and ensemble members are partnered during the rehearsal and performance process. Tapestry's focus is to put special needs students in the forefront, utilizing their gifts to the fullest.
CSTC staff members have successfully delivered productions by and for Boulder County emerging artists and youth for 10 years with performances at Boulder's Dairy Center for the Arts, Louisville Arts Center, and various other locations in and around Louisville and Boulder, Colorado.
HISTORY of centerstage/ TAPESTRY
CenterStage Theatre Company (CSTC) is a Louisville-based youth theatre company that was founded in 1999. Founders Jeanie Balch, Karen Brown and Amy Austin saw the need to expand musical theatre programming for youth in Boulder County. The opportunity arose to partner with Coal Creek Community Theatre in Louisville, and together they produced the show Sneakers, with an elementary school and middle school aged cast. This group of young actors formed a nucleus of talented performers that continued with CenterStage for many years. CenterStage began producing shows independently, and the consistent growth of youth constituents and performances every year since has affirmed the belief that there was and still is need for this type of programming.
In 2004, CSTC received nonprofit status. During the following years, CenterStage has produced over 70 full-scale musical productions, often at Louisville Middle School, Louisville Center for the Arts, or the Dairy Arts Center in Boulder, and starting in Spring 2018, at our own Black Box Theatre in downtown Louisville. As interest and need arose, we added different types of productions, camps and classes that targeted specific age groups: middle school, elementary school, high school/early college, and an emerging artists program for actors’ college age and older.
In 2012 CSTC established a new program, Tapestry Theatre, which cast actors with cognitive disabilities in primary roles — and actors without disabilities as peer ensemble. Lead actors and ensemble members are partnered during the rehearsals and performance process. Tapestry's focus is to put students with disabilities in the forefront, utilizing their gifts to the fullest. In 2015 Tapestry expanded its programming to include performance opportunities for adults with cognitive disabilities by adding a Tapestry All Ages show.
In 2004, CSTC received nonprofit status. During the following years, CenterStage has produced over 70 full-scale musical productions, often at Louisville Middle School, Louisville Center for the Arts, or the Dairy Arts Center in Boulder, and starting in Spring 2018, at our own Black Box Theatre in downtown Louisville. As interest and need arose, we added different types of productions, camps and classes that targeted specific age groups: middle school, elementary school, high school/early college, and an emerging artists program for actors’ college age and older.
In 2012 CSTC established a new program, Tapestry Theatre, which cast actors with cognitive disabilities in primary roles — and actors without disabilities as peer ensemble. Lead actors and ensemble members are partnered during the rehearsals and performance process. Tapestry's focus is to put students with disabilities in the forefront, utilizing their gifts to the fullest. In 2015 Tapestry expanded its programming to include performance opportunities for adults with cognitive disabilities by adding a Tapestry All Ages show.
Recent programs, the pandemic & New leadership
Like many arts organizations, the pandemic was not easy for CenterStage. Shuttered for much of 2020, the company slowly worked to maximize all opportunities beginning at the end of 2020. First offering online classes alongside several virtual productions including She Kills Monsters (high school), Annie Kids (elementary), and The Theory of Relativity (high school). Then, due to the close proximity of an outdoor amphitheater (The Steinbaugh Pavilion), CenterStage offered several live outdoor productions including 13, The Musical (middle school; spring 2021), and then an array of summer 2021 offerings including Pirates Past Noon and Annie Kids (elementary), Fame Jr. (middle school) and finally the fully produced 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (high school and early college). We were proud to be part of a global effort in the fall or 2021 to produce a musical theatre revue called All Together Now featuring our talented teen artists. We were excited to ramp things up in 2022 with an elementary school production of Seussical Jr and a middle school production of Grease. While Tapestry Theatre was forced to stay shuttered from spring 2021 to summer 2022 (due to the sensitive health of its population), their first production in over two years, Cinderella, performed to critical acclaim at the Dairy Center in the summer of 2022.
CenterStage was excited to offer 8 successful productions in the summer of 2022.
Undaunted by the challenges of the pandemic and galvanized by the success of the spring and summer programs, the board took the unprecedented step of hiring their first FT staff person in veteran arts administrator Steve Wilson. Steve took the helm as Executive Artistic Director in August 2021, bringing 26 years of non-profit arts experience to the organization. Steve ran the Mizel Arts and Culture Center and was a central figure in the SCFD reauthorization effort. Along with part-time administrator Christina Monsolino, these key administrative employees are central to the future growth of CenterStage.
Given the success of recent programs as well as the hiring of a new leader, we are optimistic for strong growth in the post-pandemic environment.
CenterStage was excited to offer 8 successful productions in the summer of 2022.
Undaunted by the challenges of the pandemic and galvanized by the success of the spring and summer programs, the board took the unprecedented step of hiring their first FT staff person in veteran arts administrator Steve Wilson. Steve took the helm as Executive Artistic Director in August 2021, bringing 26 years of non-profit arts experience to the organization. Steve ran the Mizel Arts and Culture Center and was a central figure in the SCFD reauthorization effort. Along with part-time administrator Christina Monsolino, these key administrative employees are central to the future growth of CenterStage.
Given the success of recent programs as well as the hiring of a new leader, we are optimistic for strong growth in the post-pandemic environment.
Testimonials
From parents:
"My child enjoyed making new friends and seeing how the production all came together the best. He also really, really thought all of the directors were great!"
"I love CenterStage. It's more collegial/friendly than some of the school-based drama programs in terms of feeling inclusive/welcoming/non-competitive."
"My daughter has always done [shows with a different theatre company] in the past but preferred CenterStage because she said she learned more."
From our actors:
"I loved everything about the show, especially seeing people who I knew did theater join CenterStage! The play was definitely stepped up on all levels, including dancing, singing, costumes, and sets... I was sad when it was over (as always)."
"I loved working with the directors! They seemed so passionate about what they are doing. They really brought us all together as a cast."
"Everything was extremely organized, which I really appreciate."
From parents:
"My child enjoyed making new friends and seeing how the production all came together the best. He also really, really thought all of the directors were great!"
"I love CenterStage. It's more collegial/friendly than some of the school-based drama programs in terms of feeling inclusive/welcoming/non-competitive."
"My daughter has always done [shows with a different theatre company] in the past but preferred CenterStage because she said she learned more."
From our actors:
"I loved everything about the show, especially seeing people who I knew did theater join CenterStage! The play was definitely stepped up on all levels, including dancing, singing, costumes, and sets... I was sad when it was over (as always)."
"I loved working with the directors! They seemed so passionate about what they are doing. They really brought us all together as a cast."
"Everything was extremely organized, which I really appreciate."