Broadway comes to Centerville!

Centerville High School Theatre wants to bring native Daytonian Susan Blackwell and her fellow original castmate from [title of show] - Heidi Blickenstaff - to Dayton, Ohio. This fall, Centerville High School will produce the one of the first midwestern productions of the apropos edition of [title of show]. This incredible show that traveled from the New York Music Theatre Festival all the way to Broadway on the strength of four chairs and a keyboard (and a spectacular cast of four) will be performed September 28-29, 2012 at Centerville High School. 

The production will be screened for inclusion at the International Thespian Festival, held in Lincoln, NE in June 2013. Having successfully brought full productions to the Ohio State Conference over the last three years (Lucky Stiff in 2010, The Dining Room in 2011, and Urinetown in 2012), CHS is looking to attend this prestigious festival with a fresh, new show sure to be a huge crowd pleaser.

As part of the process of producing the show, we would like to bring Susan and Heidi in to provide the incredible "Die, Vampire, Die!" workshop for the students of Centerville High School. (For more info on the workshop, check out http://www.susanblackwell.com/WorkshopInfo.html.) The students will also participate in a Q&A session with Susan and Heidi about the creation of new works, carrying a show all the way from a festival to broadway, and anything else they feel like asking questions about. This promises to be a truly life changing experience for the students of Centerville High School! 

In addition, Susan and Heidi will spend time working with CHS Theatre's cast of [title of show], allowing them time to craft characters with two of the original contributors and cast members of the musical. 

Testimonials from the "Die, Vampire, Die" Workshops...


 - The workshop rocked epicly. –Brianna, 16

 - One of the most amazing experiences of my life! –Sarah, 15

 - I walked into the studio as one person and came out another. –Nick, 24

 - Your workshop pulls all of our crazy dreams into reach and makes them accessible, one word at a time. –Dee, 24

 - I'm still on Cloud 9! –Ken, 52 

We would love your support in making this dream come true for our program.

Through fundraising and donations, we have already secured $2000 to pay for a portion of the workshop fees. The additional $3200 from this Kickstarter will provide financial support to cover the cost of transportation for both Heidi and Susan from NYC to Dayton. It will also cover the remainder of the workshop fees. 

About our program 

Centerville High School Theatre has grown incredibly in the last five years. The CHS theatre curriculum is taught by two full time theatre teachers. Multiple acting and directing classes range from introductory to Honors level. The two period per day technical theatre program is part of the Career Education Department at the high school and is affiliated with Sinclair College, enabling students to earn college credit for their work at CHS. In addition to (and separate from) these classes, the department annually produces at least four mainstage productions (five in 2012-2013), two fully produced student shows, and three other major performances throughout the year. Students not only act and sing in these productions, but they execute all technical aspects of the show. Furthermore, CHS students completely run STAGE, the student theatre group at the high school. STAGE produces two shows and provides additional theatrical opportunities throughout the year, including participation in the International Thespian Society’s Trick Or Treat So Kids Can Eat (T.O.T.S.EAT) program each Halloween. 

The theatre faculty work closely each year with the Centerville Schools choral, band, and orchestra teachers, as well as Centerville High School’s dance instructor on various elements of the productions. 

The CHS theatre program also provides all technical support for three major CHS dance concerts each year and countless concerts and smaller productions throughout the year. They also support community events, summer recitals, and other events taking place in the Centerville Schools Performing Arts Center. 

Ohio Educational Theatre Association 

CHS Theatre has been consistently recognized by the Ohio Educational Theatre Association through performances of featured full length shows at the state conference and many technicians and performers receiving superior ratings in Individual Events at the state conference. Also, nine CHS Theatre students have participated in All-Ohio productions over the last three years. 

High School DayTony Program 

CHS has also received recognition for its students through the High School DayTony program, with numerous performers, designers, and technicians being recognized with Awards of Merit and Excellence. In the first three years of the HS DayTony program, CHS has been recognized with multiple awards for Best Overall High School Production - The Ladies Man, Rabbit Hole, and Urinetown (2012); All Shook Up and The Diary of Anne Frank (2011); 42nd Street (2010); and You're a Good Man Charlie Brown and Once Upon a Mattress (2009). 

For more information about Centerville High School Theatre, visit Centerville HS Theatre. 

For photos of previous productions, courtesy of Barry Burtenshaw, and to see how the level of theatre at CHS has grown, visit Centerville HS Theatre Photos.

Kickstarter video created by CHS Theatre Student Megan Frazier.