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"Rapunzel" Opens
In response to a request from the City of Columbia to provide a Children's Theatre performance at the former Sara Nance Elementary School, CCT auditioned and produced "Rapunzel," by David Crane & Marta Kaufman. Performances: 7
Audience: 171 Cast: Scott Vaughan, Angie Price, Chris Hagans, Erika Wood, Damien Jones -
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Performances at Booker Washington Heights Cultural Arts Center
Our earliest performances were at the Booker Washington Heights Cultural Arts Center, managed by the City of Columbia Parks and Recreation Department. The Center served as an incubator facility for several arts groups including dance, theater, music, and writing organizations. Appropriately, the building was a converted elementary school, and we created a theater in the old cafetorium, which came complete with new carpet and a raised stage at one end of the room. -
"Go Dog, Go!" Opens
Written by Allison Gregory & Steven Dietz, with music by Michael Koerner.
The first "official" show of CCT's first season featured a live "orchestra" of keyboard, accordion, and kitchen utensil percussion. The show ran for 7 performances over 2 weekends and was seen by 697 people. -
"Frosty" Opens
Written by Alyn Cardarelli, Music by Steve Goers. Everyone's favorite frozen treat ushered in the 2005 holiday season on the Friday after Thanksgiving. Several performances with children rushing the stage to play in the "snow" as soon as the final note of the curtain call music had sounded! Frosty was seen by 783 people over 7 performances. -
"Rapunzel" Re-opens
We originally planned our first season without a show between "Frosty," which closed Dec. 3, and "Puss In Boots," which was set to open May 12. Feeling that five months was too long to go between shows, we re-mounted "Rapunzel," the show that started it all! This time around, the production ran for 7 performances over two weekends, and was seen by 487 audience members. -
"Puss In Boots" opens
Written by CCT Artistic Director Jerry Stevenson. A CCT world premiere production, Puss In Boots set the classic tale in a world reminiscent of Margaret Mitchell's Old South. The production ran for 7 performances and was seen by 361 people. -
"Hercules Saves the World" Opens
By Alyn Cardarelli, Music by Steve Goers Our second season opened with a hilarious mythological mash-up by the creators of last season's "Frosty." The production was seen by 397 people at 8 public performances over two weekends. This is the first production that featured 4 weekday matinee performances that were attended by 211 schoolchildren. -
"Cinderella" Opens
By Alyn Cardarelli, Music by Steve Goers 8 public performances were attended by 935 people.
4 weekday matinees were attended by 801 students. -
"Tales of a 4th Grade Nothing" Opens
By Bruce Mason 9 public performances had 547 audience members.
4 school matinees were attended by 683 students. -
"The Jungle King" opens
By Alyn Cardarelli, Music by Steve Goers Tarzan swung onto the stage and into our hearts in a hilarious production by the talented team of Cardarelli and Goers. -
"Junie B. Jones & A Little Monkey Business" Opens
Book, music, & lyrics by Joan Cushing The world's favorite kindergartner kicked off our third season with a production that broke our box office records up until this point: more than 2,000 people saw the show at 8 public and 4 school performances. We will never forget the final performance on September 30: almost 350 people lined up around the corner of the building, across the parking lot, and out to the street just to get tickets! -
"Frosty" Opens
Book & Music by Alyn Cardarelli, Music by Steve Goers.
Because many of our new audience members expressed regret at missing the original production of Frosty two seasons ago, we decided to bring him back. This time he was seen by more than 2,000 people over 12 performances; almost 3 times the number that saw him 2 years prior! -
"Sleeping Beauty" Opens
By Stephen DeCesar We put a little spin on the beloved fairy tale with a rock 'n' roll version that featured a boy band, a group of renegade fairies, and songs that ranged from country to hip hop and everything in between! -
"How I Became a Pirate" Opens
Book & Lyrcs by Alyn Carderelli. Music by Steve Goers. We set sail for adventure with a clever and catchy adaptation of SC native Melinda Long's beloved children's book. 2100 people saw the production at one of 12 performances. -
"Jack and the Beanstalk" Opens
In response to several daycares and summer camps looking for activities, we decided we to produce a summer production of Jack and the Beanstalk. Performed in the Commedia d'el Arte style, 4 actors played several characters each on a simple set that played 3 performances in our home theatre, and toured to schools throughout the state. -
"Miss Nelson Is Missing" Opens
Book, music, and lyrics by Joan Cushing. Based on the books by Harry Allard -
"The Snow Queen" Opens
Book & lyrics by Jerry Stevenson. Music by Alex Horton. Additional music by Dionne Hough Our first review from onstagecolumbia.com:
"...near perfect...Columbia is lucky to have the Columbia Children’s Theatre in our city... Stevenson’s writing is exceptional. He understands the genre and gives his cast a great opportunity to create fun characters, entertain children and adults, and hopefully continue to embrace live theatre audiences for generation to come. " -
"Bunnicula" Opens
By John Klein. Based on the Book by Deborah & James Howe. Just in time for Valentine's Day, a musical comedy about a cuddly bunny rabbit who is mistaken for a vampire. This hilarious production was staged in greyscale, with the exception of the main characters (a dog and cat) who were in color. This production was also the last that we performed in the Booker Washington Heights Cultural Arts Center, our home since 2005. -
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Performances take place at Richland Mall
The move to Richland Mall (formerly Midtown at Forest Acres) afforded us round-the-clock access to a dedicated theatre! We chose a former Limited Express store for our new home, and set about making it a working theatre. A more centralized location, covered parking garage, and round-the-clock security made us know that the move was the right thing to do. As a bonus, we finally had on-site costume and set storage, and could work late into the evening and on weekends if needed. -
"Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day" Opens
By Judith Viorst Our first show in our new theatre!!
"Alexander" marked the first production in our very own theatre space: a former Limited Express store in Midtown at Forest Acres Mall (aka Richland Mall). We had no stage, but created a proscenium at one end of the space with fabric and a handfull of 4x8 flats. Floor seating was created from interlocking foam gym mats that were being replaced at a local business. Brand new chairs for the adults were delivered only hours before opening night!
