56
Arts
June 1 – 14, 2013
www.SanTanSun.com
Copperstar theater feeling ‘blessed’ after September 2012 fire
CELEBRATING SEUSS: Copperstar Repertory Co. performed “Seussical” in 2011 at the Higley Center for the Performing Arts. Submitted photo By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
The last 12 months have been bittersweet for the founders of Chandler-based Copperstar Repertory Co. On Sept. 4, 2012, a fire ripped through the home of Mary-Jo and Dave Okawa, destroying the company’s scene and costume shops as well as offices. Also lost in the fire were all of Copperstar’s tools, building materials, many props, fabric, trims and costumes, sewing machines and other equipment necessary to stage musical theater. But Mary-Jo Okawa, the founder and artistic director, says if it wasn’t for the love of the community—both the Copperstar family and area residents—her family wouldn’t have been able to make it through. “Honestly, we were blessed to keep moving forward,” Okawa says.
“If we were to sit still and think about it too long too, it would be devastating. It’s still pretty devastating. We’re still not back in our house. We don’t know if anything was able to be saved.” Copperstar Repertory Co. “really saved us,” she says. The Okawas, whose children are also involved in the theater, just kept moving forward. “We had to do ‘Wizard of Oz’ immediately afterward,” she says. “It was the first night of rehearsals that the house burned down. We kept going. It helps us because that’s really our family; our community is Copperstar.” Now Okawa says she feels that Copperstar is on the cusp of something big. “Things are really starting to move for us,” she says. “It’s hard to start any nonprofit or any business, really, but in a down economy like in 2008, it was difficult. It’s been an uphill battle. “I really feel like we’re turning a corner and things are really changing for us.” Earlier this year, Copperstar was nominated for a Governor’s Arts Award for Arts in Education, Organization, along with the Phoenix Symphony, OpendanceAZ in Phoenix, UAPresents in Tucson and other groups. It also received a “really substantial” grant from the Arizona Community Foundation for its summer programs, Okawa says. Copperstar’s summer camp programs begin June 3 and they are open to children throughout the Valley. There are three sessions: June 3-14, June 17-28 and July 8-19. For more information, visit copperstarcamps.com or call 480-699-1655. The participating students will perform “Honk Jr. (The Ugly Duckling Musical)” on June 13; “Disney’s Little Mermaid Jr.” on June 28 and “Disney’s High School Musical Jr.” on July 18. Scholarships and sibling discounts are available. This fall, Copperstar is also preparing to enter its
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sixth season, for which the company will move away from the Higley Center for the Performing Arts and into the Tempe Center for the Arts and the Mesa Arts Center. “We’re going to divide our season between those two venues,” Okawa says. “That’s really fun and different. They’re more centrally located and we’re hoping that’s going to be much better for us. “We work really hard and we’re really proud of what we do. When we look at the list of accomplishments as we gather everything to write grants, we’re really proud of it. We’ve done 15 major shows and over 2,500 people have been involved. About 38,000 people have seen our shows—that’s just in five years. We’re still going.” Christina Fuoco-Karasinski is the editor of the SanTan Sun News. She can be reached at christina@santansun.com.
A REVOLUTION: “Les Miserables School Edition” cast shown on stage at the Mesa Arts Center earlier this year. Submitted photo
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