home base in the early and mid-1990s. And it was eight years since its last production, “On Golden Pond,” was staged there. For the past two decades, WaCPAC has existed as a nomadic enterprise, going from churches and vacant buildings and staging summer children’s theater musicals at the Wooster High School Performing Arts Center. That changes with “The King and I”. “I always liked it here. It feels comfortable,” Karger said. “It’s wonderful to be able to rehearse and perform in the same place.” And while the Barbertonbased Magical Theatre Co. will continue to hold acting classes for tweens, WaCPAC now will offer Saturday classes for younger students. “It’s a mutually beneficial relationship,” said Davis, conceding that the center has over the years “struggled to flesh out a theater program.” Music ensembles also will be returning. Noting that the WCA had a children’s choir years ago, Fox said he is ready to restart a choral program and will start with an honors choir concept. Local vocal music instructors will be asked, “Who are the kids who want more? Who are the kids you can’t give enough to?” The program would start with the middle and high school programs, he said, and then work back to young singers. “We’ve been trying to grapple,” Fox said, “with what that’s going to look like.” Still, Fox acknowledges the arts center also is a business and will continue to find ways to generate revenue to support all the programs, including those that are popular, though not always profitable. The auditorium in which WaCPAC will rehearse and stage its upcoming musical, is scheduled for a renovation which will include a carry-in (though not commercial) warming kitchen, as well as an additional bathroom.
support its artist members. And, she added, “if you want to be in our shows, you have to come to our meetings.” The group did its own show at Heartland this year. Then Shie got a phone call. “(Fox) says to me, ‘I hear you need a place to have an art show. We want you back at the arts center’,” she said. While the summer 2020 show already is contracted with Heartland Point, Shie said future shows will move to the Wooster facility, though she doesn’t rule out maintaining a relationship >>> Continued on page 18 with Heartland, which has in the past featured individual WAGE artists in solo shows. The juried show, which opened in both arts center galleries in January, was well received and will continue in addition to, not in place of, the WAGE exhibition. Shie, whose art has been featured in shows both locally and abroad, said Fox “has heart. He’s the real McCoy in what you hope to have in an arts center director. Linda Karger agreed with Shie’s assessment. A long-time member and board member of WaCPAC, Karger currently is directing the nonprofit’s production of “The King & I,” which will open Jan. 4 at the WCA and continue with performances on Jan. 5, 10, 11 and 12. And like Shie, Fox reached out to Karger and several other WaCPAC board members about coming back to the WCA. Paintings by local artist Margaret Freed recently were on display in one It’s been years since the community theater organization was formally affiliated with the arts center, which had been its of the galleries at the Wayne Center for the Arts. 44691 | NOVEMB ER/DE CEMBE R 2 019
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