60
Arts
May 2 - May 15, 2015
www.SanTanSun.com
Copperstar, Higley Center team up for ‘Les Miserables’ BY MEGHAN MCCOY
Higley Center for the Performing Arts has given Chandler’s Copperstar Repertory Co. yet another chance for a comeback by providing a theater space for its production of “Les Miserables.” Copperstar has faced a number of hardships after Mary-Jo Okawa, the theater company’s founder and artistic producing director, and her family watched their garage go up in flames two years ago. The three-car space had been converted into a scene shop, which held all of the costumes and props. “The fire started in the garage and they never discovered how,” Okawa said. “My husband heard a big bang, which he thought was a gunshot. He went outside to see what was happening and our garage exploded. It had been burning for a while.” The house was a complete loss and demolished. For the next 10 months, the family lived in hotels and temporary housing until their house was rebuilt. Consequently, the night of the fire, Copperstar was set to hold auditions for “The Wizard of Oz.” The family showed up for the tryouts as is—complete with soot on their faces and hands. That resulted in a sea of support. Okawa received many gifts and was nominated for CBS 5’s “Pay It Forward” award. Community theaters opened their warehouses for costumes and props.
However, the hardships have snowballed. “In hindsight, it might have been wise to have taken a break when the fire happened because the years that followed have been very difficult and heartbreaking,” she said. “But truthfully, without Copperstar to keep us going and give us a bigger picture to focus on, I believe this time of our lives would have been even more difficult.” The Okawas extended their credit and used up retirement and savings accounts as well as their children’s college funds to keep Copperstar going. By October 2014, the family was upside down, and they finally Copperstar Repertory Co. is bringing “Les Miserables” to the Higley Center for the Performing Arts. Submitted photo accepted defeat, thanks to the ongoing expense of rent for Higley Center for the Performing musical theater.” a studio and shop. Okawa said she Arts Operations Manager Robert Zucker The partnership began five years ago found someone to rent the studio, but wanted to help Copperstar and his when Copperstar was a fledgling theater Copperstar is still paying rent on a nearly facility at the same time. company looking for a home. Higley 3,000-square-foot shop. “I sat down with Mary-Jo Okawa Center housed Copperstar for three To make money, Okawa has been and talked about the realities,” he years before it moved into the Mesa Arts selling Copperstar’s costumes, sets and said. “She is an artistic director. I am a Center. props. business man. We have different views Zucker said he kept tabs on “Beginning Copperstar as I did—with of putting on a performance and I think Copperstar because of its work with kids no training or background in nonprofit— the two of us working together will have and the public. Higley Center attracts created a sort of snowball effect,” she much better results. That is what this the same audience. said. “We started out with nothing, is all about...me helping them with the so we were always a show behind business operations and them restoring SEE LES MISERABLES PAGE 66 financially.” Actual Spectrum Residents
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