Canton's new Cultural Center Theater will showcase local, regional and national performers

Ed Balint, The Repository
·4 min read

CANTON − Theatrical space once used by the Players Guild at the Cultural Center will now showcase different local performing arts groups, with plans for regional and national performers in the future.

"This is an incredibly exciting time at the Cultural Center," said David Whitehill, president and CEO of ArtsinStark. "We're opening this gem of a performance space to a variety of performing arts groups in Stark County for the very first time."

Theater space at the Cultural Center for the Arts was vacated when the Players Guild, a decades-old tenant, relocated to Kent State University at Stark in Jackson Township. The Players Guild moved in August, and is presenting its first production, "Million Dollar Quartet" at the campus this weekend.

Plays, musicals, children's productions and dance events are among the uses planned for what is being rebranded as the Cultural Center Theater, housed inside the Cultural Center for the Arts at 1001 Market Ave. N in the downtown Canton area, ArtsinStark announced in a news release.

"The theater will have a full calendar of concerts, performing arts events, music, theatre, dance, comedy and more," Whitehill said in a prepared statement.

The Cultural Center for the Arts building in downtown Canton houses the Canton Museum of Art and other arts-related organizations. Theater space formerly used by the Players Guild is being rebranded for use by local performing arts groups, with plans for hosting regional and national performers.
The Cultural Center for the Arts building in downtown Canton houses the Canton Museum of Art and other arts-related organizations. Theater space formerly used by the Players Guild is being rebranded for use by local performing arts groups, with plans for hosting regional and national performers.

Performances at Cultural Center will include 'Beauty and the Beast Jr.' and 'Annie The Musical'

Performances will begin with "Spring Awakening" at 8 p.m. Oct. 20, presented by Avenue Arts. The theater group's lease ended at its 207 Sixth St. NW space in Canton, and its programs are now based at the Cultural Center, Whitehill said.

Avenue Arts also will present "Beauty and the Beast Jr." from Nov. 4-6 at the Cultural Center Theater.

For show times and ticket information for the Avenue Arts productions, go to https://www.avenueartscanton.com/tickets. Avenue Arts also can be reached at 330-409-7595.

More:Players Guild move to KSU Stark opens with 'Million Dollar Quartet' and jukebox musical

Upcoming shows at the Cultural Center Theater also include the musical "Annie" on Nov. 11-13 and Nov. 18-20, presented by New Direction Performing Arts Academy.

For specific show times and to purchase tickets, visit https://ndpaa.ludus.com/index.php. New Direction Performing Arts Academy also can be reached at 330-391-1604.

New Direction "was created with the idea of bringing the arts to schools and communities who are lacking the programming and express a need to keep the arts in their students’ lives," Carrie Alexander Spina, the group's executive director, says on its website.

The full cast of "Annie" includes 47 students with representation from every school district in Stark County.

"When we were presented with the opportunity to produce a show at the Cultural Center Theater, we were so honored because the stage holds precious memories for my entire staff and me," Spina said in a news release on Thursday.

"We knew we needed to take this opportunity and really create something, not only spectacular but sentimental," she added.

More:Ohio stage premiere of 'The Shawshank Redemption' at Avenue Arts in Canton

Vox Audio's "Legends" concert in April featured the music of Frank Sinatra, Dolly Parton, Billy Joel, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and John Lennon. Vox Audio will be performing "BELIEVE" concerts on Dec. 17 and 18 on the Main Stage of the Cultural Center Theater.
Vox Audio's "Legends" concert in April featured the music of Frank Sinatra, Dolly Parton, Billy Joel, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and John Lennon. Vox Audio will be performing "BELIEVE" concerts on Dec. 17 and 18 on the Main Stage of the Cultural Center Theater.

Vox Audio singing group performing on Cultural Center Main Stage

Sing Stark! will hold Vox Audio "BELIEVE" concerts at 3 and 7 p.m. Dec. 17 and at 3 p.m. Dec. 18 on the Main Stage of the Cultural Center, said Carol Olson, director of Sing Stark!, which includes multiple singing groups. Ticket information will be available on Sing Stark's website in the near future.

Vox Audio is an a cappella group specializing in fresh and reimagined arrangements of popular pop, theater, rock and jazz songs. The group was partly inspired by the "Pitch Perfect" movie.

Avenue Arts Theatre in Canton premiered "The Shawshank Redemption" in Ohio last year. Avenue Arts will be holding performances at the Cultural Center for the Arts instead of its 207 Sixth St. NW location in Canton.
Avenue Arts Theatre in Canton premiered "The Shawshank Redemption" in Ohio last year. Avenue Arts will be holding performances at the Cultural Center for the Arts instead of its 207 Sixth St. NW location in Canton.

More:Canton-based choral group being established for LGBTQIA+ community and allied singers

The Cultural Center Theater includes both the Main Stage with 416 seats and the smaller, arena-style W.G. Fry Theater with 139 seats. There's also a lobby and green room.

Olson said this is the first time Sing Stark! has used theater space at the Cultural Center for a performance. Past performances by Vox Audio have been in the auditorium at GlenOak High School.

"We are hopeful that there will be the opportunity to make the (Cultural Center Main Stage) a permanent home for Vox Audio," Olson said.

"We are grateful for the opportunity to be performing on the Main Stage, and we are grateful to (ArtsinStark) for their continued support," she wrote in an email.

"Ghost: The Musical" was performed by the Players Guild Theatre in Canton earlier this year at the Cultural Center for the Arts. The Players Guild moved in August to Kent State University at Stark in Jackson Township. Theater space at the Cultural Center in downtown Canton is being rebranded as the Cultural Center Theater, which will showcase local performing arts groups.

ArtsinStark will begin booking theater spaces in January for more events

ArtsinStark, a 52-year-old nonprofit agency that promotes the arts in Stark County, oversees the Cultural Center for the Arts, which also houses the Canton Museum of Art and the offices of Sing Stark! and Canton Ballet.

ArtsinStark will begin booking the theater spaces in January, the news release said. A reservation inquiry form will be available on a revamped Cultural Center website later this fall. ArtsinStark will announce the new website on its social media pages when it's available.

Tours of the facility for those interested in booking the space will begin in January.

Reach Ed at 330-580-8315 and ebalint@gannett.com

On Twitter @ebalintREP

This article originally appeared on The Repository: New Cultural Center Theater to feature local plays, national artists