Center Stage collects shoes for needy
By Becky Barclay
Published in News on April 3, 2011 1:50 AM
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News-Argus/MICHAEL BETTS
Cinderella, portrayed by Booke Hackman, and Prince Charming, portrayed by Jim Grant, greet Amber Zimmerman, 7, at Waynesborough Historical Village for a tea party, chat and carriage ride. Center Stage will perform "Cinderella" April 15-17.
In addition to giving Wayne County a good musical with their production of "Cinderella," members of Center Stage Theatre wanted to do more.
So they are having a shoe drive called "Shoes for the Soul."
The drive was the brainchild of director Cathy Stelly.
"My theme from the very beginning of this production has been the glass slipper," she said. "Cinderella loses a slipper and that's what causes everything. To follow that theme, we decided to do this shoe drive."
Center Stage's choreographer and publicity person went to Wayne County's schools and found out how many children at each school were homeless. They found out shoe sizes, too.
Cast members drop off shoes when they go to rehear-sals. Several of the cast have set up shoe donation boxes at their places of employment and their co-workers are donating shoes, too.
And at each performance of "Cinderella" boxes will be available for those attending the shows to take gently used or new shoes to donate.
"If we get enough shoes for the children and have some left over, we will donate the extras to WAGES' Dress for Success program, Habitat for Humanity and Goodwill," Ms. Stelly said.
Shoes can be dressy or casual. They can be sneakers or flip flops. All sizes are needed for children, as well as for adults.
"For Center Stage, we're a nonprofit organization, we don't have a lot of money, but we just like going out there and giving our shows to the community," Ms. Stelly said. "This really gave us an opportunity to give something back."