About | Centennial Center St

About
Center Stage Theatre

Welcome to Our Stage!

At Center Stage Theatre we strive to nurture a collaborative playground where each artist is valued and empowered to find their own creative voice as they grow in empathy and understanding of the human condition. We believe in the power of artistic exploration and high quality artistic training that encourages creative risks in the art we create. Our goal is to develop new work and transform existing stories through collective collaboration that leads to meaningful, experiential storytelling. We believe that theatre’s purpose is to hold a mirror up to society and to grant performers, technicians, and audience members the opportunity to experience a cathartic and deeper understanding of our selves and the global community of yesterday, today, and tomorrow as well as the value of story.

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Meet Our Team

Who We Are

Meet Our Creative Leadership Team

At Centennial Center Stage Theatre, our team is the heart of our productions. Comprised of visionary directors, choreographers, composers, and designers, we work collaboratively to bring stories to life on stage. Each individual contributes their unique skills and perspectives, ensuring that every performance is a true work of art. We are committed to providing opportunities for growth within a wide range of collaborative arts and discipline. We come together in shared experience and knowledge we naturally elevate the artistry and meaning in our work. Learn more about the incredible people behind the scenes who make our productions possible.

Megan Hardgrave

Artistic Director, Lead Director, & Designer

Megan has been working in visual and performing arts as a director, designer, and educator for over 20 years. This is her fifth season as Artistic Director of Center Stage Theatre. As an artist she strives to stretch the imagination and elevate the artistry of a production through collective collaboration to inspire creative and meaningful storytelling that leads to a cathartic experience for both the artist and the audience. Past directorial credits include: The Moon (2026), Alice by Heart (2026), Peter & the Starcatcher (2025), The Little Prince (2025), The Wizard of Oz (2025), Arsenic & Old Lace (2024), The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (2024), Eurydice (2024), Twelfth Night the Musical (2024), The Importance of Being Earnest (2023), (Kaleidoscope (2023), Beauty and the Beast (2023), & Done to Death (2022). Past Design Credits include: Next to Normal (2024), Sound of Music (2023), Radium Girls (2023), Guys & Dolls (2023), The Christmas Schooner (2022), Godspell (2022),

Jack Ives

Lead Director, Composer, Music Director, & Playwright

This is Jack's fourth season with Center Stage Theatre. As an artist Jack strives to synthesize the various artistic mediums and fields in which he find himself, be it writing a cathartic play, composing an emotional piece, directing an experiential production, or performing a complex role, to create meaningful work that emulates the human experience in a way that is both relatable and captivating for the audience. Past credits include: The Moon - director, playwright, composer (2026), The Cry of the Peacock - director (2026), Where the Wild Things Are - director, composer (2026), Alice by Heart - assistant music director (2026), The Little Prince - composer (2025), Peter & the Starcatcher - music director (2025), Soundscapes - assistant director, composer (2025), The Legend of Sleepy Hollow - music director, composer (2024). He is also a Center Stage principle performer known for building nuanced characters and storytelling.

Jamesyn Whitlock

Lighting Designer & Director

Jamesyn has been the lead lighting designer and a director for Center Stage for the past four years. As a collaborative designer, Jamesyn balances storytelling with spectacle to build emotion into each scene and create moments of magic that enhance the other elements of the production. Past credits include: The Moon - lighting design (2026), Candid - director (2026), Alice by Heart - lighting design (2026), The Little Prince - lighting design (2025), East of the Sun, West of the Moon - lighting design (2025), Peter & the Starcatcher - lighting design (2025), Soundscapes - director (2025), The Wizard of Oz - lighting (2025), Arsenic & Old Lace - lighting (2024), The Legend of Sleepy Hollow - lighting (2024), Eurydice - lighting (2024), Twelfth Night the Musical - lighting (2024), Beauty & the Beast - lighting (2023)

Olivia Russell

Assistant Artistic Director, Director, Composer, & Public Relations

This is Olivia's third season with Center Stage Theatre. Past technical credits include: East of the Sun, West of the Moon - composer & director (2025), The Little Prince - composer (2025), Alice by Heart - assistant music director (2026), The Storyteller's Return - assistant artistic director (2026), The Creative World of Peter H Reynolds - director (2026). Olivia is also a Center Stage principle performer. She will be one of the directors for the 2027 Storytellers Return.

Lucy Boyd

Choreographer

This is Lucy's third season with Center Stage Theatre. Past technical credits include: East of the Sun, West of the Moon - choreographer (2025), Alice by Heart - choreographer (2026). Lucy is also a Center Stage principle performer.

Madison Scales

Choreographer

This is Maddie's third season with Center Stage Theatre. Past technical credits include: East of the Sun, West of the Moon - choreographer (2025), Alice by Heart - choreographer (2026), The Cry of the Peacock - movement director (2026). Maddie is also a Center Stage principle performer.

Carter Miller

Director & Lighting Designer

This is Carter's third season with Center Stage Theatre. Past technical credits include: The Creative World of Peter H Reynolds - director (2026), The Storytellers Return - lighting designer (2026). Carter is also a Center Stage principle performer. He will be one of the directors for the 2027 Storytellers Return.

Lincoln Laymon

Director, Assistant Scenic Design, & Broadway Green Alliance Captain

This is Lincoln's third season with Center Stage Theatre. Lincoln is also a Center Stage principle performer and manages our green spaces. He will be one of the directors for the 2027 Storytellers Return.

Sadie Thomas

Director

This is Sadie's third season with Center Stage Theatre. Sadie is also a Center Stage principle performer. She will be one of the directors for the 2027 Storytellers Return.

Levi McCreary

Scenic Design

This is Levi's second season with Center Stage Theatre. Past credits include: Alice by Heart - assistant scenic design (2026), The Little Prince - prop design (2025). Levi is also a Center Stage featured performer.

Markus Dilling

Assistant Director & Fight Director

This is Markus' fourth season with Center Stage. Past credits include: Selfie- assistant director (2026), Peter & the Starcatcher - fight director (2025), Where the Wild Things Are - director (2025), Chamber Music - assistant director (2025). Markus is also a Center Stage principle performer and International Thespian Society president.

Julian Guzman

Lighting Design

This is Julian's fourth season with Center Stage. Past credits include: The Storytellers Return - lighting design (2026), Where the Wild Things Are - lighting design (2025/26), Alice by Heart - sound tech (2026), The Storytellers Collective - lighting tech (2025). Julian is also a Center Stage principle performer.

Tia Jones

Prop Design

This is Tia's third season with Center Stage Theatre. Past credits include: The Cry of the Peacock - prop/puppet design (2026), Alice by Heart - props (2026), The Storytellers Collective - shadow puppet design (2025). Tia is also a Center Stage featured performer.

Addison Lindsey

Prop Design

This is Addi's third season with Center Stage Theatre. Past credits include: The Cry of the Peacock - prop/puppet design (2026), Alice by Heart - props (2026), The Storytellers Collective - puppet design (2025). Addi is also a Center Stage featured performer.

Charlie Yingling

Sound Design

This is Charlie's second season with Center Stage. Past credits include: The Storytellers Return (2026), The Storyteller's Collective (2025).

Liam Maxwell

Sound Tech

This is Liam's third season with Center Stage. Past credits include: The Storytellers Return (2026), Peter & the Starcatcher (2025), The Storyteller's Collective (2025), The Wizard of Oz (2025), Arsenic & Old Lace (2024), The Storyteller's Collective (2024).

Eliza Reedy

Hair & Make-up Design

This is Eliza's second season with Center Stage. She is a also a Center Stage featured performer.

June Plum

Public Relations

This is June's second season with Center Stage. Past credits include: Alice by Heart - PR Team (2026). June is also a Center Stage featured performer.

Ella Willsey

Stage Manager

This is Ella's second season with Center Stage. Past credits include: The Storytellers Return - SM (2026), The Storyteller's Collective - puppeteer (2025). Ella is also a Center Stage principle performer.

Conrad Wright

Assistant Technical Director

This is Conrad's third season with Center Stage. Past credits include: The Creative World of Peter H Reynolds -technical director (2026). Conrad is also a Center Stage principle performer.

Simone Lewis

Front of House Manager

This is Simone's third season with Center Stage. Simone is also a Center Stage featured performer.

James Easter

Front of House Design & Costume Design

This is James' fourth season with Center Stage. Past credits include: Alice by Heart - costumes (2026), Peter & the Starcatcher - costumes (2025).

Bennett Miller

Assistant Scenic Design

This is Bennett's fourth season with Center Stage. Past credits include: Where the Wild Things Are - scenic design (2025-2026), The Storytellers Return - assistant scenic design (2025 - 2026)

William McClure

Assistant Technical Director

This is William's third season with Center Stage. Past credits include: Alice by Heart (2026), Peter & the Starcatcher (2025), The Wizard of Oz - crew (2025).

Will Hamilton

Stage Manager

This is Will's third season with Center Stage. Past credits include: Alice by Heart (2026), Peter & the Starcatcher (2025), The Storytellers Collective (2025), The Wizard of Oz (2025), Arsenic & Old Lace (2024).

Mission, Vision, & Values

Mission

To nurture a collaborative space where each student is valued and empowered to find their own creative voice as they grow in empathy and understanding of the human condition through artistic training and high-quality productions that explore meaningful, experiential storytelling.

Vision

To be a leading program of excellence in creative storytelling with the aspiration of transforming young artists into compassionate, creative, and curious adults and life-long artists.

Values

We believe that the purpose of theatre education is to give students a playground for artistic exploration that encourages them to take creative risks in their art as they develop new work and transform existing stories through collaborative and meaningful experiential storytelling. We believe that theatre’s purpose is to hold a mirror up to society and to grant performers, technicians, and audience members the opportunity to experience our shared visual, literary, and cultural heritage; the purpose of which is to build an understanding of our culture in relation to other times and places, and a greater understanding of self and the global community as well as the value of story in creating cathartic and transformational experiences.

The Center Stage Logo & Motto

“This is what it is to love an artist: The moon is always rising above your house. The houses of your neighbors look dull and lacking in moonlight. But he is always going away from you. Inside his head there is always something more beautiful.”

Eurydice, Sarah Ruhl

This is what it is to be an artist. The moon is always rising above your house. To say the moon rises over Center Stage means that the work we are doing is meaningful to us. Light comes from work that holds meaning. That’s different for each of us. Some of us are musicians, some of us are writers, some of us are visual artists and performing artists, some of us are poets, and there are hundreds of other creative labels we bring to this space. That informs the work we create. When we bring those gifts together in collective collaboration around a story we find meaningful both the artists and the audience are transformed. The moon rises, we create light in our world, and that is what it is to be an artist.