Current Season

12 Angry Jurors

January 20^th and 21^st, 2023 at 7pm

Jonathan Gillespie Studio Theatre

12 Angry Jurors contemplates the huge responsibility of 12 ordinary people as they consider the guilt or innocence of a young man accused of murder. The jurors bring their individual histories, prejudices, and biases to the jury room as they work through this life or death decision as a group. Although originally written for men in a time before women could serve on juries, the play serves as a timeless reflection of social issues that has been adapted and updated time and again for the stage and screen. Tempers get shorter as the arguments get hotter, but a decision must be made, as a man’s life hangs in the balance.

  *Recommended for Middle School audiences and up

WCSPA Cabaret: TV Trivia

February 11^th, 2023 at 7PM and 9PM

For just one day each year, we transform the Commons of Sterling Heights High School into the perfect venue for an intimate musical experience, complete with a stage, live music, and refreshments. Back by popular demand, the WCSPA Cabaret has become a season staple and house favorite. This season, in the spirit of the recent stream of retro television revivals, WCSPA Cabaret is getting a reboot of its very own: as a “Name that TV Theme” trivia experience. The audience will compete head-to-head against one another, testing their knowledge of TV through the ages to compete for both prizes and bragging rights.

  *Recommended for all audiences

Newsies Jr.

7PM March 24, and 25, 2023

WCS Performing Arts Center

Disney’s Newsies JR. is a 60-minute version of the 2012 Broadway musical, based on the 1992 film. Inspired by the rousing true story of newsboys in turn-of-the-century New York City, Newsies JR. features a Tony Award-winning score by Alan Menken and Jack Feldman and a book by Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein.

When powerful newspaper publishers raise prices at the expense of their delivery workers, the charismatic Jack Kelly rallies young newsies from across the city to strike against the unfair conditions, gaining the attention of ambitious young reporter, Katherine Plumber, who seeks to help their cause. Together, they learn that their voices are stronger together as they create a movement to fight for what’s right–once and for all.

    *Recommended for all audiences

Freaky Friday

May 19^th and 20^th, 2023 at 7pm. Matinee: May 21^st, 2023 at 2pm.

WCS Performing Arts Center

How wild would be if for one day you and your mom literally swapped bodies. I mean, how freaky would that be? Freaky Friday is a heartfelt, comedic, and unexpectedly emotional tale of uber-organizedKatherine and her overly-spontaneous teenage daughter Ellie, who each refuse to see things from the other’s perspective: until they magically swap bodies. With just one day to put things right, they must work together to solve the mystery of the spell while spending the day masquerading as each other. After spending the day in one another’s shoes, Katherine and Ellie find understanding in a way they never could have imagined, learning the true power of love and the strength of the bond between a mother and daughter.

Based on the beloved 1972 novel by Mary Rodgers and the hit Disney films, Freaky Friday features a book by Bridget Carpenter – the writer of “Friday Night Lights” and “Parenthood” – and music and lyrics by Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey – the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award®-winning composers of Next to Normal. Freaky Friday is sure to please the whole family.

    *Recommended for all audiences

Shakespeare Night

November 9^th and 10^th, 2022 at 7pm

Jonathan Gillespie studio theatre

Continuing a time-honored Level One tradition, students take to the WCSPA stage for the first time speaking the words of the bard himself: Sir William Shakespeare. Presented as a sampling of monologues and scenes selected from some of Shakespeare’s most famous works, Shakespeare Night introduces students to the rehearsal process and gives them a solo performance opportunity—complete with costumes, scenery, and lights—before they tackle their next big challenge: the Level One musical!

  *Recommended for Middle School audiences and up

She Kills Monsters

November 18^th and 19^th, 2022 at 7pm

WCS Performing Arts Center

In a new edition created especially for high schools, She Kills Monsters tells the story of perfectly-average Agnes Evans, a high school cheerleader dealing with the sudden death of her not-so-typical younger sister, Tilly. When Agnes stumbles upon Tilly’s Dungeons & Dragons notebook, she enlists the help of Tilly’s friend, the Dungeon Master Chuck, and finds herself catapulted into an action-packed journey through the imaginary world that was her sister’s refuge, where she discovers that D&D isn’t the only thing about her sister that she needs help understanding. In this high-octane dramatic comedy, laden with big baddies, fearsome fights, and ’90s pop culture, acclaimed playwright Qui Nguyen offers a heart-pounding homage to the geek and the warrior within us all.

  *Recommended for High School audiences and up

This show is dedicated to the loving memory of Xander Wee, a devoted student of WCSPA who inspired us all with his humor, creativity, sensibility and respect.  How he would have loved to have been in a show just like this one.