Over the past year, several of our Highland Lakes neighbors have been working hard and having fun bringing musical theater shows to life through a new company called Sunbury Performing Arts (SPA). This pre-professional-quality theater casts everyone who auditions. Through classes, workshops, rehearsals, and productions, the SPA team empowers youth and adults in the performing arts field, fostering their creativity while embracing them as part of a community and helping them grow in confidence.

Barb Stitzer is a Los Angeles native with two decades of experience acting in television, film, commercials, and theater. As a mother, she witnessed firsthand the positive impact of theater on her daughters and, shortly after moving to Sunbury, decided to gauge local interest in launching a children’s theater company. The first person to respond was Lisa Huston, a longtime Highland Lakes resident and music teacher involved with over 50 musicals.

With Barb as Producing Artistic Director and Lisa as Musical Director, the curtain rose on SPA’s inaugural production, Annie Jr., in December 2023. Eleven-year-old Highland Lakes resident Gracie Ratliff was ecstatic to land the title role of Annie. Gracie had participated in a weeklong theater camp, which ignited her interest in the stage, and she credits Barb’s training expertise with refining her acting. She has performed in Junie B. Jones Jr., Sound of Music, and Oliver with the City of Westerville were cast as Veruca Salt in SPA’s second production, Wonka Jr. Among Barb’s favorite SPA memories is seeing “little Gracie Ratliff, our Friday night scrappy Annie, turning it around and transforming into the upper crust Veruca Salt” before her eyes.

Our star-studded neighborhood also contributed the lead role in Wonka Jr. Lyla Sprecher, a Highland Lakes resident and sixth-grader at St. Paul School, says she was grateful and cried happy tears when she learned she would be playing Wonka. “I always loved to sing and dance, so my mom started taking me to see musicals when I was little. I knew as soon as I watched my first musical that I wanted to be on stage,” shares Lyla. When she was old enough, she auditioned for Junie B. Jones Jr. through the City of Westerville and landed the role of May. She adds, “I loved the experience and knew immediately that more musicals were in my future!” Since then, she has participated in five more shows and dreams of being a Broadway star. Lyla is grateful to her directors and family for believing in her.

Other Highland Lakes kids have lit up the stage in SPA productions. Gracie’s sister, Ella, a third-grader, embraced her role of Grandma Josephine in Wonka Jr. She shares, “I loved being the ‘old grouchy lady’ in Annie. I only had one line, but it made the audience laugh.” Making people laugh is what she cherishes most about theater. 

Ella and Gracie inspired the youngest Ratliff sister to become involved in theater. Now a kindergartener, Lillian enjoys playing an “ornery Oompa Loompa” and loves singing and dancing in musicals.

Eleven-year-old Blakely Miller, a sixth-grader at Berkshire Middle School, took an acting class at SPA before performing in Wonka. “SPA is accepting of everyone,” Blakely shares. She has also graced the stage in The Nutcracker and Westerville’s production of Aladdin Kids, and she looks forward to participating in Drama Club in middle school.

Leila Wood, a first-grader at Fouse Elementary, debuted in Wonka after being inspired to audition after seeing Annie. Her proudest moment was “bravely walking through the crowd in The Golden Age of Chocolate scene,” she wants to continue to be in more plays. She encourages fellow kids considering getting involved with theater “to believe in yourself and do it.”

Both Blakely and Leila attribute their theater involvement to their growth in confidence, while Gracie believes her stage experience helps her get up in front of people and will prepare her for future jobs and interviews. Reflecting on her favorite SPA moments, Lisa Huston shares, “I love to see the student who was unsure or afraid to put themselves on the huge stage in front of 800 people and shine as if they were all alone.”

For Lyla, the supportive community at SPA has helped her feel more self-confident. “I enjoy how comforting the cast, directors, and crew are,” she says. “I also enjoy performing because it makes me feel at my second home.”

According to Lisa, participation in theater helps kids develop other crucial life skills, such as teamwork, social skills, public speaking, and working with a diverse group. Barb adds that through SPA, kids learn humility and hard work, to be kind and helpful and that no one is greater than the whole.

Looking back on SPA’s first year, Barb says, “I think of the dozens of letters of appreciation I have received from parents who are thrilled that their children have found their people, have grown as humans, or found their confidence, and I feel so happy.” Eventually, she would like to produce ten shows per year at SPA. 

Highland Lakes neighbors are invited to participate in this exciting theater program on the stage, behind the scenes, or in the audience. Barb says, “Everybody, no matter who they are, is welcomed with open arms at Sunbury Performing  Arts.”

The company’s next production, Into the Woods Jr., will be performed November 15-17. Visit sunburyperformingarts.godaddy.com to get your tickets and learn more.