Coal City High School auditorium welcomes new shows to the stage as way to involve community

COAL CITY – Five years after the first play took the stage in the new Coal City High School auditorium, the district is looking at more ways to use the space for the community.

“When we went to referendum for the new auditorium we promised to use it for the community,” Coal City School District 1 Superintendent Kent Bugg said.

The district named Jack Micetich as the part-time auditorium supervisor, adding to his role as part-time math teacher for the district this year, and allowed him to grow the use of the auditorium for community events.

“The auditorium management has evolved over the last few years. It was originally split over many positions,” Micetich said. “Many people don’t realize the auditorium is used three to four times a day on average.”

Using the auditorium for school plays and musicals are only two aspects of how the 800-seat theater is used.

Micetich schedules use for the space between meetings and fine arts groups, such as chorus and band.

Bugg said Micetich seemed like the right choice for the position, which he said needed someone who not only is passionate about fine arts but also about the auditorium.

“No one is more passionate about the auditorium than Jack,” Bugg said.

The supervisor position involves far more than just scheduling shows, though. The district has built many props for its various productions as well as created costuming for each one. Those props and costumes, with proper management, can add to the financial success of the auditorium by being rented to other schools who are interested in putting on the same performance.

“There is a huge market for theater,” Micetich said. “A lot of places, like us, are on a budget. They call around to see who can rent them what they need within their budget. This week we have two ‘Beauty and the Beast’ rentals going out.”

As they wrapped up ‘The Lion King’ last week, calls were already coming in from schools around the country, seeking rental information on the costumes Micetich and his creative team made for the middle school production.

“Eight schools from around the country have already contacted us about our costumes. We are fortunate to have a creative team here,” he said. “It would make me sick if we just threw them in storage and never looked at them again.”

He said one school that contacted him was from California, although most of the schools are in Illinois. But the auditorium was built for more than just school theater productions.

Micetich has scheduled some shows in November to see how the community responds.

In November, the auditorium will host a Veterans Day event, a night of music with the Joliet American Legion Band, as well as a movie night and other events.

Bugg said the district is starting off slow hosting events to see what the community would like to see more of.

Micetich said they will continue to schedule events and add more as the project grows.

The family movie night is set for Nov. 30, with a showing of “Elf,” and will continue being offered one Monday each month.

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UPCOMING EVENTS

Nov. 5: American Legion Band, Route 66 Tour, 7 p.m.

Nov. 11: Veterans Day program hosted by the Coal City Library, 11 a.m.

Nov. 20: Attaboy Family Assembly Band presents life-changing message to students, 7 p.m.

Nov. 28 to 29: "A Twisted Christmas," presented by On Broadway Dancers, 6 p.m. Nov. 28 and 2 p.m. Nov. 29

Nov. 30: Monday movie night featuring the movie "Elf," 7 p.m.