17 May, 2013
Many Day(s) by Day(s) have gone by since ESL Theater put on a production of Godspell. In fact, in has been 30 years.
In 1983, Enter Stage Left Theater was formed by Hopkinton high school students to bring community theater to the Hopkinton area. Its debut production of Godspell opened to great applause, and a theater company was born.
Today ESL Theater is part of the Hopkinton Arts Center, and is in the process of reconfigurating the historic barn on its property to make it a place for performances, exhibitions, and other community events. And this spring original ESL members Paul Champlin and Kelly (Westcott) Grill will be directing another production of Godspell on June 14 and 15 at 8:00 p.m. at the First Unitarian Church of Milford.
“When we started ESL 30 years ago, our dreams for a community arts center seemed so far away,” stated Grill, now executive director at the Hopkinton Center for the Arts. “This year we will put on 12 theatrical productions, hold nine art exhibits, and teach many classes in all aspects of art and performance for all ages. Our simple dream has become a reality, and thanks to our partnership with the Hopkinton Community Endowment we plan to soon have a new arts complex, with a performance space, art galleries and classrooms.”
Grill added that local support has been crucial to the growth of the Hopkinton Center for the Arts. “The people of Hopkinton and surrounding communities have been wonderful in supporting us by attending our events, enrolling in our classes, and donating time and funds,” she said. “We are very fortunate to have so many generous art supporters in this area.”
Reviving Godspell is one way Grill and Champlin hope to thank the local community. “We hope today’s audience will enjoy our performances as much as the audiences did 30 years ago,” Champlin said. “This time, though, the Godspell cast is made up of directors and teachers of ESL and the HCA, proving again how far we’ve come.”
For more information about Godspell, Enter Stage Left Theater or the Hopkinton Center for the Arts, please visit www. www.hopartscenter.org.
