If you’ve ever watched a child step into a spotlight and somehow find themselves, then you already understand what makes Stagecrafters magical.
This all-volunteer community theater in downtown Royal Oak has been home to generations of families. Under the Stagecrafters umbrella, there’s a place for everyone—whether it’s kids finding confidence and teens discovering their voice through Stagecrafters Youth Theatre (SYT), audiences enjoying blockbuster musicals on the Main Stage, or actors exploring more intimate productions on Second Stage. In the wings, behind the curtain, and under the lights, it’s not just plays that get built—it’s people.
Full Circle, Stitched in Fabric
Take the story of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. When Stagecrafters last produced the show in 1999, Joseph was played by Brad Ellison, and the now-beloved Dreamcoat was designed and constructed by long-time Stagecrafter Dolly Scheibelhut.
Dolly was a brilliant costumer. She was also a mentor, a Youth Theatre volunteer, and a guiding hand for countless young artists behind the scenes. One of those young artists was Brittany (Wilson) Lepior, who—at just 16—became the youngest head costumer for an SYT production.
This summer, Brittany returned to Stagecrafters to design and create a new Dreamcoat for the current production, honoring both the director’s vision and Dolly’s legacy.
And yes—the original coat still exists. Even more remarkable? It still fits Brad. During each performance, Dolly’s original Dreamcoat will be on display—a symbol both of artistry and of the way Stagecrafters weaves generations together.
A Community That Raises You
Hope Carmona was eight when she did her first show with SYT. Now one of the older kids, she says she tries to welcome new faces the way older cast members once welcomed her. “The productions here are seriously next-level,” she says. “Everyone truly cares about their work and each other.”
Inclusivity and mentorship are baked into every corner of SYT. “From the very beginning,” says committee member Barbara Keteyian, “we’ve emphasized that kids don’t just perform here—they lead. We’ve had student directors, student tech leads, and 8-year-olds running set changes like pros.”
And it pays off. Some Stagecrafters alumni go on to Broadway (like Yana Perrault, who played Peggy Schuyler in Hamilton). Others find their way into Juilliard or regional theater. But for many, the value lives in the quieter wins: learning to speak up, collaborate, create, and persevere.
🎭 Kids Who Come Back
Board member Theresa Williams was once a shy kid backstage, helping Peter Pan fly. Now she’s directing The Phantom Tollbooth—the same show she once worked on as a child. “It’s a full-circle moment,” she says. “To pass on the same experience that helped me come out of my shell.”
She’s not the only one. Coleen Genette grew up performing in shows like Narnia and Oliver and now mentors the next generation. “I try to be the kind of adult I needed when I was a kid,” she says. “Especially for the tech kids—the ones who don’t want to be on stage but still want to belong.”
Coleen remembers one moment that still gives her chills: “Sophie Lavellee singing Let It Go as Elsa. I still watch the video. She brought the house down.”
Kids Who Lead
Then there’s Oliver Surhigh—a recent SYT scholarship winner who plans to study engineering at the University of Michigan, minor in music, and someday return to music-direct a Stagecrafters show. Their advice to younger kids?
“Don’t take getting a small role—or no role—as a reflection of your talent,” Oliver says. “Every show teaches you something. And sometimes, the ensemble ends up being your favorite experience.”
Oliver once played Chip in Beauty and the Beast Jr. and later performed in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, gaining enough confidence to explain the play to their English class. They credit Stagecrafters with giving them not just a stage, but a voice—and a reason to keep showing up.
The Magic Off Stage
Theater magic isn’t limited to the performance. Stagecrafters creates community, in ways you don’t always see. “Two best friends, Brendan and Matt, met here at age 10,” Theresa recalls. “They went to different schools, but became inseparable through SYT. I still tear up thinking of them hugging during curtain call at Honk! They’re still best friends—almost a decade later.”
Even the building itself—restored from the old Washington Theater by a group of volunteers who remain deeply involved today— holds stories. Upstairs, there's an archive room filled with every playbill, note, and photo—a memory box of community devotion. One couple who helped found Stagecrafters even got married on the stage.
A Place to Return To
In every show, in every coat, in every kid who says, “I feel seen here,” there’s proof that Stagecrafters is more than a theater. It’s a second home.
“It’s not perfect,” says Coleen. “But we come back because it’s ours. And because we know what it did for us, we want to make sure it keeps doing that for someone else.”
That’s what legacy really is: not just the stories you tell, but the stage you help build for someone else to stand on.
Want your child to experience the magic? Visit stagecrafters.org
“The productions [at Stagecrafters] are seriously next-level. Everyone truly cares about their work and each other.” —Hope Carmona