The joy of performing on stage is a family affair for many members of the Collingswood Community Theatre (CCT). Generations of local families have been involved in the theater since its inception in 2002.
The theater’s most recent production of Disney’s “Freaky Friday,” performed over two weekends in February, featured two third-generation theater members, along with numerous Collingswood residents who have been involved with the theater group throughout its 23-year history.
It all started with a middle school teacher named Mary Baldwin who decided that she wanted to start a community theater program. Baldwin, who directed many of the shows at both Collingswood Middle and High schools, envisioned a local theater where members of the community could come out to sing, dance and perform, or participate in set design, ticket sales, program promotion, etc.
One of those early performers was Mike Seeley, who had acted under Baldwin’s direction in numerous high school plays.
“Since my friends and I were already doing all of these other shows, we just kind of fell into doing community theater with Mary,” Seeley recalls. “The first show we did was ‘You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,’ right on the heels of our spring musical at school, and everything took off from there.”
With the support of Mayor Jim Maley, Baldwin arranged for the theater group to perform at the 1,050-seat Scottish Rite Auditorium, which hosts numerous concerts by classic rock and tribute bands each year, along with seasonal concerts.
Generations of local families have been involved since Collingswood Community Theatre began in 2002.
“Performing on stage at such a historic auditorium was a really cool experience,” says Seeley, now age 40, who currently teaches math and computer science in West Deptford and continues to participate in CCT productions. This year, his 11-year-old daughter, Emma, joined him on stage, along with his mother, Terry Seeley, 71, who served as producer of the show.
“Michael has been involved in theater ever since elementary school,” shares Terry Seeley. “He has a very natural talent when it comes to performing, and he enjoyed hanging out with his friends who were also involved in the plays. I would often go in to help out with the shows, and that’s how I met his theater director, Mary Baldwin.”
Baldwin convinced Terry to perform in the community theater once she got it off the ground, and Terry was hooked. She started performing in the chorus and ensemble roles, and in 2005 played the role of Mama Mae Peterson in “Bye Bye Birdie.”
“That was the highlight of my theater career,” Terry Seeley says. “It was scary and fun, and I enjoyed every minute of it.”
While she’s no longer acting, Terry was excited to welcome her granddaughter Emma to the stage last year, when she took a small part in “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee.” And this year, Emma went on to play the roles of Laura, a minion, and a member of the ensemble in “Freaky Friday.”
“It’s been a lot of fun,” Emma Seeley says. “Acting helps me build my self-confidence, meet people with similar interests and make new friends. It’s also nice to be around kids my own age and other people who understand what it’s like to act.”
One of Emma’s castmates, Emily Jackson, 25, also enjoys the camaraderie and family connections of the theater. Jackson’s grandfather, Ron Eichmann, was part of the barbershop quartet in “Music Man” – CCT’s first all-town musical in 2003 – which she recalls watching when she was just 3 years old.
“I always enjoyed going to the theater to see my grandfather perform,” says Jackson, who most recently played Mrs. Meyers, the mean gym teacher, as well as Officer Sitz and a member of the ensemble in “Freaky Friday.”
“When I was old enough, I was thrilled to be able to perform in the shows along with my whole family,” says Jackson. “Acting gives people a reason to come together to work toward a common goal. It’s a great way to distract from everyday life and do something fun that brings the community together.”
In addition to the cast members and Terry Seeley, “Freaky Friday’s” directors Kate Scharff and Caitlin Halligan have also previously performed with CCT, along with music director Brian Kane, whose mother Karen Kane directed school performances when Mike Seeley was a child.
“It’s so great that we have all these community connections and memories that bring us together,” says Mike Seeley. “That’s what CCT is all about – bringing everyone together, whether you’re a hard-core theater person or you just want to give it a shot and have fun. When everybody gets together, these shows become something special.
