Winston-Salem/Forsyth County Schools

WE ARE TRULY FORTUNATE THAT C. DOUGLAS CARTER HAD A VISION IN 1960 FOR A PROGRAM THAT WOULD REACH ACROSS THE COMMUNITY. THE FACT THAT IT HAS CONTINUED FOR SIXTY YEARS DEMONSTRATES THE QUALITY OF PROGRAMMING AND PERSONNEL THAT HAVE BEEN A PART OF THE PRODUCTION!

THE FIRST PRODUCTION WAS PORTER AT THE DOOR, WRITTEN BY A LOCAL PLAYWRIGHT, WITH MUSIC WRITTEN BY ROBERT MAYER. THIS SHOW WAS REPEATED IN 1985 FOR THE PROGRAM’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY.

THERE HAVE BEEN NINE DIRECTORS OVER THE SIXTY-ONE YEARS: ROBERT MAYER, JANE CARTER HANDLEY, JANIE MUSTEN, MAGGIE GRIFFIN (36 YEARS), CAROLE MIDURA, DIANA MARSHALL- SHOAF, LINDA MOODY, CHAD EDWARDS AND NICK ZAYAS (CURRENT DIRECTOR). LARRY HURYCH WAS THE PROGRAM’S SET DESIGNER FOR OVER 40 YEARS!

THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY SUMMER ENRICHMENT MUSICAL THEATRE PRODUCTION IN 2010, PETER PAN, THE MUSICAL WAS DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF C. DOUGLAS CARTER, THE FOUNDER OF THE PROGRAM. PETER PAN, THE MUSICAL WAS PRESENTED IN HONOR OF THE YEARS OF DEDICATED SERVICE TO THE STUDENTS INVOLVED IN THE PROGRAM BY MAGGIE GRIFFIN, DIRECTOR AND LARRY HURYCH, SET DESIGNER.

GREASE WAS PRODUCED IN 1988, AND AGAIN IN 2008; FORTY YEARS LATER. ONLY A FEW OTHER SHOWS HAVE BEEN REPEATED OVER THE LAST FIFTY. THEY ARE PORTER AT THE DOOR (1960 & 1985), LIL’ ABNER (1970, 1986 & 2007), ONCE UPON A MATTRESS (1972 & 2002), HELLO DOLLY (1979 & 1991), ANYTHING GOES
(1980 & 1995), ANNIE (1989 & 2004), BARNUM (1990 & 2013), WIZARD OF OZ (1992 & 2003) AND OLIVER (1997 & 2014).

IN 1984, THE PRODUCTION WAS PLAIN & FANCY. THE STUDENTS HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO PARTICIPATE IN A FIELD TRIP TO AMISH COUNTRY FOR A BACKGROUND EXPERIENCE BEFORE PERFORMING IN THIS SHOW.

THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS HAVE PARTICIPATED IN THESE PRODUCTIONS OVER THE LAST SIXTY YEARS. MANY HAVE DEVELOPED CLOSE RELATIONSHIPS THAT HAVE LASTED FAR BEYOND THE FIVE WEEKS PREPARING FOR THE PRODUCTIONS. ONE OF THE OUTSTANDING OUTCOMES OF THIS PROGRAM IS THAT STUDENTS FROM ALL ACROSS THE COUNTY GET TO
KNOW EACH OTHER, WORK AS A TEAM, DEVELOP RESPECT FOR DIVERSITY, AND SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER DURING THE PROCESS. 

THERE HAS BEEN A HISTORY OF RICH, ENGAGING AND ENTERTAINING MUSICALS. THE LAST 50 YEARS OF PRODUCTIONS DEMONSTRATE THIS:

1970 LIL’ ABNER
1971 BYE, BYE BIRDIE
1972 ONCE UPON A MATTRESS
1973 OKLAHOMA!
1974 ANNE OF GREEN GABLES
1975 THE MUSIC MAN
1976 CAMELOT
1977 DAMN YANKEES
1978 THE BOY FRIEND
1979 HELLO DOLLY!
1980 ANYTHING GOES
1981 CAROUSEL
1982 GUYS AND DOLLS
1983 MUSIC MAN
1984 PLAIN & FANCY
1985 PORTER AT THE DOOR (25TH
ANNIVERSARY SHOW REPEATED
FROM THE FIRST SHOW IN 1960)
1986 LIL’ABNER
1987 SCROOGE
1988 GREASE
1989 ANNIE
1990 BARNUM
1991 HELLO, DOLLY!
1992 THE WIZARD OF OZ
1993 THE KING AND I
1994 42ND STREET
1995 ANYTHING GOES
1996 CRAZY FOR YOU
1997 OLIVER
1998 ME AND MY GIRL
1999 NO, NO, NANETTE
2000 TRIBUTE
2001 FIDDLER ON THE ROOF
2002 ONCE UPON A MATTRESS
2003 WIZARD OF OZ
2004 ANNIE
2005 THE BOYFRIEND
2006 THE SOUND OF MUSIC
2007 LIL’ ABNER
2008 GREASE
2009 PIRATES OF PENZANCE
2010 PETER PAN (50TH ANNIVERSARY
PRODUCTION)
2011 JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING
TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT
2012 CINDERELLA
2013 BARNUM
2014 OLIVER
2015 BEAUTY AND THE BEAST
2016 SEUSSICAL
2017 MARY POPPINS
2018 SHREK
2019 NEWSIES
2020 NO SHOW—COVID PANDEMIC
2021 MATILDA
2022 ELF