CMT’s 25th Anniversary Show comes full circle. The very first CMT show was Cinderella in 2000.

Shows will be at 7:00pm July 11 & 12 and at 2:00pm July 13 & 14. Tickets will go on sale at The Center in Bartlesville in June 2024. With over 60 kids in this show and we hope everyone will bring their families and join us for what will be a celebration of 25 years of enriching the lives of youth by providing quality musical theatre performance and educational opportunities.

The Cinderella of 2024 will be different from the Cinderella of 2000. The show has been updated with more characters and an additional story line.

Children’s Musical Theater of Bartlesville Celebrates 25 Years with Spectacular Anniversary Show “Cinderella”

featuring a 40ft x 21ft LED wall

Bartlesville, OK – The Children’s Musical Theater (CMT) of Bartlesville, a beloved local institution, is celebrating its 25th anniversary with an extraordinary production of “Cinderella.” This milestone event, performed July 11-14 at the Bartlesville Community Center (The Center), cast with 64 children ages 7-17, is set to be a dazzlingshowcase of talent, community spirit, and cutting-edge technology, featuring the return of numerous alumni who have gone on to successful careers in the arts.

Founded 25 years ago, CMT has been a cornerstone of the Bartlesville community, providing young performerswith the opportunity to experience the magic of a full-scale Broadway musical each summer. To mark this special anniversary, CMT is bringing back several distinguished alumni, including Director-Caitlyn Caughell, Music Director-Roberta Eberhard, Choreographer- Eric Geibel, Assistant Choreographer-Lily McGee, Video Designer-Chris Doe and lighting programmer, Brad Gray, who is donating his time to design this year’s production.

Brad Gray is a well-known lighting programmer in the Broadway and commercial theater industry. An alumnus of seven CMT shows, Brad began his journey in theater at a young age with CMT’s originalperformance of “Cinderella” in 2000. After graduating from the University of Oklahoma with a BFA in LightingDesign, where he studied under the late Steve Draheim, Brad pursued a career in New York City. He has programmed lighting for numerous Broadway productions, with recent credits including “Water for Elephants,” “Gutenberg! The Musical,” “Here Lies Love!,” “Bad Cinderella,” “A Beautiful Noise,” “Moulin Rouge,” and “Jagged Little Pill.” Among his projects, Brad is particularly proud of his work on “Moulin Rouge,” which received the Tony Award for Best Lighting Design of a Musical in 2021.

One of the highlights of this production is something not seen in Bartlesville before—a massive LED videowall. An LED wall is a versatile and dynamic visual element used in modern theater productions. It consists of multiple LED panels that can display video content, animations, and lighting effects, assisting in the visual storytelling of the show. This particular LED wall, made possible by Dan Mueller – owner of 360º Stage Design, is composed of 312 half-meter panels, creating a 40-foot wide by 21-foot high display with over 4K resolution. The wall can transform scenes with vivid backdrops, intricate animations, and synchronized with lighting effects, offering a level of visual sophistication far beyond traditional stage setups.

See it in action at CMT’s 25th anniversary production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella from July 11-14,2024.

At The Center in Bartlesville. Get tickets here: Cinderella Tickets.

This LED wall is different from anything we’ve seen before in Bartlesville. It brings a new level of visualengagement and magic to the production. The innovative use of this technology enhances the storytelling experience, making it a must-see event. The LED wall allows for a seamless blend of live performance and digital artistry, setting this production apart from traditional theater experiences.

Adding an element like an LED wall means we had to vamp up the lighting rig. This show would not be possible without two very generous donations from Main Light and Christie Lites. Volunteers are driving the equipment from Tennessee, underscoring the collaborative spirit that defines CMT.

Gray emphasizes that the production wouldn’t be possible without the dedication and support of Mark Ravenhill, Ron Vodicka, and Chris Patton. In January, he and Dan began exploring ways to make the 25th Anniversary truly special, aiming to bring a touch of Broadway magic to the small town’s stage in Bartlesville at The Center.

Christie Lites has been incredibly supportive throughout this journey. Only the LED panels were available, so Christie stepped in and donated all the necessary rigging equipment, along with over 40 moving lights, to enhance the overall lighting rig.

Main Light, a relatively new rental lighting shop with several locations around the country, first came to Gray’sattention in December 2023 when they provided lighting for a commercial, jazz- themed Nutcracker production. The entire process was seamless, featuring brand new, well- maintained equipment with zero issues.

Patrick Bellino from Main Light and Brad Gray met early in their careers at the lighting trade show “LDI,” produced by Live Design International. When Gray reached out for assistance on this production, Bellino respondedimmediately and assembled the ideal lighting package, which included 12 new moving lights and some of thebrightest LED conventionals on the market. The addition of over 400,000 lumens of light ensures that the LED wall’s brightness is perfectly complemented with equally bright, beautiful lighting.

CMT’s 25th anniversary show, “Cinderella,” is not just a celebration of a beloved community theater but also atestament to the enduring impact of arts education and the collaborative spirit of the Bartlesville community. This production promises to be a magical experience for audiences of all ages, filled with stunning visuals, remarkable performances, and the joy of seeing CMT alumni return to their roots.

Don’t miss this unforgettable event! Performances will take place July 11 & 12 at 7:00 pm and July 13 & 14 at 2:00pm at The Center. Tickets are available at bartlesvillecenter.com. Join us as we celebrate 25 years of bringing musical theater dreams to life.