When the University of South Carolina’s Off Off Broadway (OOB) ~ the university’s only student-led musical theatre club ~ lost their campus performance space, they faced the very real possibility of canceling their show.

A cast member in our summer production of Beauty and the Beast made a simple ask: Did Town have space?

We found a way.

OOB performed Pippin on the set of Something’s Afoot during a dark week in our schedule ~ and a partnership was born.

Since then, Town Theatre has reserved time each season for OOB, collaborating with their student production teams to reimagine whatever set is currently on our stage. This fall, OOB transformed our Seussical Jr. structure into Footloose, repainting, reconfiguring wagons, and learning to use the fly system ~ guided by our Technical Director but powered by student leadership.

The result? OOB has grown from two performances to three for each of its shows. OOB membership has exploded!

And the benefits flow both ways. Town has welcomed a vibrant new generation of performers and technicians into the Midlands theatre community. Auditions are stronger. Backstage crews are deeper. And this season, students are even training on the light board during our design process for The Secret Garden, building skills to design independently in the future.

What began as a space request has become a dynamic, mutually enriching partnership ~ one we’re proud to continue nurturing.