Community Actors' Studio Theater Artistic Director Kim Dobbs teaches 6-year-old Te'onna Williams 'The Running Man' dance Tuesday at an audition for a new performing arts education program. Photo: Deirdre Long/The Anniston Star  

Te'onna Williams is ready to be a star. A twinkling star, at that.

The 6-year-old was among many children at Carver Community Center who used "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" in a recent audition for a spot in Community Actors' Studio Theater's new performing arts education program.

The program, created with a $10,000 grant from the Anniston Community Education Foundation, will provide scholarships for 10 children, ages 4-19, from west Anniston — specifically, the area affected by a class-action settlement with Solutia Inc. over PCBs contamination. The program will teach the children about the performing arts.

It's important for children to get involved with theater, said Joan McKinney, director of development for CAST.

"We know the performing arts provide children with more than just the ability to get on stage," she said. "It gives them a lot of life skills, such as teamwork, responsibilities and accountability — all these things they need to be part of a successful team."

Now that auditions are over, CAST artistic director Kim Dobbs will select the children and begin their theater training — two hours each week for a year. The children will prepare for recitals, perform publicly, and visit other theater productions in the region.

"Our objective is to develop more diversity in the performing arts company," said McKinney. "We want more African-Americans on our stages; we want them more involved because we are a theater for the region. We want our actors and our productions to reflect the diversity in the community."

The relationship between Anniston's black community and theater is symbiotic, Dobbs said. Not only will the program offer new opportunities to black youth, but it also will help Dobbs build a relationship with the black community.

Toccara Almon, a local Christian rapper, showed up to audition for the program Tuesday afternoon, but at 26, she is too old. After meeting her, Dobbs immediately signed her on as a volunteer. She believes Almon will help connect her to the audience she's been trying to reach.

"She had such great spirit," Dobbs said. "And that gets me excited. And she writes her own rap. I'm going to make use of that in the program — at least one good number, perhaps a whole show."

Dobbs recalls looking for a connection to the community when she was growing up in Anniston. She finally found it at Town and Gown Theater. Now, she believes CAST and the new program will offer that connection to others.

"It's a ladder that can take you to whatever your vision is," she said.

Most of the parents at the audition agreed the program is a great chance for their children to try something new.

"I think it's a good opportunity for her to get some new experience," said Te'onna's mother, Penelope Williams. "She can interact with other children and people."

But experience and relationships aren't on Te'onna's mind. What matters to her is that theater is fun.

"You get to wear funny costumes, and you get to say your parts," Te'onna said. "I want to be in a musical, because I like to sing and I like yelling." 

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