Couple turns a California dream into a new theater company in Belleville

When Erin Piepgrass was living in California’s Central Valley, she told her husband, Seth, that she wanted to open a theater one day.

Seth knew that even if it were possible, it would be a long time in the future before her dream would be fulfilled.

“I was like, ‘no way that’s going to happen,’” he recalled.

Fast forward nearly a decade and you’ll find the pair running Belleville Theater Co., the newest theater to open in the metro-east.

The theater is situated in a 19th-century rowhouse on High Street that feels characteristically modern chic, complete with exposed brick walls and vintage hardwood floors. The stage, though small, is large enough to hold a play’s worth of children.

The theater is just winding into its summer camps with 13 available projects. There are classes with themes built around fairy tales, musical theater, courtroom drama, monster makeup and introduction to design, just to name a few. The age ranges vary by program, but there’s currently something for anybody ages 6 through 14.

“It’s amazing to see what they come up with creatively when they have the right tools and guidance,” said Erin Piepgrass, “but it’s also really, really exciting to see them excited about working with all of these production techniques.”

Erin , who spent some of her childhood in Belleville, said she was disappointed with the lack of theater experience and education opportunities available in the metro east when she moved back. That lack gave her the inspiration to form a non-profit 501(c) Theater and spread pizzazz to the metro-east.

“There are a bunch of good local theaters doing good work. But there aren’t any theaters over here that offer programs kind of consistently, year-round,” she said. “There are a bunch across the river, but we wanted to take some of those programs and bring them a little closer for people in Belleville and the metro-east.”

You can participate by signing up for a class, volunteering, make individual monetary donations, or solicit a corporate sponsorship. Visit the Belleville Theater Company website at https://bellevilletheatrecompany.org/.