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Centerville dancer awarded full scholarship to NYC school

The 15-year-old will study with the American Ballet Theatre in NYC.

Emily Hayes of Centerville was offered a full scholarship to American Ballet Theatre's Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School in New York City.

submitted Emily Hayes of Centerville was offered a full scholarship to American Ballet Theatre's Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School in New York City.

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By Terry Morris, Staff Writer 4:10 PM Saturday, August 27, 2011

Christopher and Joyce Hayes weren’t quite ready to let her go last year when Emily Hayes of Centerville was offered a full scholarship to American Ballet Theatre’s Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School in New York City.

When she got the same offer this year, “We figured the time was right for this opportunity,” her father said.

Emily, 15, who completed her freshman year at Centerville High School, has studied with teachers Renee Cook and Debra Howard since age 3 at the Howard School of Dance in Kettering. She has performed with the Centerville Contemporary Ballet in productions including “Nutcracker,” “Swan Lake” and “Little Women.”

“We are really proud of her,” Hayes said.

Emily has appeared before on a national stage of sorts. “Six or seven years ago she entered a contest and was chosen to be on the front of the Life cereal box,” her dad said.

Bit parts

• The Victoria Theatre Association has booked a touring production of the Tyler Perry play “The Haves and the Have Nots” for performances at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 25 and 26, at the Schuster Center in Dayton. Tickets are $41 at Ticket Center Stage in the Schuster Winter Garden, online at www.ticketcenterstage.com or by phone at (937) 228-3630. Discounts are available to groups of 10 or more.

• Wade Hamilton now joins the unofficial club of Dayton Playhouse managing or executive directors who have served since the respected and beloved Jim Payne was forced out due to City of Dayton residency requirements 17 years ago. The roll call includes Amy Brown, Dave Seyer, Adam Leigh, Tina McPhearson and Jean Howat Berry.

The staff was paid and the theater was subsidized by the city. The decision to discontinue Hamilton’s contract signals the Playhouse board’s intent to become an all-volunteer organization, similar to the Dayton Theatre Guild, Beavercreek Community Theatre and others.

The 52-year-old Playhouse has some financial challenges, reflected in a lack of sufficient air conditioning during Futurefest in late July. To avoid a replay of that, the previously announced season opener, the musical “Jekyll and Hyde,” has been scratched, although a substitute will be added later in the season.

The Anne Nichols play “Abie’s Irish Rose” will now get things started Oct. 14-23, when the weather should be cooler. Other scheduled productions will be the musicals “Scrooge!”, “Nunsense” and “The Sound of Music” and the play “Bus Stop.” For more information, visit www.daytonplay house.com.

• If you can’t wait for the return of “Wicked” to the Schuster Center in May 2012, the hit musical will pay its third visit to the Aronoff Center in Cincinnati Nov. 2-26. Tickets are on sale at Ticketmaster or by phone at (800) 982-2787. Prices start at $27.50.

Footlights illuminates local theater arts news and audition information. Contact this reporter at (937) 225-2377 or tmorris@DaytonDaily News.com.

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