Our Family Tree
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In 1976, Mary and Leonard “Mac” McManaway founded the North Canton Playhouse Center for Performing Arts with the goal of creating a welcoming community space for arts education and enrichment. 50 years later, their legacy continues to be upheld by their daughter, Lisa Paynter, as she leads the Playhouse through the milestone anniversary season.
Originally formed without its own designated space, the Playhouse began with a group of theatre members rehearsing and performing in different local churches and schools. Its first official location was a 32-seat building on Hower Street leased from the Hoover Company. In this space, the Playhouse offered a regular season of shows, acting classes, a school-based program, an arts program for people with and without disabilities, a reader's theater and an organization-based program.
In 1997, the North Canton City Schools Board of Education invited the Playhouse to expand into a space on the Hoover High School campus, which increased its capacity to 100 seats. Mac McManaway served as the builder and general “caretaker” of the Playhouse and Mary McManaway as the artistic director—both remained invested in the organization until their passings in 2013 and 2014.
“The small group of people that worked hard to keep the Playhouse going back then were very special,” said Paynter. “This theatre has always had Mary and Mac's family involved, we have had four generations of McManaways involved throughout the past 50 years.”
Paynter began her journey with the Playhouse as a 14-year-old performer before becoming a teacher, director and eventually stepping into her current role as executive director.
“The Playhouse gave myself and others a place to create, shine, gain confidence and make friends,” said Paynter. “My personal hope is that the Playhouse will continue to offer the arts to the community, and be a place where people can come together to continue the mission started by my parents while serving as a welcoming second home to many of our members.”
After successful fundraising and renovation efforts in 2018, the seating capacity of its space was doubled to fit 200 audience members with the installation of theater seats— also adding additional areas for costume and set storage, dressing rooms and a designated rehearsal and choreography space.
“Although we have grown from our original 32 seat theater, to now 200 seats in our location on the campus of Hoover High School, we are happy to still maintain our "intimate" theater setting,” said Paynter. “Every seat is a great seat, and you can clearly see the actors— which makes the theatrical experience more personal for our audiences.”
The Playhouse is currently fundraising for new theatrical drapes and wing curtains as one of the final pieces of the larger renovation project. Although its physical space has constantly evolved, its mission has remained the same for five decades: keep community theater alive and accessible.
Another major goal of the North Canton Playhouse has been encouraging youth to become involved with the arts. Paynter believes this can promote confidence, creativity and connections both inside and outside of theater.
“We wanted to stay a small, intimate theater that invites people of all ages to easily become involved— whether that's onstage or offstage,” said Paynter. “Mary and Mac always believed that the theater should never become one for the elite, but stay accessible and down to earth for all community members.”
The Playhouse’s 50-year anniversary season will feature four shows:
“Working together toward one purpose or goal brings people together,” said Paynter. “With actors, directors, musical directors, technical crew, backstage crew, set builders, costumers and administrators working together, it's really special when the final product is presented to the public and so many people know they had a hand in it.”
Today, the North Canton Playhouse continues to be a hub for education, enrichment, entertainment and encouragement as it looks toward the next 50 years.
Learn more about the North Canton Playhouse at www.northcantonplayhouse.com.