Carver, Curtain Call add 'A' to STEM

This article is brought to you by King’s Cleaning Solutions. This article is brought to you by King’s Cleaning Solutions. Whether you need your carpets, upholstery, airducts, or dryer vent cleaned, King’s Cleaning Solutions is ready to provide professional service on time, in-depth, and at a price you can afford. You can’t get cleaner in Kokomo without King’s Cleaning Solutions. Contact them at 765-698-5096 or by visiting https://kingscleaningsolutions.com/

The Carver Community Center is on the verge of something powerful. For decades, Carver has been a trusted presence in Kokomo, known for its commitment to youth and families through education, athletics, and enrichment. But now, with exciting new partnerships developing, including the dynamic relationship with Pastor Wendell Brown’s UnderTone Music and Fine Arts offering instrument and traditional art lessons, Carver is preparing to add a new dimension to its offerings: theatre arts.

On Saturday, July 19, at 2:00 p.m., Carver will host Curtain Call, Inc., for a special variety show titled The Summer Singing Celebration Benefit Event. This beloved Kokomo-based theatre program will bring more than 30 children and families to perform and celebrate the arts, with the goal of raising support for Curtain Call’s 25th season.

Light refreshments will be served, and guests will get the chance to experience the vibrancy of both Curtain Call and Carver in one shared space.

Jeremy Leazenby-Bruce, Curtain Call’s Executive Director, shared how this collaboration came to be

“Before meeting JC Barnett at the Nonprofit Seminar held by the Community Foundation, I had only been to the Carver Community Center for a birthday party and thought of it primarily as a community athletic center for basketball,” Leazenby-Bruce said. “Then, JC introduced himself at the seminar and sparked my interest in learning more about Carver and how Curtain Call Theatre for Children might be able to partner.”

That connection led to a tour of Carver and the discovery of just how aligned both organizations truly are. Carver’s mission of “empowering individuals, strengthening families, and building a thriving community through education, recreation, and the arts” runs parallel with Curtain Call’s commitment to education, creativity, and community engagement through theatre.

“We’ve talked about bringing theatre arts into Carver’s Summer and After-School programs,” Leazenby-Bruce explained. “We also discussed using the Carver Auditorium for future productions and events, something Curtain Call desperately needs as we continue to grow.”

With Carver’s space and community reach and Curtain Call’s depth in the performing arts, the dream is not just collaboration but transformation, turning Carver into a STEAM hub: Science, Technology, Arts, and Mathematics. Plans are already being discussed to renovate Carver’s third-floor auditorium with upgraded curtains, lights, sound, and more.

This Saturday’s performance is more than a concert, it’s a symbol of what’s possible when two organizations unite to uplift families, expand opportunity, and inspire the next generation through both creativity and character.

Kokomo, get ready: STEAM is rising.