THE MISSION OF CITY WIDE DRAMA CLUB

We believe that theatre has the power to change the lives of students and the community at large with opportunities for confidence, collaboration, and creativity. The City Wide Drama Club (CWDC) seeks to create one highly impactful, sustainable, and replicable program, filling the void in theatre arts opportunities for public schools in the West Michigan Area while also creating pathways for local young people and their families to find belonging and thrive at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre.

 

THE PRODUCTION VISION OF CITY WIDE DRAMA CLUB

The City Wide Drama Club’s (CWDC) annual production provides the opportunity for students in grades 6th-12th to perform on Grand Rapids Civic Theatre’s Meijer Majestic stage. With a team of professionals behind the scenes, West Michigan students who are enrolled in a CWDC partner school that do not already have a theatrical arts program will participate in regular rehearsals with a final performance that is open to the public. 

For its second year, City Wide Drama Club will take the stage in the spring of 2026:

ABOUT THE SHOW: As the half-blood son of a Greek god, Percy Jackson has newly-discovered powers he can’t control, a destiny he doesn’t want, and a mythology textbook’s worth of monsters on his trail. When Zeus’s master lightning bolt is stolen and Percy becomes the prime suspect, he has to find and return the bolt to prove his innocence and prevent a war between the gods. But to succeed on his quest, Percy will have to do more than catch the thief. He must travel to the Underworld and back; solve the riddle of the Oracle, which warns him of betrayal by a friend; and come to terms with the father who abandoned him. Adapted from the best-selling book The Lightning Thief by Rick Riordan and featuring a thrilling original rock score, The Lightning Thief: The Percy Jackson Musical is an action-packed mythical adventure “worthy of the gods” (Time Out New York).

 

City Wide Drama Club will present The Lightning Thief: Theatre for Young Audiences Edition on March 7 at 2pm and March 8 at 6pm on the Meijer Majestic Stage at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre.

Tickets on sale in early 2026.

Would you like to be a City Wide Drama Club partner school at Grand Rapids Civic Theatre?

Click below to get started!

CONTACT JARED GRAYBIEL, OUTREACH MANAGER

Get an inside look at some of the programs offered by Grand Rapids Civic Theatre and School of Theatre Arts through this video created by Carbon Stories on behalf of Steelcase Foundation.

SAVE THE DATE!

AUDITIONS

December 9 and 10, 4:30-7:30pm

Callbacks (by invitation only): December 11, Time TBD

City Wide Drama Club is made possible by

Additional Support Provided By:

Peter and Rachel Kahn (Jan Kahn Fund)

David and Mary Peterman (Jan Kahn Fund)

Richard and Joann Kahn (Jan Kahn Fund)

Wege Foundation

Meijer

ABOUT GRAND RAPIDS CIVIC THEATRE

Established in 1926, Grand Rapids Civic Theatre and School of Theatre Arts is one of the oldest and largest community theatres in the nation. Our mission is to Inspire creativity and personal growth, Illuminate our common humanity, and Ignite connection across our community… through the power of Theatre Arts. CLICK FOR MORE INFORMATION.

ABOUT CIVIC’S SCHOOL OF THEATRE ARTS

We are committed to artistic excellence through a comprehensive arts education program which builds confidence, fosters collaborationand inspires creativity. CLICK FOR MORE INFORMATION.

 

 

 

 

WHAT’S TO COME AT GRAND RAPIDS CIVIC THEATRE?

CLICK HERE FOR SEASON 99