Floyd Central High School

A Rich History
     The Floyd Central Theatre Department is proud to have such a rich history of excellence in the arts. With a diverse program in the arts, F.C. Theatre is among the best in the nation when it comes to quality performances coupled with a strong emphasis on educational opportunities for our students and the community at large. The history of our department is one of the tradition and a lot of hard work. With out current state-of-the-art facility it is hard to imagine those early days when shows were staged on platforms set up and taken down daily in the school’s cafeteria. But even though the original shows lacked the luxury of today’s theatre facilities, the seeds for the future success of the department were certainly being sewn within those humble beginnings.

     Past directors of F.C. Theatre include Tom Weatherson who directed shows from 1968-1975 and supplied an amazing amount of wonderful memories to the thousands of alumni who were fortunate enough to have worked with him; Phil Harstine who took the reins of director for the 1976-1977 year; Glen Edwards, whose commitment to excellence propelled the theatre to state and national recognition form 1977-1995; Rite Hight, who led the theatre through the 1995-1996 season; and the current director Chris Bundy who took over as Director of Theatre Arts in 1996 and has lead the department to an international status with performances throughout the country and world.

     Under the direction of Karen Merrill, our costume department grew from a make do operation to a fully functioning wardrobe department that now numbers thousands of costumes in stock that are literally shipped to schools as well as community and professional theatres throughout the country. Along with past and current staff that include Sue Clark, Susie Ems, Janet Slaughter and a tremendous volunteer force, our wardrobe department has manufactured as many as five hundred outfits a season. Currently, Vicki Hays capably heads up our busy and valuable wardrobe operation. F.C. Theatre is a proud member of the International Thespian Society, a division of The Educational Theatre Association, which recognizes excellence in educational theatre. The department has represented our school at numerous International Thespian Festivals. Some of those shows have included: Diviners; Crimes of the Heart; 42nd Street; Equinox; Children of Eden; Once On This Island; Titanic; Suessical; Dames At Sea; Zombie Prom and joint New Albany/Floyd Central productions of Grease and The Boyfriend. Of course, we are also very proud that our school will represent the State of Indiana for a third time at the prestigious International Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scottland in August with Zombie Prom. Previous shows presented by F.C. at The Fringe include Once On This Island and our original musical, Burke and Hare.

     We are particularly proud that our department has always been an active participant in local and national charities. We have supported such causes as the Dream Factory; WHAS Crusade for Children; Muscular Dystrophy Association; Ronald McDonald House, as well as many other local charities. We believe in giving back to the community that is so good to us.

      We are quite proud of our performing arts center which was opened in 1982 and cherish the memories that have been before and since its construction. More than one hundred productions have been staged in the centerm but countless memories remain. Whether laughing through the comedies of Neil Simon, reflecting on such dramas as The Diviners, The Elephant Man, or being caught up in the magic of Peter Pan, Singin' in the Rain, and Tommy, among others, F.C. Theatre has consistently set the standard for quality educational theatre.

     We are fortunate to have students working in the business from Broadway to L.A. and all points in between. We are just as proud to count amoung our alumni leaders in all fields of endeavor, but most importantly we are proud that our students take with them a sense of family and the joy that the arts offer.

      We are confident that our future will remain as bright as our past as we continue to do our best in bringing quality education and theatre to our students and community.