The red heavy curtains at the Coppell High School Auditorium open to reveal the spotlight shining at news in the Cowboy Theatre Company.
Head theater director Glenn Price and technical director Aaron Kays joined the company in May, and are bringing many changes to the department.
Both worked together for four years and have more than 10 years of experience individually. They were first connected at Anna ISD and worked together from 2021-2024, successfully leading their theater department to consecutively compete in the UIL State 4A One Act Play contest.
Now, both directors hope to bring high achievements to the theater companies.
“Coppell is special because the kids are ambitious and driven,” Price said. “That’s what makes it so beautiful: the opportunities these students have are just endless.”
With plans to grow the theater department in Coppell ISD, shifts including additional yearly shows and changing techniques of teaching, set them on this track.
“I did a lot of listening and did a lot of research,” Price said. “Our goal is to give everybody the opportunity to have a chance to be seen and to be heard, hence why we went from three shows to now doing about seven to 10, including freshmen productions.”
Apart from the growth in show numbers, the theater department is now separated into four companies: Main Stage Productions, Black Box Productions, Studio Productions and CHS9 Theater.
Current theater students notice a difference in the department, for the better.
“Mr. Price has actually let us have a lot of creative freedom and he’s made it a lot more enjoyable and fun,” Black Box productions junior Spencer Tahmassi said. “It’s really the actors’ work and not his.”
Changes are also noticeable in the technical side.
“[Kays] is kind of a jack of all trades when it comes to tech because he’s done basically everything,” Main Stage Productions senior Harrison Greenberg said. “Theater is really fun.”
Through various teaching methods, the directors focus on expanding the skillsets of current and new theater students.
“A lot of people know broad strokes but they don’t know the foundations,” Kays said. “We’ve got to build everyone’s foundations on how to assemble set pieces or how to design set costumes. We find opportunities to get them constantly doing something.”
However, changes will not only be visible in rehearsals. Plans are to change the way shows are done and the audience experience itself.
“We want people to have a magical experience from the moment you walk into the door until you get to your seat, see the show and walk out the door,” Price said.
Their attention to detail and audience experience are some of the directors’ priorities. From set design changes to the structure of shows, there are changes that have never been seen before at Coppell.
“I feel like there’s tiny details in the set that we’ve never done before and if you’re able to notice, it’s really cool,” Black Box Productions junior Aanya Bhasin said.
In hopes to grow Cowboy Theater Company’s image in the community, these changes are made to improve show quality and audience enjoyability.
“What’s been missing is just the stability of the department,” Price said. “We’re trying to make sure that we lay a solid foundation of what we need so that way we can grow a dynasty – that’s our goal.”
The Main Stage Productions fall show “Our Town” premiered on Thursday and performs Friday and Saturday. Black Box Productions fall show “The Old Man and The Old Moon” performs Oct. 17-19.
