For many in the Queen Creek and San Tan Valley area, Combs High School is a familiar name in a place where high schools are not as numerous as neighboring cities. However, situated at the intersection of Ironwood and Germann roads, the Combs High School campus is also home to a place of family-friendly entertainment that not many are aware of: Combs Performing Arts Center.
Completed in 2019, the Combs Performing Arts Center is home to an array of engaging musicals, plays, dance recitals and more every season. Over the past few months, the center, also known as the CPAC, has proudly offered the Town of Queen Creek and surrounding areas a front-row seat to performances like Matilda, Newsies, Clue, the Gutbusters Improv Comedy Show and the USA National Miss Arizona Pageant.
With an impressive 516 seats in the theater, dynamic acoustics and a large balcony, Corianna Lee, manager of Combs Performing Arts Center, says there isn't a bad seat in the house. Lee, who has been at the center since April 2019, explains she has a few favorite things about the venue that she feels sets it apart from others in the area.
For Lee, first and foremost is the seating, with the acoustics a close second. Besides having the ability to seat many patrons at each showing, Lee explained that the architecture and structural components of the theater have been carefully planned to enhance the viewer's experience.
"No seat is more than 75 feet from the stage, allowing every seat to feel up close and personal," she said. "We also have outstanding acoustics for concerts of all varieties...the woodwork that you see in the theater is actually acoustic paneling.
Lee went on to explain that another unique aspect of the CPAC is their ability to utilize the students who are learning just a building or so away, benefiting the center and students alike.
"We invite our high school technical theater students to work backstage at professional level shows giving them experience from the professionals and allowing them to take those skills and begin working in the industry during and after high school." Lee said. "We have a student intern program from Career and Technology Education (CTE) where several of those interns have been hired by clients and outside groups for performances in the CPAC and other venues."
For Lee, being able to help students learn the skills and tools they can apply in their future careers is important as her previous experience includes teaching drama, dance and technical theater, as well as founding a teen theater program for the Blackbox Foundation. While she went on to become a venue manager for the Coolidge Performing Arts Center from 2012 to 2019, being manager of the CPAC has given her the best of both worlds in terms of interacting with students, while still having the time to run the center and schedule events for the CPAC to offer.
“I don't have the day-to-day teaching requirement, but I still have the opportunity to work with students and develop a positive and professional working relationship with them, including our community theater and dance programs that come in,” Lee said.
While her responsibilities vary from day to day, her job duties include unloading and setting up equipment, handling house and audience needs, publishing social media posts, maintaining the CPAC's website, reviewing paperwork and contracts, updating and maintaining the center's calendar, answering phones, publishing the monthly newsletter and more. To help with some of these tasks, she also oversees the CPAC's volunteers.
David Kelter Jr., who has volunteered at the CPAC for two years, is their front of house manager and genuinely enjoys working for Lee and helping at the CPAC. His responsibilities include handing out promotional materials, operating the promotional booth, handing out tickets at Will Call and computer work as needed.
"When you attend a show at the Combs Performing Arts Center, whether it is a concert or musical/play, you will never be disappointed," he said. "You are greeted with a smile and helpful hand."
That friendly, inviting atmosphere that theatergoers have come to associate with the CPAC is the very reason it is has been featured numerous times on Kelter's blog, Valley Theatre.
His blog, which was started in 2018 to showcase the "great theaters we have here in the East Valley," often features reviews of plays, musicals and other performances at the CPAC, thanks in part to the behind-the-scenes advantage he gets from volunteering.
Volunteers and employees like Kelter and Lee strive to facilitate a memorable experience for every patron who attends a show to emphasize the importance of having this type of establishment local and accessible.
While many people hear the word theater and think only of plays or musicals, Lee explained the CPAC is available for rentals and hosts a variety of events throughout the year, including beauty pageants, dance concerts, musical and theatrical youth performances, business meetings, art shows, birthday parties, tribute concerts, local musicians, community meetings, the US Air Force Band, spelling bees, orchestra and band concerts, choral concerts, state and national dance competitions and festivals, district meetings, awards ceremonies, etc.
"I would love for your readers to know that we are here, and we have great entertainment. They don't have to travel far or spend a lot of money for high quality entertainment." Lee explained. "In addition, we have a beautiful venue that is available for community rentals and we can accommodate a variety of events."
To learn more about the CPAC and for a list of upcoming events, visit jocombs.org/CPAC. Combs Performing Arts Center is located in San Tan Valley at 2505 E. Germann Road.
If you would like to follow or learn more about the Valley Theatre blog, visit valleytheatre.blogspot.com or follow them on Facebook at facebook.com/OfficialValleyTheatre.
