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The curtain has gone up on Center Stagers at The Studio in downtown Troy and there are still a few openings for the fourth season of this amazing after-school program for children ages 11-14 on Tuesdays and for ages 7-10 on Thursdays. Center Stagers is in its fourth season and is directed by Jenny Davis Meadows with Will Hornsby as assistant director.

Center Stagers is sponsored by the Alabama State Council on the Arts and the Johnson Center for the Arts.

The class fee is $40 and includes a Center Stagers T-shirt.

For information about this fun-learning class, call the Johnson Center at 670-2287.

Meadows said Center Stagers is fun and learning opportunity where the ‘stagers’ quickly shed any inhibitions they might have, relax and enjoy expressing themselves in different and creative ways.

“It’s amazing to see how quickly the kids adjust to being around other kids who are learning to express themselves in different ways,” Meadows said. “They begin to talk among themselves and begin to create stories to share and engage in collaborative dialogue.”

Meadows said it is exciting to see, within 30 seconds, youngsters jump in and participate in a talent show or a knock-knock joke or sing a song or just talk and have fun.

The Center Stagers have hand signs that are designed for interaction.

“The Hang 10 sign is expressive; the High Five, and Thumbs Up let others know that what they are doing, saying and/or creating is a “good thing,” Meadows said. “A very important hand sign is the I Love You sign because we don’t have any bullies at Center Stagers. We care about each other and appreciate each other.  Center Stagers builds confidence in our kids and in what they can do. We have fun; we learn and we appreciate each other. And, of course, we learn to be creative and have confidence in the things we can do individually and together.”