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Center Stage
COMMUNITY AND WORKFORCE PARTNERSHIPS CENTER STAGE
Celebrating 25 Years of Performing Arts in Lake County
Since its opening in February 1997, the James Lumber Center for the Performing Arts at College of Lake County has enriched the cultural life of local communities by offering an outstanding array of student productions, touring shows and educational events. What began as a project spearheaded by the CLC Foundation, this stellar venue and learning space known as the “JLC” has flourished while also providing accessible, affordable entertainment for Lake County communities and the region.
“When CLC opened the performing arts center 25 years ago, there was no Genesee or Three Brothers Theatre,” remembers JLC Executive Director Gwethalyn Bronner. “There was very little performing arts activity in the Lake County area, which made our mission so much more important. It helped CLC ‘show’ not just say: the performing arts is something important in our lives.” The performing arts and academic building, envisioned as an artistic center for all styles and types of live performances, has three stages — the Mainstage Theatre, a 600-seat proscenium; the Studio Theatre, a 250-seat thrust stage; and the 125-flexible seat, black box Harnish Experimental Theatre. Throughout its existence, the JLC has been committed to accessibility, inclusion, diversity and equity through partnerships, staffing, facility scheduling, artistic programming and presentational use.
“Its creation brought a professional performance venue within a short distance of where people lived,” said Bronner. “We used the tag line: A downtown experience close to home.”
In 2003, the building received its current name, the James Lumber Center, when it was dedicated in honor of F. James Lumber, a founding trustee and CLC’s first board chair. Lumber served on the Board of
After serving 25 years as the JLC Executive Director, Gwethalyn Bronner reflects on the opportunity she had to lead this performing arts center in Lake County as a professional African American woman. Hired at a time when CLC sought more women and people of color in faculty and administrators, Bronner exemplified CLC’s values in leadership. She dedicated her work at CLC to cultivating and ensuring broad access to diverse programming.
Trustees for 35 years and was an ardent, ambitious and “in the trenches” supporter of CLC since its opening in 1969. His wisdom, insight and arduous work helped shepherd CLC from a small, new community college to the thriving educational institution of today.
With Lumber’s fondness and appreciation for the fine arts, it was fitting to name the JLC in his honor, as a testament to his dedication to CLC. His legacy thrives today as the Lumber family, led by James’ brother John, continues to give to the CLC Foundation with endowed scholarships, including the John William and John Joseph Lumber Endowment and the James and Barbara Lumber Endowment.
The JLC maintains an impassioned commitment to connect with and give back to the community it serves. Over the years, the JLC has engaged individuals from all walks of life in providing inspirational educational experiences, presenting affordable enriching daytime performances for school children and offering discounted tickets to students, seniors and underserved populations. The JLC has a history of engagement with school and community groups in Illinois and Wisconsin.
“We’re a community theatre and we should be accessible to the community, from ticket cost to age, gender and culturally diverse representations on our stages,” Bronner says.
Bronner spearheaded 25 years of performances, covering an eclectic array of professional events including dance, music,
— Gwethalyn Bronner
theatre, magic, comedy and shows for young audiences, with annual audience attendance averaging more than 24,000 individuals. The JLC pivoted to present virtual performances during the pandemic, with more than 1,900 viewers taking advantage of this new programming.
Home to CLC’s academic performing arts programs, the JLC is more than meets the eye. The building has costume and scene shops, technical, lighting and sound booths, rehearsal space and learning classrooms, to name a few. The JLC hosts student dance recitals, dramatic plays, musicals, choir, band and orchestra concerts and performing art showcases.
People are always impressed with backstage tours of the JLC according to Dean of Communication Arts, Humanities and Fine Arts Dr. Sheldon Walcher.
“Equally beautiful are the high-quality facilities we provide students for learning,” he says. “Every spot, from the loading dock to the scene shop, the costume shop to the backstage itself, is superb. Students get to learn in top-notch spaces, preparing them to work in professional theatres.”
In addition to inviting the community to observe the work of students, community members often become enrolled students to be part of the productions, a true symbiotic partnership. The JLC is more than just a physical space. It’s a center for Lake County arts, engagement and education.
“The JLC has a vibrant connection to every community in the district,” said Walcher. “We help guide the arts throughout the community, so we don’t simply bring people in, but we drive connections outward.”
Heading into its 26th season, the JLC remains center stage as the premier, multi-functional performing arts venue in Lake County, with a firm commitment to continue making the arts accessible for all. The JLC’s future shines bright as it provides affordable, unique entertainment that celebrates the variety and value of the performing arts.
Bronner explains, “Part of CLC’s mission is to provide cultural enrichment to the community. The performing arts productions presented at the JLC reflect the culture of our society and allow patrons to experience how the performing arts influence our culture.”
