Ascension Community Theatre
Ascension Community Theatre is a volunteer-based organization that has been home to phenomenal stage productions since December 1999. Housed in what once was The Pasqua Theatre, Ascension Community Theatre’s incredible staff has transformed the space into a venue for live performances, offering a minimum of three stage performances each year.
Dustin Delaune, the president of Ascension Community Theatre, has always had the “theatre bug.” Delaune started with the organization in 2012 as an intern and became president of the board in 2018.
“I started in the summer of 2012, and from there, I’ve been involved in almost every production since then, in some way, shape, or form, whether it’s intern directing, stage managing, or assistant directing. In 2019, I was able to direct my first show, West Side Story,” says Delaune.
Producing quality theater for everyone remains the top goal at Ascension Community Theatre. To further their mission, Delaune wants to enhance the educational opportunities the organization provides.
“We just started with a reading and scene work workshop. So, people are coming in–this very first one is free–and they are able to read specific texts, from theatre history, all the way from Shakespeare and Tennessee Williams to a few new people. They’re able to break that down as an actor and see what the author’s trying to say, and then how to contextualize and portray that as an actor themselves,” says Delaune.
At Ascension Community Theatre, there’s always something new going on, which is something Delaune loves about the experience. For those looking to get into the theatre, Delaune encourages everyone to not be scared and be ready to put themselves out there.
“Creative people are some of the most accepting people out there. Ascension Community Theatre has always been a second home for me. It’s kind of where I found out things about myself and about life. My biggest hope is that other people feel that when they walk through our doors. I think most theatres in the world are that way. I think that’s one of the things that most people can find when they walk into our theatre is the fact that it’s a very accepting place, so you don’t have to hide who you are,” says Delaune.
