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Contact Us:
Dottie Cianciola
Patricia Lindley Center Managing Director 
627 North Main Street
Wellington, Ohio.  44090
(440) 647-7900
dcianciola@wellingtonvillageschools.org

Emily Campofredano
McCormick & WHS Theater Director
627 North Main Street
Wellington, Ohio.  44090
(440) 647-7952
ecampofredano@wellingtonvillageschools.org

600 seat state-of-the-art theater

The Theater Life site links cast and crew members to important information regarding auditions, rehearsals, and more. 

History
A Changing Landscape

In the fall of 2012, the voters of Wellington came together to change the landscape of our village forever by approving a bond levy to build a new middle school. This decision was based on the knowledge that our children deserve a safe, technically up-to-date facility and that the original McCormick deserved a respectful end after housing students for more than 150 years.

A new McCormick middle school was set for completion in 2015.  Even among the cheers there arose many questions.  Since the majority of funding for the school was from the state, the majority of decisions and regulations did too.  One in particular that the community was struggling with was the inclusion of a “cafetorium.” A large room that would double as both a cafeteria and auditorium.  Although this set-up has been adopted in many new schools, it did not seem acceptable to much of our community.  But since the state would fund a cafetorium, our course seemed set…

An Anonymous Donor

Questions about preserving the old auditorium were explored.  Questions about converting buildings in town were asked.  Concern about an appropriate auditorium started as nagging voices in our heads, to rumblings among friends, to phone calls.  Very few possible solutions were feasible until…

At a meeting in the summer of 2013, it was announced to a small group that an anonymous donor would donate $1.25 million of the $2.5 million needed to change the plan for the McCormick to have a real auditorium.  Wow!  In that small room, heads were spinning- what a donation!  But also, what a task!  To raise $1.25 million in just 2.5 years seemed daunting, if not impossible.  Plans were set and optimism ran high at the conclusion of that meeting and then, another surprise.  In September the group of concerned citizens, now called “Friends of the Wellington Community Auditorium” received more shocking news. A $1.25 million "anonymous" donation was placed by Bill Brumfield!

A Deadline Was Set

The group reached out to the community who was willing to make a difference. A media blitz was started to reach as many people as possible. Some donated hundreds of thousands of dollars and some donated $87. Some bought enough seats for their entire family and some school children donated $2 each to be a part of just one.

And the Rest is History...

The optimism was contagious, but there was still a gap to fill. As soon as alumni were made aware of the need for the new auditorium, donations started pouring in from all over the country. Again, large and small donations were helping to close the gap. As our deadline approached, "the friends" knew they needed more time and thankfully the state granted one more month to solidify donations.

By March of 2014, $1.25 million to match the anonymous donation was secured! The dream of a new auditorium, constructed at the same time as the new middle school was realized. Later, as the official name was revealed as "The Patricia Lindley Center for the Performing Arts," another layer of pride became attached to this incredible space. For generations to come our community will enjoy the arts in the PAC, knowing that the generosity of one man inspired the generosity of a whole community.

Much More Than Bricks and Mortar

Although built of bricks and mortar, this building is made of much more.  Each person who donated time and funds to this project will forever know that a small piece of it belongs to them.  The PAC will be a reminder for years to come that a small group of people can change the world if they work together, one brick at a time.