Culture is Alive in Central

Almost a year since its premier, the Sullivan Theater acts as a home for the arts

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A year ago, Central’s former Family Fitness Center was in the thick of a massive renovation. Dozens of volunteers were painting every inch, raising the ceilings, installing carpets donated by a local business, repairing the roof, installing the buildout with donated wood from the local lumber company. Professional theatre lighting and sound equipment was being installed thanks to a grant from the City of Central. And after a mere three months and over five hundred volunteer hours, the Sullivan Theatre presented its first performance of Sherlock Holmes and the Adventure of the Elusive Ear on June 2, 2023. 

“It’s been a true community effort,” said Dave Freneaux. 

Now, this April, Sherlock Holmes is returning to the stage as the Sullivan Theatre’s sixth production, this time with The Adventure of the Fallen Soufflé. “It’s just amazing to me how quickly it all came together,” said Freneaux. “There’s probably a couple hundred people that are associated with us now, just either volunteering, taking on one of the designer positions, working backstage, etc.” 

Though the theater itself was assembled rapidly, the earliest seeds for the concept were planted just over a decade ago, when Freneaux and likeminded residents founded the Central Cultural Foundation—an initiative devoted to investing in and promoting the arts in the city. “There is a lot of history and culture,” he explained. “But there were no arts, no real place to gather and do things as a community.” Over the last few years, though, those plans were put on hold as the city faced the massive flood of 2016, followed shortly by the pandemic. 

Towards the end of 2022, Freneaux decided he was done waiting. He found the Fitness Center, a 6,000-square foot building available for rent, secured a good deal, and presented the idea of a venue for arts and culture in Central to the Cultural Foundation. “And they gave permission,” he said. 

In addition to acting as the home to Central’s blossoming community theatre, the Sullivan is also host to the Art League of Central, which occupies the lobby, and the Central Historical Society—which has a room dedicated to the preservation and display of articles, photographs, and documents regarding Central’s history. The local high school has used the facility for its drama productions, as well as a dance school in town for their recitals. “We’re trying to expand and maybe do community movie nights for kids and stuff,” said Freneaux. “Just trying to get something to do in Central, somewhere to gather. It’s important. We’re trying hard to give Central its own identity as a city, through the arts.” 

The Sullivan Theater’s upcoming performances of Sherlock Holmes: The Adventure of the Fallen Soufflé will take place on April 5–14. sullivantheater.com.