CLEARWATER, Fla. — Ruth Eckerd Hall is the brainchild of some Clearwater developers who saw a need and wanted to fix it.
North Pinellas County needed a performing arts venue back in the 80s. A local orchestra was performing at a high school.
Thanks to community support, Ruth Eckerd Hall came to be.
The nonprofit continues to run off donations from the community to support the arts and entertainment industry in North Pinellas County.
While Ruth Eckerd Hall brings in dozens of entertainers a year, they also provide classes.
"For a lot of students, it's the first time that they felt comfortable getting up in front of a room," said Susan Crockett, President & CEO of Ruth Eckerd Hall. "I feel like where the heart of the mission is, is how the arts affect your development, to give you a feeling of self-esteem and confidence that you can go out and be who you were created to be."
This summer, students at the Marcia P. Hoffman Performing Arts Summer Camps are working on a production of "Sister Act."
Leaders said it's not just about the performance. It's about seeing the kids succeed.
"One of the biggest things is just seeing their confidence grow. People that might not—I say this as a shy person, believe it or not—their confidence rising, the ability to speak in front of people, to confidently voice their emotions. And it's a wonderful thing to watch that," said Jack Holloway, Drama Department Chair at Ruth Eckerd Hall.
"For me, it's like community engagement, a good way to get involved with different people, meet different people and kind of like, build those relationships while also, you know, building confidence and you know, getting to be a part of something fun," Mariah Vote with the Marcia P. Hoffman School of the Arts.
The public is invited to attend the show, which begins on July 25.
