A Portage Life in the Spotlight: Benjamin and Katelyn Leonard White

Benjamin “Ben” and Katelyn Leonard-White started Regional Performing Arts Company, a children’s community theatre, in Portage. In addition to founding the Performing Arts Center, Ben serves as the producer and treasurer, while Katelyn serves as the president of the board of directors.

A husband-and-wife team, they split the major aspects of their business according to their expertise. The two first met in undergraduate school at Valparaiso University studying music and education.

“We both have a theatre background. I cover operations, producing, and theatre finances” Ben said. “Katelyn is really strong in audio design. She’s our music director and takes care of our building.”

Several years ago, Ben and Katelyn founded Regional Performing Arts Company as a way to bring theatre opportunities to the next generation of Portage residents. The couple founded the company alongside others. Today, however, they are the only co-founders currently with Regional Performing Arts Company.

“We both had theatre opportunities growing up,” Katelyn said. “We wanted to bring that to the community and extend the opportunity to produce and perform to children locally.”

Katelyn and Ben’s four-year-old daughter is one of those children. While she isn’t quite old enough to actively participate in the shows, she is certainly learning a lot.

“She’s a little too young to perform,” Katelyn said. “However, she is always helping Ben and I.”

Still, in a way, she’s growing up in the theatre helping her parents with some aspects of production. She’s attended rehearsals since she was about 6 months old.

“She’s our special production assistant,” Ben said. “She’s often with us in the background as we work on active production of the show.”

Each season, which runs from August through June and totals 11 months, Regional Performing Arts Company puts on anywhere from five to eight shows.

“This season, we’re leaning toward the heavier side of that span, producing and delivering eight shows,” Katelyn said.

Regional Performing Arts Center is not currently auditioning for any shows, as all are in production and performance. However, the theater company will be auditioning for next season in the coming months, and Ben and Katelyn encourage local children interested in getting involved to come out for an audition.

The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee opens May 29th at the Regional Performing Arts Center. On June 5th, Regional Performing Arts Company will partner with Hammond Academy for Performing Arts to perform Disney’s Tarzan at Morton High School.

“Both are really fun musicals,” Ben said. “Tickets and information can be found on our website.”

For the Leonard-Whites, theatre and their business is certainly a family affair. As a family, they are bringing more art opportunities to Portage. Through the Regional Performing Arts Company, local children can participate in various aspects of theatre, including acting, producing, and designing. Furthermore, local children and the general public have the opportunity to be exposed to theatre as an audience member with access to the theater company’s many shows each year. Both are wonderful learning opportunities!