New Georgetown youth theater group to launch with ‘Legally Blonde Jr.’ summer production
June 2, 2026
A new youth-centered theater organization is preparing to take the stage in Georgetown this summer, with Georgetown Community Theater Arts planning a two-week workshop and public performances of Legally Blonde Jr. at Winyah Auditorium. Founded in 2025, the group says its mission is to create a safe, welcoming space where young artists can build confidence, develop skills and feel celebrated through theater arts.
The organization was launched by Ronnie Hunter, Georgetown Community Theater Arts’ founder and executive director, who grew up in Hemingway and traces his love of performance back to childhood productions staged on his family’s farm. Hunter said he wants to offer local children and teens the kind of encouragement that helped shape his own creative life, while building a stronger arts community in Georgetown County. 
Hunter originally hoped to debut the organization with a larger community musical, but shifted plans when fundraising fell short. Instead, Georgetown Community Theater Arts will make its debut with Legally Blonde Jr., a youth adaptation of the Broadway musical that follows Elle Woods as she challenges assumptions, pursues her goals and discovers her own strengths. The company’s website describes the summer production as its first major public event.
The immersive workshop is open to students ages 9 to 18 and is scheduled for July 13–17 and July 19–23, with daily rehearsals from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Winyah Auditorium, the historic Georgetown venue on Highmarket Street. Public performances are set for July 24–26. The organization says it needs 30 students to fully stage the production and has already enrolled 18.
Participation in the summer workshop costs $345 per student, and scholarships are available. Tickets for the performances are $20 for adults and $15 for students, positioning the event as both a training opportunity for young performers and an accessible community show for local audiences. Tickets are available for sale online now.
The group has also assembled a youth board that includes Hope Richardson of Coastal Montessori, Lillie Danysh of the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities, and Elliot Vargas, a junior at Andrews High School. Their involvement signals the organization’s intent to give students leadership opportunities beyond the stage itself.
Performance times are scheduled for Friday, July 24, at 7:00 pm; Saturday, July 25, at 3:00 pm and 7:00 pm; and Sunday, July 26, at 3:00 pm.
The production team reflects a mix of local experience and emerging talent. Ronnie Hunter will direct the show, joined by Adalynn Hapeshis as assistant director and workshop counselor, Sarah Stuckey as music director, Ellie Forrest as choreographer, and Celeste Cunningham as stage manager.
For Georgetown Community Theater Arts, the July production is more than an opening-night milestone. It is an early test of whether a new nonprofit can create lasting opportunities for young performers in Georgetown County — and whether local families will rally around a vision that puts confidence, creativity and community at center stage.
