Hockley County Endowment Grant Story: Wallace Theater

Levelland’s Wallace Theater put on a production of “Cornerstones of Courage” with funding from the Hockley County Endowment. “‘Cornerstones of Courage’” made an impact on countless lives,” a Wallace Theater member said, “We specifically served 315 audience members in the show, and the reach of the story of honor and bravery and sacrifice of families during World War II reached the thousands because of this presentation.” A cast of seven people read selections from the book “Cornerstone of Courage” during the show. The organization stated, “We had 107 people express interest in auditions from all across the state.” The show drew in visitors from Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, and as far away as California. The cast performed the play three times for the public and once for the Levelland Middle School Students. Nearly two hundred students filled the Wallace Theater to hear the story of Sgt. William J. Bordelon. A Theater representative commented on the experience, “It was obvious the story created a very real and emotional experience for those students. It brought the devotion and sacrifice of those who lived through World War II to reality.” The director, Diane Christiansen, and author, Douglas Pricer, answered questions following the show. The principal of Levelland Middle School later told the Wallace Theater that the students “LOVED the play” and talked about the show the rest of the day. The Theater wrote, “We believe the greatest impact will be seen through the lives of those students from Levelland Middle School. For some, it will likely be an experience they will never forget.” To prepare for hosting the show, the Wallace underwent renovations. “Concrete repairs were completed, a new ADA accessible ramp was installed, exit doors at the back of the auditorium were installed with new concrete steps, new railings were added around the stage pit and steps.” Donors and volunteers worked tirelessly to make these changes and prepare the auditorium for the show. In closing, the organizations reflected on the production. “Overall, the outcomes exceeded expectations on all levels and raised the bar for what is expected of a performance at the Wallace not just in the show, but in the opportunity to impact lives through storytelling.” To support nonprofits in the Hockley County area, like Wallace Theater, donate through the following link. http://hockleycountyendowment.org/donate-now/