From playing a witty con artist in last year’s production of “Annie” to a tap dancing seagull in this year’s “The Little Mermaid,” sophomore Colton Woods is a familiar face in Perry’s spotlights. 

After his mother pushed him into participating in Rosa Parks Elementary School’s production of “Suessical Kids,” in fourth grade, Woods fell in love with the stage. “I was kind of nervous, but I had, somehow, ended up getting a lead role. It wasn’t like the stakes were high or anything, it was just a show in elementary school, but it meant a lot to me. I didn’t think it would be that much fun and it was good motivation to keep going with [performing].”

From then on, Woods made it his goal to be cast in as many shows as possible. In 2019, at the age of just 10-years-old,  he landed the lead role of Jeremy Potts in the PMHS production of “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.” As a bass in Then & Now Choir, Woods said director of choirs and musical productions Melissa Walsh has inspired him to pursue theater. “She has just given me so many opportunities and she leads me in the right direction towards improving myself, whether that be singing or acting or just stage presence overall,” he said.

Walsh recognizes the impressive work ethic and dedication Woods brings to every rehearsal. “I’ve had the pleasure of working with Colton for many years,” she said, “Having done so many shows with him, I really appreciate what a hard worker he is, and how much energy he puts into his performance.”
The Perry stage holds a special place in Wood’s heart. “My favorite part of performing at Perry is I get to perform with my friends that I see everyday. It’s just such a fun environment,” he said. 

Now, Woods performs with theater companies all over the southside of Indianapolis including Creative Grounds Fine Arts Academy and Footlite Musicals. “My favorite stage to perform on has to be Footlite’s,” he said, “It’s an old building, so there’s a lot of history there. It’s a great company and very well-rounded with lots of opportunities.” 

Last year, Woods received a nomination for “best performer under 18” from the Encore Association for his role of Charlie Winslow in Footlite’s production of Holiday Inn. The Encore Association is a nonprofit theater group governed by a board of directors composed of representatives from each participating theater. The group nominated Woods for his excellence in singing and performing. “Getting that nomination really made me think all of the hours of rehearsals was truly worth it,” Woods said. 

Despite the opening night excitement and extravagant costumes, the rehearsal process can be quite straining. “This summer, I was coming home at around midnight after every rehearsal. It takes a lot more work than it looks like, and some people still don’t take it seriously. It is a lot of work to dedicate yourself to a show and its several-month process.”

This year, Woods had the leading role of John the Baptist and Judas in Footlite’s production of “Godspell.” 

“It’s a very serious show,” Woods said, “but I met so many new people and made new friends. I now know a ton of performers from other schools that I see sometimes when we go to [Indiana State School Music Association] competitions.” 

With such positive experiences, Wood wishes more students would participate in school productions. “Theater tends to have a bad reputation, with all the stereotypes and such, but if you do it with the right group of people it can actually be super fun,” he said, “and Perry has that right group of people. It’s a great learning experience in terms of talking in front of people, and overall, has taught me to stay humble and to treat every member of the cast with kindness.”