Center Stage (web series)

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***Center Stage*** is an American comedy-drama web series created by George Augustine and produced by Greystone Pictures and Medrano-Bass Productions. The series, filmed in Los Angeles and New York City, chronicles the lives of eight performing arts students attending the fictional Mel Waterson Academy. In addition to navigating their future trajectories and relationships, the characters also faced mature issues like racism, domestic violence, sexism, child abuse, homophobia, mental disorders, and death. It starred Theodore Woods in the lead role, alongside an ensemble cast consisting of Leonardo Kirkland, Alicia Marquez, Chloë Grace Moretz, Bruno Roth, Jr., Jordan Saitoh, Victoria Sarpong, and Rebecca Wu.

Despite mixed reviews upon its debut, the series earned mass acclaim in later years, particularly for its ethnically diverse cast, musical performances, and deep exploration of its central characters. It received a nomination for Best Drama Web Series at the 2nd Annual IAWTV Awards and three nominations for Choice Comedy Series at the Teen Choice Awards. The latter ceremony saw Moretz, Saitoh, and Woods receive nominations for Choice Comedy Actor/Actress.

## Plot

After a severe injury prevents him from pursuing a basketball career, 15-year-old Omar Jackson has taken up dance as a new hobby, regularly performing with a b-boy group called VIBE-4 in the fictional Bronx neighborhood of Williamson. His talent soon draws the attention of Cyrus Lorey, a dance instructor from the Mel Waterson Academy, a boarding school renowned for its prestigious performing arts curriculum. Lorey encourages Omar to enroll in the school’s dance program next semester, to which he agrees.

Upon arriving at Mel Waterson, Omar navigates an environment that regularly pushes his limits to the test, be it school projects combining musical and theatrical performances or the various relationship dynamics he forms with other students. Making up his newfound group of friends is dim and goofy Phoenix Turner, self-absorbed Sofia Salazar, clever and resourceful Miley Harris, snooty and dramatic Daniel Abbatucci, snarky and cynical Nathan Park, socially awkward Ivy Yang, and down-to-earth Aissata Hallowanger.

## Cast

*See also: List of Center Stage characters*
### Main

* Theodore Woods as Omar Jackson
* Leonardo Kirkland as Phoenix Turner
* Alicia Marquez as Sofia Salazar
* Chloë Grace Moretz as Miley Harris
* Bruno Roth, Jr. as Daniel Abbatucci
* Jordan Saitoh as Nathan Park
* Victoria Sarpong as Aissata Hallowanger
* Rebecca Wu as Ivy Yang

## Episodes

*Main article: List of Center Stage episodes*

## Production

### Development and casting

While working at Epitome Pictures in 2008, George Augustine developed a script for a musical drama film called *Uprising*. Its premise followed four young adults that "forge unexpected connections with one another and learn to express their identity issues" by working in a local community play. Nearly 80% of the script was complete when Augustine left his position at Epitome, following a shift in management. After being shopped around various production companies in Canada and the United States, Greystone gave an official order to *Uprising* in September 2009, under the condition that Augustine re-envision the project as a television series for the company's newly-established motion picture unit.

Augustine made significant changes to the *Uprising* script during the transition, many of which came from casual conversations with his former Epitome colleagues and Augustine's own time spent as an interim music teacher. It was here that the concept of an arts-inclined boarding school was developed, along with a new cast of teenage characters. The end product, now titled *Center Stage*, was formally announced on February 17, 2010.

## Release

The series initially premiered on November 5, 2011, with new episodes released weekly (typically on Saturdays) via an official website and YouTube channel. The last regular episode premiered on June 6, 2015; a feature-length finale, *A Center Stage Graduation*, was released digitally on July 10, ending the series after four seasons and 90 episodes.