Brandishing his cell phone as a makeshift flashlight, Brookhaven Little Theatre’s James Minter led the way into the darkened stage-right wing and through the snug confines of the backstage dressing room, his destination points to the proof of the commitment to improve the complete theatre-going experience.

There it stood, in the historic Haven Theater’s tanning booth-sized dressing room bathroom — in addition to an updated sink is a shiny new commode. That takes the “going” part of theatre-going improvements quite literally, a milestone moment that backstage frequenters of the formerly antiquated restroom facilities will surely greet with a resounding “Hallelujah!”

Kudos to Minter for resisting the urge to say, “It’s the best seat in the house.” But he did see the significance.

Look beyond the cheeky word play, and there’s a bit of a symbolism in this long-awaited backstage upgrade. Brookhaven Little Theatre is leaving no part of the theater experience untouched in its enhancement efforts, from backstage needs to patron improvements to volunteer considerations. From small tweaks to major overhauls, they’re all in play.

“We want to make it a memorable experience for anyone who walks through the doors of The Haven,” said Minter, a longtime BLT director, actor and board member (and occasional backstage tour guide). “We’re working towards improvements that touch everything that happens here.”

And there’s a lot happening, indeed. The Haven has been getting a steady workout over the last year or two, that itself is a major part of theater-going improvement. Quite simply, BLT is giving the community more reasons beyond this theatrical season to come through those front doors, with a multitude of entertainment options.

BLT board member Emily Waterloo noted that the broadening of the group’s calendar offerings will remain a priority as it looks to deepen BLT’s community impact.

“We’re looking for creative ways to reach and engage the community, and that includes unique experiences,” she said. “We have a treasure here in The Haven, and we’re working to breathe more life into it.”

Some recent heavy breathing, courtesy of the calendar’s last 12 months alone:

• In addition to several full-scale on-stage productions, BLT hosted the second year of the Young Directors Project, with two teenage directors-in-training leading a pair of one-act shows.

• More than 1,200 elementary students took field trips over a five-day span in December to see “The Polar Express.”

• An Elvis impersonator visited the stage in January, while the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles visited in May.

• A Valentine’s Day audience was treated to dessert and a showing of “Casablanca.”

• A Halloween double feature offered showings of “Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone” and “The Twilight Zone;” while this summer saw “Goonies” and “The Sandlot” playing on screen.

• BLTeens brought down the house with their June production of “Hairspray Jr.”

• Brookstock concerts and a “Girls’ Night Out” stop were also on the calendar.

Suffice to say, even Tom Bodett doesn’t keep the lights on more than BLT burns them these days.

Engaging our youth

BLT was built on the core belief that community theater does wonders to engage children and teenagers, a notion confirmed by the last few weeks of activity.

The group’s 12th annual summer theater camp drew 55 children for two weeks of acting, costuming, staging and set design, at the conclusion of which they staged “Hansel & Gretel” over two evenings. They were led by 10 adults and nearly 20 teenage counselors.

“For many of these ‘campers,’ it was their first exposure to theater and the lessons it brings on creative expression, teamwork, confidence, patience and humility,” Minter said of the camp, which accommodates children entering grades first through seventh. “It’s really a feeder for what could become a lifelong passion for the stage.”

Many summer theater campers from years past have taken the next step up to BLTeens, born from a need six years ago to fill the void between the younger theater camp and BLT’s usually adult-casted primary productions. June’s “Hairspray Jr.” continued BLTeens’ tradition of popular musicals, with no less than 60 teens comprising the cast and crew.

“The schools don’t offer what they used to,” Waterloo said, adding that BLTeens draws youth from many surrounding counties as well. “Kids are hungry for theater options and BLTeens provides them with experiences that run the full gamut of staging a production.”

Enhancement and expansion

Improving the overall theater experience in Brookhaven means having the right space in place to support a wide range of activities, Minter said, and BLT continues to nudge forward on that vision.

It began with recent improvements to stage lighting and the concessions. This past season BLT enhanced the ticket-buying process by making online purchases available and accepting debit and credit cards at its events. You can even donate online.

Now, the group is seeking to ramp up capital campaign activities in order to improve the lobby, upgrade the patron bathrooms and expand into the adjacent store front, which BLT owns.

“This will make it more flexible and accommodating for multiple activities – rehearsal and meeting spaces, and an entranceway that reflects the quality you see on stage,” Minter said.

He added that BLT has contracted with a grant writing specialist to pursue the necessary funds.

“We have been quite fortunate to receive grants from the likes of the Mississippi Arts Commission and have been blessed with committed sponsors,” Minter said. “They will be more important than ever as we move into the future.”

The cost of quality

Major musicals and full-set productions come at a cost, Minter noted, and BLT isn’t immune to pocketbook challenges. That’s why the group is entering the 2016-2017 season with modest increases in ticket prices.

“Major musicals come with a premium price tag. We have to cover royalties, maintain the building, and offset the costs of other programs and events at The Haven,” Minter said. “We benchmarked other theater groups of like size and we’re right there with them. More importantly, our prices will be in line with the talent and quality the community has come to expect and has received from BLT.”

That quality is only as robust as the community’s support, Waterloo said. Growing event attendance is paramount, she added, but BLT is equally committed to growing its stage-side participation this year. Whether it’s singing, acting, dancing, set building, costume design, ticket sales, concession assistance, marketing, or any other facet of event production, there’s a role for all comers.

“Every type of person is needed to make community theater a success. That diversity is what makes it exciting,” Waterloo said. “We have a building that houses so many stories, both told and untold. We want to build more stories.”

Ways to get involved

Brookhaven Little Theatre is holding open auditions at The Haven for the timeless classic “A Christmas Carol” on Sept. 17 at 10 a.m. and on Sept. 19 at 6 p.m.. BLT is staging the popular Israel Horovitz adaptation “A Christmas Carol: Scrooge and Marley,” a unique take on Charles Dickens’ classic holiday tale of the miser Ebenezer Scrooge and his eventual heartwarming redemption. In it, the ghost of Jacob Marley leads theater-goers through the story.

There are plenty of roles for adults, teens and children (ages 6 and up) with 25-30 speaking parts in all (some actors may play multiple roles). There is no need for any preparation; those auditioning will be reading from the script. They will also put together a small children’s choir to perform traditional Christmas carols at a few points in the play (roughly ages 6-10).

The show is expected to be cast by Sept. 22, with an initial meeting and table read before the end of September. Rehearsals will begin in mid-October, immediately after BLT’s production of “To Kill a Mockingbird.”

“A Christmas Carol: Scrooge and Marley” will take the stage at the Haven Dec. 2 through 4 and Dec. 9 through 11.

For more information, contact Doug Hoy at 937-243-8034  or doughoy111@gmail.com.