Meet the Creative Team

This very talented goup of ladies are the heart,  soul and glue of the musical theatre program at Bancroft Middle School.  They are truly passionate about their work  in the Arts  and it shows.  Through their teachings students are able to go out in  the wide world of theatre and succeed at their craft.

It was somewhere around 1965.  Catherine was a brand new teacher starting out in Los Angeles.  At an open house, she overheard a group of “suited and tied” men comment that they couldn’t expect much out of the largely Mexican population of students she was teaching.  She took that comment as a personal call and challenge to show a community of short-sighted folk what young people can do when given the opportunity, and someone who believes in them.  Accompany that with hard work, time, commitment, and desire and you create an unstoppable force. 

So that challenge was answered and expectations were surpassed.  The small, but mighty beginnings have evolved into the productions we witness today at Bancroft.  And different from the first community who unknowingly lit a spark, the present San Leandro community has nourished and supported this performing arts program into a force truly to be reckoned with.  My deepest, deepest thanks.

Catherine has been on a mission (and what an adventure it has been) of directing and producing plays for forty years.  Although a science teacher by degree, she feels fortunate for the opportunity to expand the artistic part of her brain as well.  She would greatly like to thank those men, years ago, who in their lack of vision, inspired her to travel a path she had been unaware of and to show that path to countless young people.

Other related activities include 13 years contest speech coach for students (6th-8th grades). She coached serious and humorous monologues, extemporaneous, impromptu, original, debate, and interpretation of Shakespeare. She has directed children in drama productions for 40 years.

Andrea M. Gorham- Director

"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them”  -Walt Disney

Andrea is an Alumni of Bancroft.  She graduated from San Leandro High School in 1999 and earned her Bachelors at California State University, Hayward; in addition she holds an A.A. degree in Theatre Arts and a MA in Arts Education.  Andrea first caught the theatre bug in 8^th grade when she played a singing purple pansy in Bancroft’s production of “Alice in Wonderland.”  It was Serendipity that brought her to us to help direct our shows ten years ago.  Through her experiences with us she has developed a love for the production side of theatre and is humbled to share her passion with our students.  

"Working at Bancroft is an amazing experience. By doing theatre at the school level you learn all the ins and outs of the craft because you have to wear so many hats.  You are not just a director, you become many different things; costume designer, fundraiser, stage manager, deck manager etc.  You grow as an Artist and are challenged as a youth director.  There is a high standard for excellence and the expectation to have a great show year in and year out-there is no other program of its kind!  Being one of the directors for BMT is a huge amount of hard work, but I wouldn't have it any other way!"

Other theatre credits include: Camp Waukeela, New Hampshire-Musical Theatre Program Director, Kids Take the Stage-Acting Coach, Neighborhood Theatre Players-Assistant Director, NYT Summer Camp- Improv Teacher & Stage Director,  Stage Door Theatrics -Stage Director. Curtain Call Performing Arts, Co-Founder & Artistic Director.

Dallis Wright-Choreographer

Dallis was born in Victoria, Canada where she started highland dancing at the age of eight. She received her BFA with specialized honors in dance from York University, Toronto, Canada. She decided to pursue musical theater as a performer and choreographer. One of her favorite memories was touring Eastern Canada as a dancing sandwich in Healthspell for a Toronto children’s theater company. She was artistic director for “KabOom Interactive Parties Inc.” where she choreographed for many corporate industrials.  Dallis is a member of the Canadian Actor’s Equity Association and has taught movement/dance for the University of Toronto, the Banff School of Fine Arts in Alberta, Canada and for the San Francisco Opera Center. Some past choreography credits include Showboat, Annie Get your Gun, Oliver!, Brigadoon, The Merry Widow, A Little Night Music, School for Scandal (Banff, Canada), Toronto Children’s Choir, Diamond Tooth Gertie’s (Yukon, Canada), Palace Grand Theatre (Yukon, Canada) and Waterwood Children’s Productions (Toronto).

Who We Are

Bancroft Musical Theatre (BMT) was founded by Catherine Heck and has been a vital part of the San Leandro and Bancroft Middle School communities for 22 years.  BMT is a free program for all students.  We welcome anyone willing to learn and turn no one away.  Over 2000 performers have gone through the program,  and nearly 30,000 people have sat in our audiences astonished at the talented students that grace the stage.

Directors and Choreograhpers are Teachers/Retired Teachers of the San Leandro Unified School District and are working professional artists who donate their time so that students can experience professional quality theatre.

The goal of the program is to educate the whole actor and provide learning through performance.  The goal is, and has always been, to produce high quality shows for our community and to provide exceptional theatrical training.

Peter Pan 2007

Peter Pan 2007

 Peter Pan 2007

 Peter Pan 2007