North Texas Performing Arts invites the public to attend the formal dedication of The Brodie Copeland Theatre on Saturday, October 13, at 3 p.m. at The Shops of Willow Bend. Refreshments will be served at 3 p.m. with the dedication beginning at 3:30 p.m.
Sean Copeland and son, Brodie, were taken from us in the 2016 Bastille Day terrorists attack in Nice, France. Brodie was a gifted and precious youth performer and regularly graced NTPA stages in the McKinney Youth Theatre which became NTPA-Fairview.
Kim Copeland’s generous gift to NTPA’s new home at The Shops of Willow Bend to create the Brodie Copeland Theatre will commemorate her son’s love for acting and literature. “Brodie’s love for theatre was a passion so deep, and the skills he learned through NTPA transpired to all areas of his life. I once asked Brodie if he was nervous to pitch in his baseball games, and he calmly replied, “Mom, if I can stand on a stage and sing and act in front of hundreds of people, I can stand on a mound and pitch a baseball game. The precious memories our family created with NTPA will live on in our hearts forever, and now his legacy will live on within these walls through thousands of other children.”
Brodie graced NTPA stages in a number of shows but his favorite was in the role of “Michael” in the McKinney Youth Theatre’s production of “Peter Pan” directed by Morgan Southard. When Senior Resident Director Nick Mann took on the role of Director for Frisco Youth Theatre’s Peter Pan production this past July, he dedicated the performances to Brodie saying “Brodie was an exceptional and one-a-kind human being. I always felt like Brodie was someone who could change the world, and I know in my heart that he did just that during his short time on Earth.”
“Brodie was everything a parent would want in a child: curious, intelligent, and filled with light and love. Each year, NTPA-Fairview honors one student who demonstrates Brodie’s character strengths of teamwork, sociability, and leadership,” says Sara Akers, Executive Director of North Texas Performing Arts. “The Brodie Copeland Theatre and his family will continue to be an inspiration to our youth, patrons, staff, and volunteers.”
“Our heartfelt thanks and appreciation to Kim and the Copeland family as their NTPA family supports them in their path from the tragedy they have experienced” says Governing Board President Darrell Rodenbaugh. “We could not be more pleased than to remember Brodie in this way”.
Kim has used her loss in other ways to bless others. Kim partnered with the University of Texas Longhorns to create the Sean and Brodie Copeland Memorial Endowment, a project to help players in memory of Sean and Brodie. Kim and her family will continue to “live strong and happy” to honor Sean’s wishes. Kim credits her faith in Jesus for not allowing this tragedy to ruin her life, “It’s God who’s giving me strength because I could never have done this on my own.”