FAME Performing Arts is Raising the Curtain on WonderStage

Jen Blanton was born to be a performer. As a teenager, the Owner and CEO of FAME Performing Arts in Mount Pleasant believed her life would be lived on stage. But when life intervened and a freak accident left her with a career-ending injury, she had to pivot. Today, Jen dedicates her time to her students—young performers from throughout the Lowcountry—and she’s thrilled to share with them her newest program: WonderStage.

But first, her story, because a true performer always has a story to share. “At 18, I thought my path was set,” she says. “I had just returned from an unforgettable summer after being cast by Broadway director Neil Goldberg as the vocalist for ‘Imaginique.’ Then everything changed.” During a routine surgery to repair a birth defect, her sternum was broken.

“I could barely breathe, let alone sing,” she adds. “Overnight, the voice I had built my identity around felt out of reach. I had to make a choice. My body was asking me to pivot.” At the same time, teaching opportunities kept appearing. Then, in 2010, “I committed fully to teaching after watching one of my young students perform and feeling the exact same rush I used to feel on stage myself. That was the moment.”

FAME Performing Arts grew from that moment. Since 2010, the program—which focuses on building confident, creative young people through high-quality performing arts education—has grown from meeting in living rooms and church halls to a fully formed operation with a simple but powerful vision: the stage is more than a place to perform. It’s a place where students discover discipline, resilience, courage, and joy.

Jen has watched her students grow and excel far beyond her stages, while building a strong community behind the curtain. In 2020, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, Jen was diagnosed with cancer. “Our community showed up in a way that still humbles me. Families rallied. Students kept working. The arts became steadier, not smaller.”

Now, Jen and FAME are excited to introduce the next important piece of its story: WonderStage, the natural evolution of the organization’s mission. “While FAME focuses on training young artists, WonderStage brings professional theatre to young audiences,” says Jen. “We hire professional local actors to create high-quality productions specifically designed for children and families, while also serving schools and the educational community.”

The initiative allows FAME and its staff to model artistic excellence at the highest level, while giving young people access to imaginative storytelling performed by working professionals. “FAME has been in business for 16 years,” she adds, “and WonderStage has just begun, but it’s been years in the dreaming.”

Why do they do all of this? For Jen, the answer is simple. “Theater isn’t just entertainment. It’s a space where art meets humanity, where professional storytelling inspires audiences of all ages, and where creativity builds understanding.”

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