Originally published June 5, 2015.
A
program designed to build sustainable musical theatre programs in underserved
middle schools that currently have none.
As
we wrap up the end of another school year, the JumpStart Theatre program
continues to move forward. In mid-May, the JumpStart Research Project held its
first formal in-person meeting with representatives from the Los Angeles-based Center
for Research on Creativity (CRoC). Co-Principal Investigator, Dr. Sherry Kerr,
and CRoC Assistant Director, Kim Zanti, visited each of our three JumpStart
Schools, where they met with administrators and JumpStart team members. Kerr
and Zanti also made the rounds at the EdTA office, introducing themselves to
staff. They also spent some focused time with James Palmarini, EdTA Director of
Educational Policy and other staff, refining the research model that will be
applied to JumpStart Theatre. As busy as they were, Kerr and Zanti found time
to have an informal dinner with some EdTA staff and JumpStart team members, as
well as attend a lively reception where they chatted with funders, school
representatives, and staff. “CRoC is a great partner for EdTA and
JumpStart Theatre,” said Palmarini. “I truly believe that the research that
they’re going to conduct will offer cutting edge data on the value of musical
theatre to middle school students.” The research team, including Dr. James
Catterall, Principal Investigator, will return in October to attend the first
JumpStart Bootcamp.
Pictured L to R:
Dee Anne Bryll, Ginny Butsch, Kim Zanti, Julie Cohen Theobald, Sherry Kerr, Jim
Palmarini.
Kim Zanti, Julie
Cohen Theobald, Jim Huizenga
Mark
your calendars!
The shows and performances dates have been selected:
Annie, Jr.
April 7 & 8, 2016 (time TBD)
- James N. Gamble
Montessori High School
Once on this Island, Jr.
April 22 & 23, 2016 at 7:00pm
Honk!, Jr.
April 21 & 22, 2016 at 7:30pm
Only
17 more days to double the value of your JumpStart gift!
Music
Theatre International (MTI) has offered a $10,000 challenge grant for the
JumpStart Theatre pilot program, with a deadline of June 22nd. We
have raised $6,180 so far and need to raise the remaining $3,820 by June 22nd
to complete the MTI Challenge and earn the $10,000 grant
Don’t
wait, make your 2015
commitment now!
JumpStart
Theatre Press Coverage:
Thanks to all of our partners and
supporters on JumpStart Theatre:
- Music Theatre
International
- Greater
Cincinnati Foundation
- Anonymous donation in collaboration with Community Arts
Initiatives
Coming
up in the next issue
- Details on the
first teacher training “bootcamp” in October.
Please feel free to share this link with anyone interested in learning more about the JumpStart Theatre program, we’d
love to keep them up-to-date on our exciting progress! If you'd like to receive these updates by email, contact Ginny Butsch at gbutsch@schooltheatre.org to be added to the mailing list.