A program designed to build sustainable musical theatre programs in underserved middle schools that currently have none.
This is a series of monthly updates about the JumpStart Theatre pilot program launched this year in Cincinnati, Ohio. To view previous updates, click here.
Interviews for Class II: The EdTA staff, Marty Johnson from our partner, iTheatrics, in NYC and Mentor Dee Anne Bryll are currently finishing up interviews with schools who applied to join Class II of the program in the 2016-17 school year. We anticipate reaching a decision in early March.
Bootcamp 3: The final bootcamp for the school year was held at the Aronoff Center for Performing Arts on Saturday, February 20 and covered technical elements and advanced rehearsal techniques. It was led by Marty Johnson and Susan Fuller from iTheatrics in New York.
Among various topics, attendees discussed current challenges and successes in their rehearsal process, fun ways to refresh student interest, and simple, affordable ideas to create appealing costumes and sets.
Some successes mentioned included:
- Students stepping into leadership roles
- Providing “misfits” a place to fit in
- Line memorization
Challenges:
- Getting more boys involved
- Trouble focusing
- Rehearsal “doldrums”
Teachers from Finneytown, Holmes, and Gamble Montessori act out a scene from the Jungle Book.
As an added bonus, the International Thespian Officers stopped in to offer their talents. The JumpStart teachers enjoyed this unique opportunity to direct real students as part of the bootcamp experience.
ITO are directed through a "slumber party" scene transition by different groups of teachers.
“The greatest art in the world is the art of storytelling.” Cecil B. DeMille
After speaking with a few of the team members, we realized that there were some beautiful stories developing through this process and we wanted to begin sharing them with our supporters. Over the next several months, we’ll include one of these stories in our monthly newsletter so you have a real-life example of the difference you have helped us make. This one comes to us from Laura McMullen, an art teacher at Holmes Middle School, who describes how theatre is providing a place for everyone:
We have a student in particular who I am very excited about. He has special needs and really wants to sing, has an amazing singing voice, never would have imagined it. For him to come out and sing in front of the whole school is a really big deal because he otherwise might not have that opportunity and other people might not think that he would have that opportunity. He’s going to be amazing and I can’t wait for that. Wait till you guys see this kid. He came in and blew us away. I’m just happy that we can get every sort of diverse group that we have, we’re hitting the mark on all of them. We have a high population of special needs students, around 22 percent, which is higher than the state population. I’m hoping we can include other special needs students in other classrooms in the future. They don’t get these opportunities really at all.
Performance Dates:
April 7-8, Holmes Middle School, Annie, JR
April 21-22, Finneytown Middle School, Honk! JR
April 22-23, James N. Gamble Montessori, Once On This Island, JR
May 18, Community Celebration, Xavier University
Thanks to all of our partners and supporters on JumpStart Theatre:
- The Donald C. and Laura M. Harrison Family Foundation