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What theatre experience do you have?
I have a degree in Theatre Design and Production with an emphasis in Stage Management. Growing up, I was highly involved in my high school theatre program.  

Why did you decide to volunteer for this program?
I personally know how hard it can be to try and run every aspect of a [theatre] program and especially how hard it can be to find people to work with costumes. I used to help with costumes in my high school and we always needed extra hands. I guess you could say I have a soft spot for school programs and I love seeing everything come together. I also minored in costuming, so I really love getting to sew and to help teach kids what a cool art it can be!  

What did you learn from working with this school?
I learned that there are a lot of kids who are interested in sewing but automatically think that there is no way they could ever do it. I was taught by my grandma at a young age to sew, so I wanted to bring that to school programs, if possible. I also learned that kids who have had no access to theatre can really be incredible actors and actresses with a lot of passion. We were dealing with some pretty rambunctious kids, but the second they started to act, something calmed inside of them and they became such vibrant personalities onstage. It was really incredible to see.  

Did you have a favorite costume or project from this show?
Agwe, the God of Water’s, costume was so much fun to work with! It looked really cool onstage! My cat also almost tore it to shreds since it had dangling shiny plastic on it. 

Why do you think participating in a middle school theatre program is important? 
The experience that a program like this gives kids is one-of-a-kind! They are working with excellent material and staff, learning to work together as a group, as well as how to stand out and shine when they are in the spotlight. I watched nervous kids who had never danced onstage go up and blossom, gaining so much self-confidence in the span of three minutes as their friends cheered them on. 

Clare and Aiken enjoyed their partnership so much, they plan to continue working together next year with their production of Seussical, JR.

Are you interested in helping a JumpStart Theatre school? Tell us what skills you are willing to share and we’ll let you know what opportunities are available.

JumpStart Theatre Pro Tip
Are you in charge of organizing volunteers and jobs for your production or project? Websites like SignUpGenius and VolunteerSignup are free and incredibly easy to use.

Mary Francis Dulworth, Clark Montessori (Class III), felt that "Boot camp for us was a thrill and a walk down memory lane! It gave us energy to go back to the kids and get acting! What a wonderful way to prepare us for this adventure!"